OoP Draco's warnings

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 62097

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kia" <kiatrier at y...> wrote:
> As someone will remember Draco warned the Trio during the 
> QWC:

<snip>  
> 
> And now in the train  Draco says: "Well, just watch yourself, 
> Potter, because I'll be *dogging* your footsteps in case you step 
> out of line."
> 
> As Harry nearly immediately realizes Malfoy talks about Sirius 
> here. But why? I mean except for being a nasty kid who wants to 
> show off his secret knowledge? I mean it is exactly like the QWC, 
> where Draco is a nasty brat, but in the same moment *warns* 
> Harry of the danger his friend is in. If Malfoy hadn't warned Harry 
> here unnecessarily, Sirius would have met him in Hogsmeade 
> and would have probably been arrested. On the other hand, for 
> the rest of the book Draco is simply worthy of a few selected 
> cuss words and his behaviour, especially in the office... well, 
it's 
> not really redemption material.
> 
> So is Draco showing off his knowledge here or is really giving 
> Harry a warning?
>

I'd vote for showing off.  It seems to be a pattern for Draco to toss 
these comments Harry's way.  In PoA there is this exchange:

...Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on 
Harry.  He leaned across the table.
"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"
"Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly.
Malfoy's mouth was curving in a mean smile.
"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something 
before now.  I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be
out there looking for him."

..."Don't you *know* Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.

And a few lines later Malfoy says," ..if it was me, I'd want revenge. 
I'd hunt him down myself."

Harry has no idea what Draco is talking about, because he doesn't yet 
know that Sirius is his godfather.  Now that we know more of the 
Black family tree, it seems reasonable that Draco learned about this 
from his parents, and it was a precious, little nugget of information 
he could dangle enticingly in front of Harry. 

I see these instances as Draco puffing himself up with the bits and 
scraps of things he hears from his father.  

Marianne, firmly in the non-redeemable Draco camp