Insights into Draco and Lucius (maybe)

[gelite67]

No: HPFGUIDX 115036


Draco in SS:
"I do feel so sorry for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts 
for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

In COS, Draco stayed at Hogwarts during Christmas.  Now, I now it was 
necessary to the plot, but I'm wondering if it had a double purpose.
Perhaps Draco's parents went on a trip and didn't want him to tag 
along (although, for some reason, I picture the Malfoy's marriage as 
a loveless marriage of convenience).  It just seems to me that we get 
an inkling from this of what Draco's home life may be like.  Lucius 
doesn't seem to be, shall we say, affectionate with his son?  

To the contrary, in COS Lucius berates Draco about his grades and we 
know from SS that Lucius had Draco convinced that it would be "a 
crime" if Draco wasn't' chosen to play Quidditch for Slytherin 
House.  No pressure on Draco there, huh?  I believe that Lucius' 
purchase of the Nimbus 2001s was to secure his son's place on the 
team, but for the sake of the family name, not to help Draco.  This 
is quite a lesson for Draco:  Lucius'family honor seems more 
important than his son's welfare.

We also learn a bit about Lucius and Draco in COS, in the scene in 
the Dark Arts shop.  It seems pretty unreasonable for a Dark Wizard 
to take his son, whom he obviously wants to follow into his 
footsteps, into a Dark Arts shop and say, "Touch nothing."  I don't 
believe it was for Draco's safety.  I find Lucius' remark,"Touch 
nothing" to be indicative of how I see their relationship. Draco 
seemingly has everything at his disposal, but his life is tightly 
controlled by his father, who is cool and distant, and very much 
concered with appearances. I dare say he was thorougly disappointed 
that Draco couldn't make friends with Harry, as I imagine Lucius 
instructed him to do.

I can just hear Lucius whenever Harry & Co. get the best of 
Draco:  "You can't keep up with s Scarface, a Mudblood, a
Longbottom, and a couple of Weasleys!?" 

I know there have been numerous posts about Draco's "character arc" 
or whatever it's called, but even if Draco doesn't develop a heart, 
then I'd like to know more about he didn't develop a spine -- that 
is, why he chose to act the way his father does.  He didn't have to --
some kids rebel.

Angie 
(who fervently believes that JKR must have put a spell on her  
books,'cause they're magically delicious!)  :)