[HPforGrownups] BetrRe: The good Slytherin (Draco Malfoy)

[heather the buzzard]

No: HPFGUIDX 131602

Kemper:

>I would like to offer two other scenarios for Draco that won't leave 
>him redeemed nor having a dark mark tatoo... 'Betrayed Draco'
>
>Draco trying to impress the eye of his father or the Dark Lord does 
>something that foils his father/DL's plan.  
>
>1. DL tells Lucius to kill Draco (in some twisted Abraham/Isaac tones)
>and Harry saves Draco somehow: begrudgingly, by happenstance, or 
>other.
>
>2. DL with Lucius by his side goes to kill Draco.  Draco cries out 
>for his dad to save him, but it's Harry who does so: begrudgingly, by 
>happenstance, or other.
>  
>

heather now:

I actually like this idea, and it's similar to a dream I had not long ago. 

In my dream Draco was in great danger, but the cause of the danger 
wasn't specified.  His dad trying to kill him would fit the bill.  Also 
in my dream, it wasn't Harry that saved Draco but *Hermione*, leaving 
Draco in life-debt to that "filthy little mud-blood".  Hermione, in 
helping Draco, actually softens somewhat toward him, and he, in panic 
and desperation and an odd sense of gratitude, tells her some things 
about his family, his life, etc that make him 'vulnerable' and 'open' to 
her.  Maybe with your addition to my storyline, it could be "I've tried 
so hard to please my father... every thing I've ever done... I've 
cheated, I've stolen, I've tattled, I have tormented you and Harry, all 
so that my father will be proud of me.  He was never happy with me, he 
was always threatening to ship me off if I didn't do better in school, 
so I tried harder, I did more.  Why was he never happy with what I did?  
Now he's trying to... to kill me?  All I wanted was my daddy... I don't 
understand..."

After this, Hermione and Draco become solid, though somewhat 
begrudgingly, friends, and Draco starts to re-evaluate himself and his 
values.

The whole discussion of "Draco Redeemed" is interesting, and I admit I'd 
like to see it, though I was quite unconvinced by any of the offered 
scenarios of what would actually *trigger* his change-of-heart.  It 
would have to be something dramatic, something definite, in my view, 
rather than just a re-evaluation-because-I'm-16-and-daddy-is-in-jail 
sort of deal.

Daddy tries to kill him?  That would do the job for me.

Would Voldemort actually request this murder, however?  I believe so.  
With Crouch!Moody and with Tom Riddle, we have seen this idea of 
killing-your-father being an important 'rite-of-passage' for the truly 
evil.  Perhaps Voldy will convince Lucius that someday, Draco might kill 
HIM so he'd better kill Draco first.

Of course, Lucius knows his son would never have the balls to do that.  
And it's a totally different situation -- Crouch Jr and Riddle killed 
fathers who they despised because they represented everything they stood 
against.  Draco idolizes his father in an unhealthy way to the point of 
sycophancy.

So another possibility would be Voldy realizing how 'weak' Draco is, and 
convincing Lucius that he is a liability... likely to betray them, even 
by accident, etc.

Or, thirdly, Draco at 16 could finally start to develop inner strength 
and stand up to his father.  Still being evil!Draco, sure, but no longer 
being toady to daddy.  This brings us back to situation #1 -- kill Draco 
before he kills you, Lucius.

Anyway, fun to postulate about.  :)

heather the buzzard