Random Thoughts on Draco

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 125423


Several long Draco and Draco related discussions going on right now. I
don't have specific comments to any individual, so I will just make a
few random notes about Draco in general.

As to whether Draco is pampered, spoiled, or indulged; I think not.
Draco comes from a family of wealth, privilege, and status. Because of
this, members of the family are expected to conduct themselves with
dignity, restraint, and formality at all times. I'm reminded of Prince
William and Prince Harry of the Royal Family. Despite their mother's
valiant attempts to make them /normal/, they, none the less, have a
substantial degree of restraint and formality forced on them in any
and all situations, even the most informal situations like a small
private fancy-dress party. 

The Malfoys may have the very best of everything, and by extention,
Draco always has the very best, and Draco may indeed have the very
best in excess, but that is not done to indulge Draco in the same way
the Dudley is indulged by his parents. It's done as a matter of
course, it's natural for a family of wealth, status, and privilege to
have the best in opulent but dignified excess.

I think this degree of restraint and formality permeates all aspects
of the Malfoys life; they way they view and interact with other
people, the way they carry and conduct themselves, in the way they
treat their kids, and indeed, even in Mr and Mrs Malfoy marriage and
relationship.

Mr and Mrs Malfoy's marriage is a dignified strategic alliance; the
merging of two old respected wealthy pureblood families. There are
limits and boundaries on who and how the old-money elite can marry,
just as there are social restrictions on the marriages of the Royal
Family. It is a social obligation. Heaven forbid that they should
sully themselves with /common/ relationships.

Notice that the Malfoys produced one male heir and stopped having
kids. They had done their formal duty, they had done what society had
expected of them, and that is all they were obligated to do. Further,
I think the Malfoy's relationship with Draco takes on this same sense
of formal obligation and restraint. Again, I am reminded of the Royal
Family. A family in which, prior to William and Harry, contact with
the children was done by formal appointment.

Now to Draco and Harry (Potter, not Windsor).

At their first meeting in Madame Malkin's Robe shop, Draco
demonstrates his self-important formal privileged old-money
aristocratic values. This may have been something that others would
have recognised and been drawn too. But Harry, having lived with the
overindulged or over-privileged Dudley, was turned off by it.

Now to the Harry/Draco meeting on the train.

Purebloods and aristocrats are more likely to form /strategic
alliances/ than actual friendhships. Again, all things are dictated by
their outer expresions of wealth, dignity, restraint, formality,
privilege, power, and status. 

I've said before that I think subconsciously Draco viewed himself as
the /crown prince/ of the wizard world. He expected to be the focus of
all eyes and the center of attention at Hogwarts; admired and feared
by all, but bested by no one.

So why would the son of a Death Eater (Draco) and the son of a Death
Eater *fighter* (Harry) even remotely concided a friendship?  

Simple... strategic alliance. Harry is a hero in the wizard world,
beyond a hero, he is a legend; he has status, and though rarely used,
privilege in the wizard world. Naturally, Draco would want to align
himself with other persons of status and privilege. 

Also, Draco surely by his rank and status expected the spotlight to
always shine on himself. However, given Harry's legendary status in
the wizard world, the spotlight would certainly be shining on him too.
So, by forming an alliance with Harry Potter, even when the spotlight
was on Harry, Draco could bask in the reflected light of the
associated status.

Draco and Harry, the Prince and the Legend.

Sadly, while Draco is adept at enjoying wealth, status, and privilege,
he is not very good at playing the game. His father, Lucius, however
is an expert a playing the game of power and privilege. Perhaps, he
should have given Draco a few more lessons.

So, when Draco re-meets Harry on the train, he tries his best at
playing the power and status game as he understands it. His approach
is that /He/ is someone special, and that /He/ can help Harry form the
 proper strategic alliances, and that /He/ can save Harry from the
horrible mistake of associating with /commoners/. Draco is offerring
to be Harry guide through the world of power and privilege, but fails
to understand the austere and underprivileged life that Harry has
lead, never having been underprivileged himself.

In Ron, Harry has found a treasure, independant of his money in
Gringott's, Harry has found the first thing of true value in his life;
an honest and open friend. His frist friend ever, the first person who
care about him, the first person who was interested in him. 

Harry on the other hand knows very well how to play the oppressed and
underprivileged game. He knows that politeness and courtesy can act a
protection from the potentially hostile people of the world. Without
question, if all Draco had wanted to do was introduce himself and make
a favorable impression, Harry would have, without hesitation, shaken
Draco's hand just out of politeness and courtesy; a simple guarded
attempt to avoid conflict.

But Draco isn't content to build himself up, he has to tear Ron down
in the process. He, in essense, says that not only am I better that
other people and can be an asset to you, something Harry could deal
with, but other people are filth that are beneath you. Again, Draco
has made the mistake of reminding Harry very much of Dudley, Dudley is
not satisfied with being indulged and elevated in status, but someone
who must, on top of that, tear down and oppress other people. It's one
thing to elevate yourself in life, it's quite another to do it by
pushing other people down.

So, out of common defensive politeness, Harry would have shaken
Draco's hand. But when Draco crossed the line and insulted Ron,
Harry's first ever friend, there was no hope that Harry would ever
accept that. 

So, in a sense, not shaking Draco's hand was not something Harry did
against Draco, but something he did in support of Ron. If Draco had
left Ron out of it, he would have gotten his handshake.

Draco, someone of status, and in his mind, someone of supreme status,
could not accept Harry's rejection, and the sting of that rejection
has colored their relationship every since. If Draco really understood
how the /Status/ game is play, as his father does, he could have
probably recovered, and patched his association with Harry (I hesitate
to say 'friendship with Harry'). But, his ego clouded his judgement,
and Draco did exactly the opposite of what he should, and at every
step of the way, made himself look like a fool, and further alienated
Harry.

Now, given all that has happened, even under the best of
circumstances, as in redeemed Draco, things will always be strained
and conflicted between them. In addition, even allowing for redeemed
Draco in the long run, in the short run, I see things going from bad
to worse very quickly in the next book.

Like I said... a few random thoughts about Draco.

Steve/bboyminn