What does Draco owe Snape? (Was: The UV )

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 162825

Carol earlier:
> > So we have rebellious teenager!Draco who has been saved from death
by a teacher he thinks is a faithful DE and who is now a fugitive, on
the run from the Aurors for having done the job that Draco was 
supposed to do. If Draco was confused by Dumbledore's behavior toward
him, he must be equally confused by Snape's. What are Snape's motives?
Why did he save Draco's life? Is he serving the Dark Lord or
undermining him by doing so? Could Dumbledore, that stupid old man, be
right about Snape's loyalties after all? And what does Snape want from
Draco now?
> 
> SSSusan:
> I have a question about this part of the discussion.  I was
following along quite nicely, I think, until the comment was made
that, in questioning Snape's motives, Draco might conclude that DD had
been *right* about Snape's loyalties (i.e., Snape was trustworthy & on
the side of Right).  What I don't get is *why* Draco might come to
this conclusion, simply from asking, "Why did Snape just do what he
did -- save me from the tower, KILL DD himself, and then shuffle me
off the grounds of Hogwarts?"  To me, the leap from "Snape is a loyal
DE" to "He might have been loyal to DD all along!" seems like a
gigantic one.  Can someone show me what I'm missing here?

Carol again:
What I had in mind when I wrote that was not the entire tower scene
but only Draco asking himself why Snape saved him and why he took a UV
to protect him rather than merely promising Narcissa to watch over
him, a promise he could "slither out of," to use Bellatrix's phrase,
if things got too hot. If Draco (not notable for his introspection, I
realize, or for analyzing other people's motives) started wondering
why Snape risked everything to save him, including taking over the
burden of that not-so-glorious task, he might realize that the UV and
loyalty to Voldemort don't really go together. If Voldemort wanted
Draco to do the task or die, would a loyal Voldemort supporter
undermine that goal? Just thinking about those questions and
remembering Dumbledore's words on the tower about Snape following his
orders might get Draco thinking. I don't think he'd arrive on his own
at Snape as DDM!, but at least he might see that Snape isn't VDM!
either. Then again, maybe I'm expecting, or hoping, too much of Draco.
> 
Carol earlier:
> > And, of course, there's the big question of where his own
loyalties lie now that it's clear that the Dark Lord doesn't value the
lives of his own followers.
> > 
> > I think it's a matter of time until Snape convinces Draco to trust
him or Draco arrives at that conclusion himself. If he decides to 
rebel against LV, Snape is the only one who can, and will, help him.
(Assuming DDM!Snape, of course.) He just needs to figure that out.
> > 
> > Carol, imagining Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Draco all in hiding
> > together in the hidden chamber beneath the Malfoys' drawing room
> 
SSSusan:
> And that would be a fascinating scene, wouldn't it! :-)  
> 
> It would also make it all the more difficult for Snape to do any
kind of convincing of Draco to rebel against Voldy.  Yet, if I'm
reading this correctly, it is being suggested that Draco will decide
his own loyalties *aren't* with the Dark Lord, right?  If so, I think
you're right that Snape would be the only one who could & would help 
> Draco "out."  The question is, how would Snape be able to get to 
> Draco and show him that he could help in this?  Is there any reason 
> for Draco to mistrust his earlier impression, that Snape was just 
> trying to steal Draco's glory and impress Voldy?  I don't see why 
> Draco would be doubting that conclusion, based upon Snape's actions 
> at the end of HBP.

Carol again:
I guess we're *hoping* that Draco will decide that Voldie, who
threatened to kill Draco and his parents if Draco failed to fix the
cabinet and get the DEs into Hogwarts (I don't think he's going to be
killed for failing to murder DD), will realize that Voldemort isn't
worth supporting. (Maybe he'll find out that Voldie is a Half-blood,
which will make him even more unworthy in Draco's view--I'm not
considering Draco as some nice, misguided boy but as one who, despite
being essentially a bullying braggart, nevertheless finally sees that
Voldie is an evil, murdering megalomaniac who's as cruel to his
supporters as to his enemies.) 

So, yes, the question in my mind is how to get past Draco's false
impression that Snape was out to "steal his glory," and the first step
toward that realization is the recognition that he owes his life to
Snape, who clearly was not out for "glory" (as Draco will see when the
wanted posters go up) but to protect Draco. Being a teenager, he'll
have to get over the egotistical "I don't need saving," but maybe
lying bleeding on the bathroom did that for him already. All I want,
really, is a little gratitude from Draco, something that will make
Snape's saving his life (twice) worth the effort.

Carol, who is being pressured to get off the computer and is not at
all sure that this post makes sense