Draco and Harry (was:The GoF Train Scene - and beyond...)

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 147063

Betsy HP:
> It's for the best that Harry gets adopted by the >Weasleys.  The
Malfoys would have been a disaster.

Amiable Dorsai:
It's probably too early in the 21st  to be choosing the
Understatement of the Century, but I'd like to nominate that for
consideration.


Betsy HP: 
> And I do see Draco's and Harry's first meeting as the 
> beginning of a beautiful friendship.  It's the old
> "hate each other on first sight" cliché, with all the
> mis-speakings and mis-interpertations such clichés
> involve...

Amiable Dorsai:
It is hard to get over a bad first impression isn't it?  Fortunately,
Harry's had plenty of opportunities to see Draco's good side.  I took
a quick run through the first three books for examples of Draco's
better nature.  I had little difficulty finding them:

There's his concern for Harry's well-being:

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than
others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong
sort. I can help you there." (SS)

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all
those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because
they're not wanted at home."  He was looking over at Harry as he
spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. (SS)

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're
a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know
what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the
Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you." (SS)


His cool nerve:

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"  Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted -- so
did Fang.  (SS)

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying look at
me! It's killed me!" (PA)


His instinctive feel for animals:

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear
him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it.... I bet you're
not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. "Are you,
you great ugly brute?" (PA)

His concern for the poor:

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted
Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for
all those." 

"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper
as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf" (PA)

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer,
Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?" (PA)



His dedication to sportsmanship and fair play:

Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two"... (CS)


"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin.

    Harry stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy,
Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all
struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It
looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. (PA)

Horrified, he looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward,
grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back.  (PA)


His commitment to equality for all Witches and Wizards:

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat. (CS)

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's
another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around
with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think he's
Slytherin's heir!" (CS)

But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a
Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's
killed this time .... I hope it's Granger," he said with relish. (CS)

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by
now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity
it wasn't Granger -" (CS)

And of course, his impulse to share:

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food
and you still seem to have some." (SS)


Yes, I'm sure that Harry will soon come to his senses and realize what
a swell fellow Draco is and will ask him on bended knee to forget the
past and be friends.

Amiable Dorsai