Draco and Harry

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 147093

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > However, there is a certain significance, at least IMO, in the 
> > fact that Draco doesn't *knowingly* insult Harry or his mother.  
> > <snip>

> >>Alla:
> I don't understand what are you trying to say. What difference    
> does it make that Draco does not "knowingly" insults Harry or his 
> mother?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
It's the difference between a character purposefully being an 
antagonist and a character tripping into the role through 
misunderstanding and misspeaking.  The first is pretty straight up 
and down, but the second leaves all sorts of interesting wiggle 
room.  It's the space JKR left herself by going with the second 
option that I find so significant. 

> >>Alla:
> If you do argue that, doesn't it make Draco worse person since he 
> is prejudiced aagainst ALL Muggleborns not just Lily Evans?

Betsy Hp:
No.  Just a more ignorant one.  And ignorance can be easily fixed.  
That's part of the reason why it was necessary for Harry to *not* 
befriend Draco too early on in the series, I think.  Because through 
his association with Harry, Draco would have had his ignorant 
beliefs challanged.  And HBP wouldn't have been nearly as 
interesting.

> >>Amiable Dorsai:
> <major snip of classic Draco quotes and scenes>
> 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.

Betsy Hp:
I'm just hoping Harry comes to his senses and realizes what a swell 
person Draco *could be*.  Though I also think it'd be better if it 
was more a meeting of equals rather than either boy kneeling to the 
other.  More of a Slytherin/Gryffindor symbolic healing thing (the 
Sorting Hat insists!).

> >>RB (in response to Amiable Dorsai's quotes): 
> *ROFL* Thank you. Thank you for sharing the "highlights" of Draco 
> Malfoy's career as THE class clown at Hogwarts. These glorious    
> moments of his made up over half of the reason I love this little 
> bastard so much, for I have a rubbish sort of humour and his      
> supposedly "nasty" remarks managed to make me laugh 90% of the    
> time.

Betsy Hp:
Draco can be amusing, can't he?  Though Amiable Dorsai left out one 
of my favorite lines about Ron "mutilating his roots," (to 
paraphrase) in PoA.  

> >>RP:
> I won't butt in your discussion with Betsy about Harry's potential
> friendship with Draco though, since I have a different perception 
> about it from both of you :-)

Betsy Hp:
Ooh, you can't just hint and run!  Please, share. <g>

> >>janetd:
> Reading your post made me realize that Draco is a female type     
> bully. High school girls usually use words to torment their       
> victims instead of fists. Draco is very good with an insult but    
> never physically or magically attacks anyone unless he has his 2   
> bodyguards to do the dangerous work or his victims back is turned.

Betsy Hp:
Draco is all about the verbal attack, that's true.  I don't recall 
him attacking anyone physically, or ordering Crabbe and Goyle to 
physically attack anyone though.  And Draco did take Harry on, one 
on one, face to face, in the bathroom in HBP.  But that's not 
Draco's usual style and is probably a sign of his increasing 
desperation.  Harry, Ron, Hermione, heck even Neville are more 
likely to get into a brawl than Draco.

Something I've noticed though, Draco is fairly one note with his 
verbal attacks.  His "Weasley is our King" song was a moment of 
genius on his part I think, but his constant harping on Hermione 
being muggleborn looses its zest after, well, the first time 
really.  I mean, can't he think of a different angle?  It certainly 
doesn't do much to Hermione.

Ron seems more gifted in the verbal slings and arrows department, 
especially by HBP where he seems able to cut someone with a few well 
placed words and barely a thought.  Which is strange, because it's 
not how I'd have called it.

Yeah, no idea where I'm going with this, just thinking about Draco's 
skills as a verbal bully.  I'll stop rambling now. <g>

Betsy Hp