Draco and Harry

[rlai1977]

No: HPFGUIDX 147210

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister"
<gbannister10 at t...> wrote:

Snip snip!

> I don't look on Draco as either a classical bully or foul-mouthed. It 
> has been pointed out that Draco does not bully smaller students but 
> confrontations are usually with guys in his own year. He does not 
> indulge much in direct physical violence. This ties in with my second 
> point, that he is not foul-mouthed. One of the strengths of JKR's 
> writing which has caught my notice on many occasions is that she 
> writes fiction which holds her readers without using bad language. 
> One of the annoying things about the films (Shhhh, don't tell the 
> elves I used that word!) is that Ron, in particular, is often free 
> and easy with his language. No, Draco is not foul-mouthed. He has an 
> acid tongue and can be bitingly sarcastic which will wind people up 
> but I cannot recall stronger words from him.

Oh, I do consider the 'M' word foul language, but otherwise I agree
with you :-)

> This leads me on to the main thrust of my argument. Many group 
> members seem to be dropping into a pattern of describing our two 
> protagonists as Harry "best thing since sliced bread"  Potter and 
> Draco "puer horribilis" Malfoy.

I haven't seen funnier middle names for either boy *bg*

> So I would agree with those who feel 
> that there might be some sort of rapprochement between our 
> two "friends";' probably not the back-slapping familiarity which we 
> see between Ron and Harry but certainly a lessening of the acrimony 
> and a move towards cooperation in order that both of them might keep 
> themselves – and indirectly the Wizarding World - intact.

Draco has since the beginning of the series been portrayed as Harry's
'opposite number' (Rowling's own words). Post-HBP it has become quite
possible to me what she meant wasn't that Draco's personal qualities
were direct opposite of Harry's, but that they started off the
opposite ends of the spectrum that is this war- Harry by default the
ultimate anti-Voldemort of his age, while Draco by default the
ultimate pro-Voldemort among his peers. But I think they are both
moving away from the pole their "birthright" had placed them, what
with Harry feeling sympathy for the boy who would later become
Voldemort, and Draco beginning to question if he wanted to follow the
Dark Lord's orders. So I wouldn't be too surprised that these two boys
meet each other in some sort of middle ground in the last book of the
series, it would be quite a satisfying moment for me when/if that
happens too :-)

RP