Draco as Victim in GoF (was: Re: The Huge overreactions...)

[Joe Goodwin]

No: HPFGUIDX 150292

  
Pippin:
<SNIP>

Harry and his friends reacted to offensive language and the threat 
of violence with violence.

Result: Draco became more embittered and violent.

OTOH, Dumbledore instructed Draco not to use offensive language in 
front of him, and mildly pointed out that if Draco truly wished to kill 
him, he would have done so already. 

Result: Draco realized he was not a killer.
   
   
Joe: 
That is what you see. I see a boy who realized he didn't have the stones to do it. Not that he was above it or too good for it but that deep down he is a coward. This is the same Draco Malfoy who kicks a helpless Harry in the face right? There are plenty of people in the world who will not murder you but who would be willing to beat you up pretty bad because they wanted to. Draco Malfoy is one of them.

Pippin:
I think canon shows that while it's perfectly understandable that Harry
and his friends reacted the way they did, their choice was less beneficial
than Dumbledore's and they were unwise to make Draco the victim of their
aggression. If they had truly understood Draco, they would not have
felt threatened by him, still less by Crabbe and Goyle.
  

Joe: 
Harry and Co. would be idiots to think that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle would not harm anyone if they had the upperhand. See face kicking statement above.