[HPforGrownups] Re: MBC**

[Sharon Hayes]

No: HPFGUIDX 179689

Seriously Snapey Susan:
> I find it hard to pin down *most* beloved, myself.
>
> At risk of being labelled a great big shallow, schmaltzy sap, it's
> tempting to huff on my D'oH shield, polish it up to a glossy sheen,
> and say, "Why, it's HARRY, of course!"
> Others care to play? :)


Geoff:
Throw me another duster, Susan, and I'll help you with your polishing.
:-)

Beloved is perhaps not quite the right word - people might start
misinterpreting my motives(!). But Harry is a person with whom I
identify so much. <SNIP>

Sharon:
Harry is my favourite as well, although I find him a bit dim at times! I love his angst in the later books, as well as his courage. I don't identofy with him though - - for me he is more like the kind of guy I would adore if I were his age :-)  Kind of nerdy and gawky, but brave and honest and angsty and human, and with loads of potential ;-)

Geoff:
Secondly, although I don't often agree with Betsy, I do have a sneaking
liking for Draco. I would so much have liked some sort of rapprochement
between them at the end. I know the enmity was needed for dramatic
tension but I felt that they both lost out because of that darned refused
handshake in PS. If it had come to pass, there have been some interesting
stories written over the years about friends who find themselves on the
opposite sides of such a situation such as we have in the HP books.

Sharon:
Ah yes, Draco is the character I adore the most.  He is so snarky and mean,  but is just trying to cover his insecurities. I also wish Harry would have taken his hand in PS.  He didn't need to ignore Ron to shake that hand, he could have shaken it and then still said, well it's nice to meet you but I don't want to take sides this early in the piece.  Mind you, he was just 11, and what 11 year-old boy would have the maturity to have that kind of attitude?  Oh well, we can only wish. Draco is quite a complex character, he has a lot of bravado but is quite weak in some aspects, such as physical pain-- He's such a baby when Buckbeak scratches him, for example.  He's also nasty becuase he doesn't know how else to be. After all, he learned from the best. Having Lucious as a father, he never really had a chance at being a nice normal kid.  But I think his character really started to come out in HBP, when he really started to show his weaknesses, his fear and apprehension.  His inability to kill DD shows some strength of character, even though others might perceive it as weakness. I believe that shows he has a heart quite different from his father's, but he can't quite bring himself to take up DD's offer. How could he? Snape interrupts and drags him off to Morty after he kills DD.  Again, Draco never stood a chance of crossing to the good side or reconciling with Harry.

I think Harry understands Draco's pain in DH. He knows that Draco is being forced to torture people and that it's very hard from him. Draco also tries to not identify Harry at the mansion, and doesn't try to hex him in the RoR later.  I do wish they'd had some post-Morty-being-offed contact in the Great Hall. Some acknowledgement, or something.  We do get that in the Epilogue though, and that was almost good enough for me. So Draco is really my favourite, I feel his pain, and like to think that he turned out alright in the end.

Sharon,  who also adores Snape, and thinks that maybe deep down she identifies with the mean characters because they are so misunderstood.