I actually would probably be coming from a more contrarian take on that issue,
Well, now you've got to give me your impressions when I explain it because I can't write something knowing you might have talked me out of it in five minutes! The idea isn't so much that Draco sees peer relationships as more important. It's more just that the way he interacts with people, especially Harry, seems to be about defining worth through this kind of contact. From the time he first meets Harry he does the two things he always does: he gives reasons why he's a great person (good at Quidditch, etc.), and testament that other people love him a lot (my father totally buys me what I want). What's later added is the idea of shared secrets being a proof of social acceptance--he has to let Harry know when he's in on things, especially if Lucius has told him things. With the dragon caper he seems to seriously be trying to get himself included by reminding everyone that he's in on the secret and hasn't told.
The question sometimes is whether it's that the contact leads to importance or the importance leads to contact. It seems like it's the latter, but in the end that might just not be true. He'd rather be less important than be alone, imo. In HBP Draco's relationships become important not in terms of the worth of the people (adult vs. child, DE vs. non-DE, powerful vs. non-power) but in terms of their care for him. The people who care about him are trying to help him in the same ways--to literally help him to do what he has to do to save himself, and to maybe get him out of the mess he's in. Bellatrix, the DE (who doesn't really care about him) is the only person who wants him to do it and would be fine if him dying if he didn't. And despite what people have always said we don't really have scenes in canon where Draco tosses his own allies to the wolves to advance himself.
I'm also struck by the way Zach, in his quidditch commentary, focuses on those Weasley jerks and Harry's misguided alliance with them rather than on attacking Harry directly.
Yes, Zach's commentary is presented in the text as almost coming out of nowhere and being yet more unfair prejudice-so making Harry look better. How dare he suggest Harry would put people on the team he likes? Yet we see other signs that people seem to get that impression. When Dean gets taken off the team again he and Seamus are seen to be muttering darkly...about what? It seems like they would think of Harry as cliqueish as well.
I wonder if "my side vs. your side" is really so central to how Draco thinks, or just the tool he finds most convenient for prying at Harry, specifically, when he wants to get Harry's attention.
When I thought about the train diss I first thought of Draco sort pathetically defending his himself by acting as if Harry had rejected his "side" when he'd just rejected Draco personally--as if Draco had a side at all. Though later I have come to see that Draco might actually have good reason to see it that way since from his pov Harry and Ron perhaps seem to be laying in wait. I mean, Ron laughs at his name and when he insults him back Harry's own diss might seem like Harry saying, "We're together and against you." It's not really about Voldemort so much as the Weasleys, but I could see why Draco might slip right into Lucius' own defense about the wrong people etc.
Usually, though, I think I agree with you that Draco invokes his "side" to bug Harry when he's not really working for or with anyone at all. It's just another weapon he can use that gets to Harry, but I don't think it's his favorite. He'd rather see Harry look foolish than killed by Voldemort, I think.
Re: (Corrected version of comment)
Well, now you've got to give me your impressions when I explain it because I can't write something knowing you might have talked me out of it in five minutes! The idea isn't so much that Draco sees peer relationships as more important. It's more just that the way he interacts with people, especially Harry, seems to be about defining worth through this kind of contact. From the time he first meets Harry he does the two things he always does: he gives reasons why he's a great person (good at Quidditch, etc.), and testament that other people love him a lot (my father totally buys me what I want). What's later added is the idea of shared secrets being a proof of social acceptance--he has to let Harry know when he's in on things, especially if Lucius has told him things. With the dragon caper he seems to seriously be trying to get himself included by reminding everyone that he's in on the secret and hasn't told.
The question sometimes is whether it's that the contact leads to importance or the importance leads to contact. It seems like it's the latter, but in the end that might just not be true. He'd rather be less important than be alone, imo. In HBP Draco's relationships become important not in terms of the worth of the people (adult vs. child, DE vs. non-DE, powerful vs. non-power) but in terms of their care for him. The people who care about him are trying to help him in the same ways--to literally help him to do what he has to do to save himself, and to maybe get him out of the mess he's in. Bellatrix, the DE (who doesn't really care about him) is the only person who wants him to do it and would be fine if him dying if he didn't. And despite what people have always said we don't really have scenes in canon where Draco tosses his own allies to the wolves to advance himself.
I'm also struck by the way Zach, in his quidditch commentary, focuses on those Weasley jerks and Harry's misguided alliance with them rather than on attacking Harry directly.
Yes, Zach's commentary is presented in the text as almost coming out of nowhere and being yet more unfair prejudice-so making Harry look better. How dare he suggest Harry would put people on the team he likes? Yet we see other signs that people seem to get that impression. When Dean gets taken off the team again he and Seamus are seen to be muttering darkly...about what? It seems like they would think of Harry as cliqueish as well.
I wonder if "my side vs. your side" is really so central to how Draco thinks, or just the tool he finds most convenient for prying at Harry, specifically, when he wants to get Harry's attention.
When I thought about the train diss I first thought of Draco sort pathetically defending his himself by acting as if Harry had rejected his "side" when he'd just rejected Draco personally--as if Draco had a side at all. Though later I have come to see that Draco might actually have good reason to see it that way since from his pov Harry and Ron perhaps seem to be laying in wait. I mean, Ron laughs at his name and when he insults him back Harry's own diss might seem like Harry saying, "We're together and against you." It's not really about Voldemort so much as the Weasleys, but I could see why Draco might slip right into Lucius' own defense about the wrong people etc.
Usually, though, I think I agree with you that Draco invokes his "side" to bug Harry when he's not really working for or with anyone at all. It's just another weapon he can use that gets to Harry, but I don't think it's his favorite. He'd rather see Harry look foolish than killed by Voldemort, I think.