I feel out of balance with the world, and that's probably why I often find Draco and Pansy refreshing. Not because they're better people than the main characters, but because they do sometimes say what I'm thinking, like that Hagrid's a menace or Dumbledore is a whacko.
I remember quite clearly when I first read SS that I found Harry's behaviour towards Draco at Madam Malkin's strange. He sees this boy and instantly dislikes him - Draco hasn't even said a word then - and when the boy tries to talk to him he totally rejects him in a way you would think rather rude and unfriendly if this was NOT Harry Potter, hero of the book.
Later in the train he humiliates Draco, but I could accept this better because Draco said some things that would clearly annoy Harry as we know him (although I didn't think them so outrageous).
Of course their relationship deteriorated from then and I was kind of stuck in the middle between two people I liked and could understand both, but who would insult each other whenever they meet.
But I could never see Draco as a bad person, because he was so honest. Potter rejected him and now Draco screamed bloody murder. If he were a DE in training and truly evil, wouldn't he have said, 'Oh, Potter, you're quite right about Hagrid and the Weasleys and everything, sorry I couldn't see it your way.' In other words wouldn't he have lied and schemed and 'acted' friendly while following his agenda of bringing Harry down (always simpler from the inside, you know).
What tipped me over the edge in Draco's and the Slytherins' favour was Dumbledore's shabby treatment of them at the end of term-feast (the house cup business). I had to like them and take their side because obviously no one else did (in the book).
Moreover when someone acts strangely - and running around being annoying to almost everybody IS NOT normal behaviour - it's natural to ask: Why? Why does he do it? Instead of just nodding and saying, Oh, yes, evil git. Drop dead!
Clearly someone who hurts other people is hurting something awful himself. And at his age you simply cannot expect him to get over this state of mind all by himself. So, if even his creator does not do him justice and will not give him any chances I have to stick loyally to him even if I cannot help him.
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I remember quite clearly when I first read SS that I found Harry's behaviour towards Draco at Madam Malkin's strange. He sees this boy and instantly dislikes him - Draco hasn't even said a word then - and when the boy tries to talk to him he totally rejects him in a way you would think rather rude and unfriendly if this was NOT Harry Potter, hero of the book.
Later in the train he humiliates Draco, but I could accept this better because Draco said some things that would clearly annoy Harry as we know him (although I didn't think them so outrageous).
Of course their relationship deteriorated from then and I was kind of stuck in the middle between two people I liked and could understand both, but who would insult each other whenever they meet.
But I could never see Draco as a bad person, because he was so honest. Potter rejected him and now Draco screamed bloody murder. If he were a DE in training and truly evil, wouldn't he have said, 'Oh, Potter, you're quite right about Hagrid and the Weasleys and everything, sorry I couldn't see it your way.' In other words wouldn't he have lied and schemed and 'acted' friendly while following his agenda of bringing Harry down (always simpler from the inside, you know).
What tipped me over the edge in Draco's and the Slytherins' favour was Dumbledore's shabby treatment of them at the end of term-feast (the house cup business). I had to like them and take their side because obviously no one else did (in the book).
Moreover when someone acts strangely - and running around being annoying to almost everybody IS NOT normal behaviour - it's natural to ask: Why? Why does he do it? Instead of just nodding and saying, Oh, yes, evil git. Drop dead!
Clearly someone who hurts other people is hurting something awful himself. And at his age you simply cannot expect him to get over this state of mind all by himself. So, if even his creator does not do him justice and will not give him any chances I have to stick loyally to him even if I cannot help him.