i'm a d/h shipper... i love draco, too.. and i also think that it is rather unfair that he doesn't get as much attention in the books as he should... but i don't like him paired with ginny... a friend of mine asked me to read this in the hope of changing my opinion on who to pair with draco.. well, know i'm starting to appreciate the d/g ship.. but that's it. sorry but i still think hermione and draco look great together. draco is not THAT much behind hermione's intellectuality.. i even think harry and ron are more behind her in that aspect.. the fact that hermione is a muggle born is not a negative one.. it just adds to the fire.. ;) as for the hate part.. i think hate is too intense a word.. they just don't like each other.. if u think draco can defy lucius to be with ginny, then it's also possible for him to be with hermione... just sharing my thoughts.. :D still, great article! :D
You had some very interesting points in the essay. I throughly enjoyed it. Your character overview (or point about Ginny) caught me immediately. I can't imagine how many times people complain about how shy Ginny is even after they read the books. You could have picked up her spunk in the first book, but missing it in the last two just blows my mind.
I, too, didn't care much for the shipping of Hermione in the Draco Trilogy. While I dearly love that series, I can't stand Hermione's character in it. Ever since reading the trilogy I haven't been able to take Hermione fanfiction.
Anyway, great essay. :)
Ha Ha Ha! I coudn't agree more! I think my favourite line was: "Harry is the star of her books, not Draco. (I’m sorry; I thought you knew.) ;-)" However, I am so so glad we got some actual Draco characterization after HBP. Before he was a sterotype nemesis. Now he has some substance. Even Harry realised that at DD funeral. He pitied him. So yes... brilliant and to the point -- but I do think Hermione and Percy would be fabulous together! ;)
Author's Response: Don't laugh; I've read a fic like that (a Percy/Hermione romance). It was pretty good and actually sounded plausible. Except in canon, they might both be so busy trying to 'out-do' each other intellectually that they might never get to the snogging... ;) And that's why she belongs with Ron-! :P
First of all I would just like to say that was a great essay. Well written, with adequate logic. Secondly, just a few of my own thoughts. Though Draco and Ginny pairing may not be evident in the canon, from other works of literature characters with similar qualities of Draco and Ginny have been paired i.e. Romeo and Juliet or Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. That's the only thing that keeps me hoping they'll get together in the canon, though for the most part I agree with you, they probably won't. Also, thank you for pointing out that Draco and Ginny are relatively under developed characters. Please don't kill me but that really annoys me in HP, not to say that they're bad books, but certain quips like that annoy me. I prefer even the minor characters to well developed and shown from different perspectives through out a series. Anyhoo, once again really well thought out essay, and I especially liked the end with the point on the bad boys (I'd so sleep with Han Solo over Luke any day).
I barely read Draco Dormiens, to tell the truth. I would have vomitted if I did. I merely skimmed it to have a forewarning or something solid about what I should expect in Draco Sinister. What I loved the most is Draco Veritas, since it's more Draco and Ginny oriented. But I still can't stomach Hermione. Let's all be truthful. She's not a dazzling beauty, in the story itself, she is said to know how to fix up. Well fixing up is a far cry from being truly beautiful while Ginny was even grudgingly admired by Blaise Zabini which is something, really. Ah, you opened my open wound unconsciously and now I might babble on and on how incredulous and what a waste of time CC had made making her the center of attraction for men like them. Argh. But I love this essay of yours. It made me appreciate the ship I have chosen to sail even more.
Author's Response: Well, I'm still glad you enjoyed the essay and took the time to review. :) I know what you mean about DV, but when I wrote this, the D/G ship was far from decided; now I think it's definitely going to end up that way, which would totally make up for DD. ;) (Well, almost. :P)
I enjoyed your essay. I'll mulled this over in my own mind before. And how interesting that the new book expands where these common theories left off :) I really only have one comment, but I felt it rude to just post /it/, as it really only applies to a sidenote. I think that one of the reasons D/Hr worked for Cassie Claire was because Draco had become Harry and was left with many of his thoughts and feelings. And if Harry didn't mind the Muggle parentage, then the new Harry-fied!Draco surely wouldn't. Also because Miss Claire's Draco is extrordinarily pedantic, like Hermione-- but it definitely had more to do with Harry loving Hermione, and Hermione loving that some one that /looked/ like Harry loved her back. Well, that's how it started, anyways. But, surely, you found the latter half of Draco Sinister and the whole of the unfinished Draco Veritas satisfying in its D/G? What a horrible romance. They love each other, but Draco's too busy playing the part of the tragic hero to commit. =(
Author's Response: Thanks for the review! The points you raise about Miss Claire's Draco series do make sense. I'm sorry, but I just can't deal with that part of her fic; to put it bluntly, I'm not really interested in what happens to Harry or Hermione (don't mean to offend anyone, but that's my opinion). My main interest in it has always been the D/G aspect, and Ron - I just love him, even though many readers have wished for his death... And yes, the last chapters of Draco Sinister were very satisfying to me as a D/G shipper. I've reread them many times. :) Naturally, I'm still hoping that the series will end up D/G. But I won't be crushed if it doesn't.
This was a fun bit of essay. Not terribly long and drawn out, just your idea of why it works and why you like it. I have something for you that you may find funny, as it is my father's opinion on Hermione and Draco. "Hermione and Draco are about as likely as the leader of the KKK and Whoopie Goldberg."
Author's Response: How funny! And so true... ;) Thanks for reviewing it!
Everyone's got evidence to justify their own points of view. I love how you set up all of your information, and I do agree that it is not very likely that Ginny will fall in love with Draco solely for his looks. After all, isn't he an angled little inbred boy? And I don't mean that in an assholy way, it's just that that's how he's portrayed in canon. Yes, it's partly the Harry Potter-glaze on him, but it's at least half true, and JKR DID say that he wasn't beautiful, although people might find that sort of look attractive. I'm on both sides of the fence for the relationship and I think that if a fanfic writer expands on the little information we have on either or both characters and does so that we can see it actually happening in the books, then it's definately worth looking into regarding how it could actually be false just so someone doesn't mistake the story for book-truth. Your love of the pairing makes the essay very compassionate.
Author's Response: Thanks! Glad you liked the essay. Yeah, I was disappointed with how JKR handled Draco in book 5 (of course, by then my D/G obsession was firmly in place). It's like he was still the snotty little brat he was in book 1. I wondered if this wasn't done on purpose to get girls to quit 'swooning' over Draco -- he's supposed to be an enemy of her hero, and she probably wants to slap us and say, "What is *wrong* with you?! He's an arrogant, unattractive pig!" Sort of like those of use who drool over Snape, who's supposed to be an ugly, repulsive git who needs a good bottle of shampoo. But...that's Hollywood for you. ;)
*applauds* How absolutely endearing! You spelled out beautifully how I've always felt about our beloved D/G.
oh, wow, that was really amazing. You had a lot of good points. I especially like how you explained why Draco and Hermione can NEVER be together! Well done! oh yeah and so true about the Tom Felton thing...who could resist him?
You are so right about the big pull towards Draco is because of Tom Felton himself! He was the reason why I even started writing fan fics for Harry Potter! *LOL*
Author's Response: I thought this might strike a chord with you, Leen... ;-)
Your right... All the way through, and you made my mind see why it is I love the ship D/G. Thank you :-)
I love the Han/Luke theory...also, I didn't pay much attention to Draco in the movies until PoA...but in these fan fics I picture him as a less sculpted Spike (the character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). I think that Tom Felton will be one cutie when he gets older (and legal) LOL! I have always liked the darker characters, they are way more interesting.
"One must look to the reader's individual interpretation, desires, and personal preferences." < you just made me realize that I like bad boys... never noticed before, lol I geuss that's why Draco is so appealing to me... I like Draco/Ginny because Ginny reminds me a bit of my self- somewhat over protected but not a push over.
Nice essay, I completely agree! It's so much more interesting when the characters are less developed. Also, a character like Draco Malfoy, who's completely undeveloped and whose motives are a total mystery (why does he hate Potter so much? Doesn't he get tired of losing?) is completely irresistible. And plus, I personally can relate to him more than, say, Harry. Most people know what it's like to be disliked more so than to idolized, and from what we know about Draco's relationship to his father, Draco's family life is probably not so happy. Not that Harry's is, but I can more relate to Draco's. I have never personally been locked in a cupboard. And then there's Ginny. As Ill Met By Moonlight brings up, the Trio has dismissed the events of second year as some sort of old adventure, like the Polyjuice Potion. For them it was good-old sword-fighting Voldie-bashing fun. For Ginny, I'd imagine it to be more traumatizing and more scarring than she lets one. Proof: She brings it up in the fifth book and gets mad that Harry forgets about it. (Plus, this shows that Harry is obviously not a sensitive, good boyfriend for Ginny. Too wrapped up in saving the world.) And one more point: Why was it specifically LUCIUS who put the diary in Ginny's cauldron? It could have been any Death Eater, could have been magicked there. But instead, it was put there by Draco's father... Anyway, really nice essay, especially the points about liking a ship that's unsupported!
Author's Response: In your review, you mention Ginny's first year. Exactly-! Regarding Lucius, I have always found it interesting that *he* was the one who placed the diary in her cauldron. And why hers? Was it a lucky guess, or did he assume that a young girl with nothing but brothers would actually *use* a diary? Or could he tell she was lonely? In fact, the question of what Lucius thinks of Ginny has always intrigued me, and I have another work in progress (Mala Fide: In Bad Faith) that examines this - in great detail. ;)
that was .. superb. two thumbs upp. :D i completely 100% agree with you. for the d/g community, i think its best for the authors and diehard fans if jk rowling never really specifies the "love" fate of these two characters, assuming that other types of future (occupation, family) will depend on the outcome of book 7, which hopefully, will be the defeat of voldemort. anyway, by never specifying their futures, it leaves space for us to imagine and dream andd hope for a future mr and mrs malfoy. ^^
I really liked your essey - well written, well organized and much "spirit". But I had to review to say that even if I am not that old I shipped D/G before the movies and (that's more important) my "personal" Draco doesn't look like TF. This boy is in the movies between 11 and 13 (if I am not mistaken), how can he be sexy? Although I have to admit that in PoA TF played a really "nice" arrogant Malfoy. Thanks for writing such a great Essey.
This was an incredibly well written essay. I'm a huge fan of Draco/Ginny and have been for about a year now, and I won't read anything else. In fact I know what you mean about barely stomaching the Draco/Hermione pairing in Draco Dormeins. I read it to get the few Draco/Ginny bits. Well that and it's an incredibly well written story. I know that it will never happen in canon but I think there are so many different possibilities with the pairing and the characters that its great to mold them to how you want them to be. Aww bless Tom Felton. Luckily I can't be locked up for perving over him as I'm only 16 myself and he's now in the same year at college as me. That and he lives in a town near me. (my only claim to stardom! Well that and I've met Orlando Bloom!) Anyway well done for a brilliantly written essay. love sarah
that was pure brilliance. i dont think i could have said it any better myself...and the thing with both ginny and draco being underdeveloped is true...i wish that there was more to them.
hey great essay. I think you are totally right about the reason why people are fascinated about Malfoy! The reason is Tom Felton! Oh my God I'm 22 years old but I think he is a very sweet guy and I have loved his look in the third movie! Everybody imagine Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, but this is not right. Draco is a git who hates everybody but on the other side you can say that he also hates his father and that he does not want to be bad! I also hated Draco when I read the books but when I saw him in the movies I was beginning to adore him! But don 't forget: Draco is not Tom Felton! But what can I say? I love D/G fics!
I totally felt you there. That was just brilliant. I'm glad someone is actually spending time for this kind of thing. Reasoning Draco and Ginny's relationship. And about the part where you can't digest Draco Dormiens, I agree with you, even if you had say that Draco could be not handsome. I mean, Really! Draco and Hermione?!?! He hates her to the very core. At least Ginny is pureblood. You were totally right. About them being the minor characters and authors can manipulate them in variety of ways, you know what, I'm kinda a bit glad for that. Because of that, we could have different kinds of personality, different kinds of backgrounds, and different kinds of style for Draco and Ginny characters. And they can twist it to the most insane ways, still no one could deny it. That's what had make Draco/Ginny ficlets entirely enjoyable, exciting and interesting. Authors could never run out of ideas, and with that we could have all kinds of Draco/Ginny stories. For e.g, in Potter's relationships, authors have to stick to the immature, tempered, insecure and noble character. You cannot manipulate Potter's character, because fans all over the world know him by heart. You have to follow the character, and try really hard to create your version of reactions from his attributes, and twist it from THERE. Its complicating. And that is why I enjoy D/G very much. Because they can never go out of character. Why am I blabbing here? Pardon me, I can't help it. Good job on this one!! Congratulations. ~M
Excellent essay--even better because it's funny. Hurrah for authors who understand the necessity of humor!
It's true. I love Draco/Ginny for the taming of the shrew love/hate thing. My husband and I love to "spat" and banter...we also respect each other deeply. I really like the view that they are more likely to treat each other as equals in the end, and dang don't they just look cute together. It was important that you noted the difference between the Movie!Draco and Book!Draco. Actors often influence how we view characters.
Author's Response: They certainly do! As an example, if you've only seen the movie "Gone with the Wind," you might think of Scarlett as a selfish, conniving bitch. Read the book, and you understand her; there truly is a whole other side to her complex character. (OK, I'll get off my "movies vs. books" soapbox now...sorry for the diversion) ~ THANKS!
I must say i thought you made some very good points, although i'm still holding out hope for canon!! also, i loved draco before the movies, i didnt like TF until PoA, i just thought he wasn't sexy enough,but hey he was like ELEVEN. but now he's a bit older, he's my perfect Draco! katie x
very good points, i really liked reading this. I am now in the mood to write an essay, i think this is contagious.....