I think Draco probably lived a lot of his 7th year in fear since he had, of course, failed at his given task to kill Dumbledore. I'm sure he was expecting retribution to come at any time and he was probably even hoping for a change of things, that the Dark Lord would be overthrown, which did eventually happen thanks to Harry. I would imagine that he was very nervous during his last year.

I think that, by piecing together the little bits of what we saw we can ascertain that Draco was unhappy and very scared. Deep down I think that whatever any of the students at Hogwarts saw was just a front and underneath he was a scared little kid who had gotten in way too deeply.

Imagine having Voldemort at your house, watching him torture and kill, or knowing what he'll do to you if he thinks you're a traitor. I think he lived in constant fear and though he went home for the Easter Hols, maybe he would have rather stayed at Hogwarts (not that it was much better.)

Any of the bullying he put people through (I actually forget because I try to block out as much of DH as I can) during his seventh year, I think he did it out of fear. Before, he taunted and teased and hurt out of shear cruelty. He was mean. Pure and simple. He wasn't a bad boy; he wasn't funny except to those who could share that taste, like for instance, Crabbe. No Draco Malfoy was a cruel person and then... he got a taste of what real cruelty is.

I don't think the war was real for him until the summer before his sixth year. I think that was when he realised, 'Oh Merlin in Hawaiin shorts, what have I gotten myself into?"

He could talk the talk, but he couldn't walk the walk that went with all that talk.

He was just as scared of Voldemort as the rest, maybe more so even. Maybe he even hated pretending to be the bully. But he had to survive and that was the only way he could because he didn't know any other way. It's not like the D.A members would have said, 'Oi, Malfoy! You want some sanctuary in the Room of Requirement?'

No. No one was on his side. No one would have looked at him and seen a scared seventeen year old because all they saw was the boy who'd taunted and teased them for years; the boy who had let Death Eaters into their school and been the reason for Dumbledore's death. They didn't see a boy scared out of his mind, afraid of loosing his family and his own life; they couldn't have taken off their blind folds because they didn't know they had them on. They couldn't possibly know that Draco had only done what he could to try and save his family.

And of course, the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs all think, 'Well, he could have gone to Dumbledore,' and maybe they would have, but that wasn't what he thought...

So his seventh year, he was very much alone and frightened. I doubt he enjoyed it as much as Crabbe or anyone else who wasn't getting beaten. He still had to go home and maybe he'd be lucky and Voldemort wouldn't be there... but maybe he would be. Voldemort is the boogey man. He's that monster under Draco's bed; the one in his closet; the one lurking in the shadows, hiding in the darkest corners of his room.

I think, Draco just wanted that to end.

Aria, extremely well said! I agree that Draco was scared to death throughout most of his 7th year. Like I said, he was hoping for a change, and I'm sure he was actually happy when Harry finally defeated Voldemort, as if he had been suddenly set free. That last year at Hogwarts must have been unbearable for him, especially since he had already witnessed the wrath of Voldemort firsthand and probably figured he was next on the list. He or a member of his family, his dad or mom. His life had to be one of constant fear.

Like you said, he had set himself down a path and couldn't change it. He had to put up a front like he was the big man, the bully, even though I'm sure he felt very much alone and scared, as you pointed out. Once you set the course it's hard to change it. What would it have been like if the big bad Draco suddenly turned into a scared little boy? He would have no creditability around Hogwarts, that's for sure.

Still, he hoped for an end to all of it, and eventually his wish was granted.

I agree. He didn't really choose the path. I guess he was sort of forced by his father, or warped by his father to join the Dark lord and that the dark lord is the all mighty.
But Draco sort of made it worse by bullying people, that gave him the reputation of the 'Don't go near him he'll kick your face in' boy, so he had no help. And I agree that deep down he would have been terrified, and wanting it all to end.
So, I reckon Draco's seventh year was very frightening, I'm sure he began not to trust people, and he was scared of home and Hogwarts.

Draco did go to Hogwarts, when Harry, Hermione, and Ron are taken to Malfoy Manor, Narcissa isn't sure if it is Harry. She calls Draco over saying, "Draco, is home for his Easter holiday. If it is Potter then he will know." So he was at Hogwarts to finish his education.

I bet Draco had the best time using curses on his classmates! But even that wont confort me if i were in his place, i wold be scard id mess up and my famliy wold suffer for it.
Man I wish I could be there!

+1


I honestly can't not believe that deep down Draco Malfoy is a mean person. Maybe he was when he was younger especially bullying the younger kids and the Gryffindors. But once he experienced the constant fear of not knowing whether you were in favor or not with the person that controlled your life, I think he changed and figured out that being the bully wasn't the best person to be.

I don' think that Draco was a mean kid or even cruel. I think he just grew up around that sort of thing and it was just expected of him and fulfilled that role. If he were honestly cruel and mean he would have killed Dumbledor in the end, because mean people look out for number one and if it came down to their life or someone else's they will always choose their life.

Yes he was a bully, but he just played the part that his upbringing prepared him for. He could have chosen to be a different person. His mother at the end choose to be different when she lied to Voldemort and told him Harry was dead.

I think he was rather glad to be out of the presence of Voldemort while he was at school and i think he may have toned down the attitude his last year, i mean Crabbe didn't even listen to him, so their relationship wasn't what it used to be. I think after Snape "killed" Dumbledor Draco had had enough of that whole DE thing. He never had the stomach for that stuff. It sounded really cool to talk about it and threaten people with it, and play act. But once you see that sort of thing in real life it changes you, and I think it changed Draco for the better.