First year:When Draco went to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies in 1991, he met Harry Potter in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, without knowing who he was. He made a rather intolerant speech about Muggle-borns and Rubeus Hagrid, but otherwise acted in a friendly way towards Harry. Afterwards, on the Hogwarts Express, he offered his friendship to Harry. However, Harry didn't like the attitude Draco expressed towards Ron Weasley, with whom Harry had already made friends, and also found that Draco reminded him of his cousin Dudley with his disdainful attitude. Thus, he turned him down, creating animosity that lasted through the rest of their schooling. Of course Draco was sorted into Slytherin like most of his family member's and he quickly gained lackey-like friends in fellow Slytherins Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. He resented the attention Harry received because of his fame and his prodigious flying ability, which led to Harry being permitted to join his house's Quidditch team at a younger age than most. Later in the year, Draco discovered Harry's plan to smuggle Hagrid's pet dragon Norbert out of the castle and informed Professor McGonagall of it, but was put in detention as well for being out past curfew. For his detention, Draco had to assist Hagrid, Harry, and Hermione, who had been caught shortly after smuggling Norbert out, as well as Neville Longbottom, who had tried to warn them about Draco, in finding a wounded unicorn. This was a task he greatly resented because he found it to be "servants' work"

Second Year:In his second year at Hogwarts, Draco attained the position of Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team. His father bought the entire team new Nimbus 2001s because of this, though Hermione Granger openly speculated that this was in fact what got Draco on the team at all. Draco responded angrily to this accusation, and called Hermione a "filthy little Mudblood," causing the Gryffindor Quidditch team to lash out at him; Ron tried to hex him to vomit slugs, but the spell backfired due to his broken wand. While the trio worked on solving the Chamber Draco seems unaware of every because his father told him "keep his head down."

Third Year:Draco started off his third year by mocking Harry's reaction to the Dementors that were near Hogwarts that year searching for escaped Azkaban prisoner Sirius Black, despite being terrified of them himself. He also hinted at Black's crimes regarding Harry and his late parents, which Harry was unaware of for some time, and told him that if someone had betrayed and gotten his parents killed — as it was believed Black had done to the Potters —he would seek revenge. In a Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Draco provoked the hippogriff Buckbeak, and was injured, though he faked how badly he was hurt for attention and in an attempt to use the incident against Rubeus Hagrid in order for him to be fired. When Draco mocked him for how upset he became over the case, Hermione slapped Draco in anger.

Fourth Year: Draco attended the 1994 Quidditch World Cup with his parents from Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge's luxury box. He taunted Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger when a group of Death Eaters began terrorizing the campers, mocking the Muggles they were tormenting and implying that they would do the same to Hermione because of her Muggle-born status. During his fourth year, Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament, and, much to Draco's dismay, Harry was chosen as a champion despite being too young. Draco supported Cedric Diggory, passing out badges that could be made to read Potter Stinks and taunting Harry regularly, such as commenting that he was betting Harry wouldn't last more than a few minutes with the dragons. When Draco tried to hex Harry early in the year, Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Alastor Moody (actually Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise) transfigured Draco into a ferret and bounced him around the room as punishment. Although Professor McGonagall stopped it, Draco was very embarrassed and other students were highly amused. Throughout the year, students would tease Draco by telling him that Professor Moody was behind him, causing him to flinch or shudder. At Christmas time, Draco attended the Yule Ball with Pansy Parkinson. At the end of the year, Draco mocked Harry about his choice to side against Voldemort and also made light of Cedric Diggory's death. Before he could finish, however, he was hit by several curses from Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Fred and George Weasley.