What do you love about Drarry?
Oh my, what a beautiful question!! I thought twice about posting this, but then I thought “life is short, who cares?” I won’t apologize for my thoughts even if there are so many of them, but I might say sorry for getting so personal:
I see a frightening amount of myself in Draco. He was my favorite character (dare I say, of any franchise) for many years. I relate to him more strongly than I do to many real people. I’ve been told I come off as kind, and I like to think I genuinely am, but it’s taken me a long journey of conscious self-improvement to get to that point. I can be arrogant, judgemental, selfish, snobby, somewhat elitist, self-centered, proud, and harsh (sound familiar?). These are deep faults that I’ve worked hard on, and now they are my minor shortcomings rather than my character traits. Draco embodies all of this for me. He was a reflection of myself when I was younger, and as I grew, so did he. I love him for all his originally shameless flaws, and then for his redemption. It doesn’t hurt that he’s drop-dead gorgeous (spent most of my teens crushing on him).
Draco is only one half of this coin, but he’s certainly what drew me to the ship. That let me rediscover Harry. Harry is damaged, and why shouldn’t he be? Fic doesn’t avoid that. He has nightmares and panic attacks and often faces a selection of anxiety/depression/PTSD-related struggles. His relationship with Draco (and vice versa) is not about overcoming these “barriers” in the face of romance (unhealthy) or about his partner miraculously “fixing” him (unhealthier). It’s about being able to continue living his life past the causes of his trauma, and about him learning to rely on someone who doesn’t and shouldn’t carry all his burdens but who can offer him support and love— something we all need.
In my instinctive interpretation of Draco and Harry’s relationship, I’ve always believed Harry would also have the patience to deal with Draco’s dramatics (something I was personally insecure about for years), and would show him the sort of attention Draco undeniably craves. Harry has a keen understanding of what it feels like to be unloved, and it translates into his deliberate displays of affection with Draco and his tolerance for Draco’s numerous oddities. Draco, on the other hand, is the only person of the same age (apart from Ron and Hermione) who experienced a similar sort of trauma to Harry’s during the War. They were both controlled in their own way, both unable to diverge from a path others had set out for them. This once again makes it easier for them to support and understand one another. I love the idea of their opposing yet mirrored past bringing them together.
But one of the most important reasons I love the ship is its original premise— rivals to lovers. There’s a clear distinction here. Draco did not bully Harry. Draco bullied Hermione (viciously, I’ll add), but he and Harry fought. No one falls in love with their bully, but I’ll tell you first hand that there is some major UST between rivals. Honestly. The punch-them-or-kiss-them trope was not born from nothing. These clichés start for a reason.
Enough philosophical rambling. I love them because they’re stupid, and adorable, and a ridiculously lovely embodiment of the phrase opposites attract. I love them because they often get to live out my ideal happily every after. There are wonderfully deep and complex reasons that I love their relationship, and then there are deliciously shallow reasons— like the fact that Auror Potter is a big Yes Please™. Or the fact that Draco is a drama queen, and that tags like Harry Potter Thinks Draco Malfoy is Up to Something exist on Ao3.
Either way, thanks for the gloriously self-indulgent ask, honey. Toodaloo.