~~ The Draco problem revisited (again!)

[reenka]

One reason I really can't stand a lot of the modern critical approach to fiction is because the process of framing a story in a rec/review often ruins it for me. I can't stand being made to see a story in a certain way, in terms of what it should mean, and I don't like it when the author themselves does it (because that's telling vs. showing), but I really hate it when a critic/reviewer's response to a piece is basically telling the reader how to respond by outlining that fic's emotional significance and general standing in relationship to other literature and various meta aspects of the field.

    I can't decide whether this makes me a 'bad' English major, or just really uptight.

I may love a story, but I need to retain a complex relationship to it-- I need to keep my own response fluid and unfettered, to keep any emotional significance at least partly submerged and unconscious, because as soon as it starts being used and compared to other readers' emotional responses, I feel it's being used against me.
    I genuinely believe that to really read with your whole brain, it's best to allow one's responses to occur-- emotional and intellectual-- without a built up context of outside, imposed meaning. It's almost dishonest that way, going into a story with expectations and needs that the story should either satisfy or leave empty. I feel that's putting too much of a weight on the reader's power and -their- needs rather than letting the story's intrinsic worth assert itself and win the reader over in whatever fashion.

This is why, partly, I do review directly-- give feedback to the author-- but I don't really review publically, with the intent to influence other readers. I may link to fics, but I cannot imagine that others' responses should be (could be?) anything like mine, or that others could or should see what I do in a fic. I know that this outside 'framing influence' would threaten to ruin my own chance at enjoyment, just because there will be that wall of expectation and pre-made analysis lying between me and the raw essence of the fic.

    With something like Shakespeare and other classics, I feel it's different because there are so many voices out there that it's a chorus, and no one opinion has to dominate. Similarly, I don't mind talking about HP, because there are simply so many people talking about the books in every which way. But in less 'public' works, I feel I need that privacy-- that sanctuary, that almost sacred bond between me and the text. A reviewer (when read pre-reading) becomes something like a voyeur, almost, their whispered words making me see things that may or may not be there. However, the real 'violation' of the one-on-one between me and the fic comes when the review aims to make me -feel- things that may or may not be there.

I'm not saying 'reviewing is bad and evil and should be stopped'-- god, that would be stupid-- I'm just saying that personally, a certain kind of review, which aims to critically frame the story in a certain emotional context, ruins the private pleasure of reading for me almost entirely. That's just me, though.
~~

I really want to stop talking about H/D. Perhaps I should join a twelve-step program: how to stop obsessing, for the Perpetually Brainwash Resistant. Hmmm. I did have plans to talk about whether it's better to write characters one loves or hates (see, a nice abstract subject). Woe. Am hopeless t00b.

Anyway, the question of 'can Harry love canon!Draco' has been bugging me the past few days. Basically... I don't think so (and am ambivalent about how I feel about that). Typical ice-prince fanon!Draco wouldn't fare much better though; if anything, I have an intuition that Harry would hate him -more- because he's just so larger than life and over-inflated and fire-retardant and all of that. I mean... sure, there are 'cool' people Harry likes in a distant sort of 'oh, right' manner (the twins, I guess), but his friends are rather 'normal' as far as he can tell, I think.


What I'm saying is, I don't agree that Harry needs to build up anyone he likes/loves on a pedestal, not entirely-- I do think he wants to admire and respect them, but that's different. I think he likes feeling like they're great (like Sirius-- it's not that there are -reasons- for him to be great, he just is, to Harry), but not being overwhelmed by someone's sheer haughty cold grandeur or whatever. Then again, the truth is, fanon!Draco is clearly a fantasy extrapolation of what canon!Draco wishes he was (but isn't), so the trick here would be to ask what -Harry- wants, not what -Draco- wants. Since I'm pretty sure Draco wouldn't mind being his fanon self, whereas Harry likes actual sincerity and what he sees as integrity in human beings, as long as it's not over the top dramatics like with Cho.

Sometimes I think it's hilarious that I go on about wanting to read what I could believe was 'canonish' Draco in fic, especially when I realized that I don't actually -ship- canon!Draco with Harry (who doesn't really have more than one version in my head). I imagine lots of other people feel the same, though they say they ship H/D.
    It's just very, VERY hard to write Harry wanting Draco (as is) convincingly, and not because of hate at all, but simply because Harry -disapproves- of Draco on a basic level. It's not that he loves or hates-- he just doesn't like him or respect him as a human being, I think. Draco is whiny, self-centered, probably clingy, nasty to people Harry likes & respects, weak and generally annoying in a thousand little ways. (This is Harry's pov, btw, not necessarily my own.)

So what to do? I'm starting to really feel like Harry wouldn't -like- Draco or accept him 'as is' (Ani DiFranco style) even if he -loved- and wanted to shag him senseless.
    Basically, 'the problem with Draco' isn't that he's a 'snarky bastard' or an 'asshole' or a 'bad boy'-- that, Harry could definitely get over and accept. He's not the 'Big Bad'-- he's the annoying prat who's as spoiled as Dudley, as loud as Colin Creevey, and as stupidly prejudiced as his bastard father. What, exactly, is Harry going to like? In canon, he's even -wittier- than Draco, as far as I can tell.

Most people agree that H/D is what one might call a 'fanon' rather than 'canon' pairing-- meaning that its basic premise is drawn from the characters' -potential- rather than their actual dynamic. So in a way, writing H/D fully 'true to canon', starting from 'the beginning' (as I like to see done) can be seen as a form of shooting oneself in the foot before one started to actually move.

So... canon!H/D is kind of a sad joke (from Harry's pov-- canon Draco, I'm semi-convinced wanks over Potter more than he cares to remember, but that's probably my kink talking). It's a really frustrating realization for an H/D writer: (what if) I don't ship H/D in canon at all??... And yes, I'm that much of a Harry ho, what can I say. As far as canon!Draco goes-- well, I'm sorry for him & sometimes find him cute & sometimes funny, and sometimes even admirable in a twisted way. Mostly, I think he's a pathetic wanker who needs to grow up. And yes, that's partly my inner!Harry speaking, but so it goes regardless. Malfoy needs to get a grip on something other than himself-- or perhaps I mean the opposite-- what Malfoy needs to finally get a grip on himself, but for real.

For 'convincing' H/D (funny how I say that since I'm a shipper, and we're supposed to be 'already convinced', but I'm just funny I guess), on some level one has little choice but to 'mess with' canon. It's just a question of doing it 'right', as far as this pairing goes. Essentially, it all revolves around moving Draco forward in his development to make Harry see him as more of an equal, because it seems to me that that's what Harry would want.

So I guess I understand the conundrum that drives all the rampant fics out there about cool-assed-Master-of-Slytherin!Draco. I mean, if he's -cool-, I guess one could say he 'deserves' Harry (which I personally have problems with as a concept). The issue, to me, isn't who 'deserves' whom, but rather what the people involved want and need from a partner and whether a particular relationship can fulfill their needs. The idea of canon!Draco fulfilling Harry's needs makes me laugh (meanly). I'm sorry, Malfoy. You know I love you, but. Yeah.

Basically, it's just that I think snarky-sexy-cool!Draco fics go way overboard but still vaguely in the 'right' direction for a successful relationship to develop (whatever -that- means-- I suppose to me, it means a fulfilling one) between Harry and Draco. And it's this need to somehow develop Draco that appears to make people think they've got a free ticket to change his whole personality, which is ridiculous. Also arguably JKR herself has done it, ahahah. Sorry, random snark.

All Draco really needs is a good measure of self-confidence and self-awareness (no small goals, of course), because his utter lack of those two things combine to ensure Harry will never change his mind about him, and Draco, for his part, will never be secure enough in his own status as an individual to see Potter as just another boy, albeit one he loves/wants. Anyway, not seeing Potter as the bane of his existence and the reason for all his failures would also help.

I freely admit all this is mostly nothing but a rehash of things I've said before, but I just think some of these concepts are finally -solidifying- (after all this time, too!) in my head into a coherent whole. I'm finally seeing Harry's all-important motivations here rather clearly-- and it's not a pretty picture. All this would probably only seem significant if you know just how elusive and fuzzy his characterization and 'stand' in their dynamic had generally been to me in my own writing.
    All those eons ago, I'd started out with a -way- vocal Draco muse which has almost completely dominated nearly all my H/D efforts, whether or not they were in Draco's pov. I -knew-, to the marrow of my bones, where my Draco was coming from, and Harry was sort of left to adjust and react (in one way or another) to his presence. It was always 'will Harry give in??' before, whereas now it's a more mutual problem, which might actually help my writing. Maybe.

I just realized that even if Harry 'gave in' and started a relationship with Draco, the deeper problem wouldn't be solved at all. Not if Draco remained a stupid whiny prat as far as Harry could see-- and love/lust doesn't necessarily have to mean seeing the person through rose-colored glasses, but especially in this case. *sigh*
    So yeah. It really is up to Draco; and I'm starting to appreciate the merits of the transition if Draco's step forward occurred before Harry 'noticed' him, because doing H/D and Draco-transformation -concurrently- is-- well, it's a nightmare. Uh, very difficult, I mean. Makes my poor brain huuuurrrrt. Well, until I give up and go read/write H/D porn, anyway.
~~

Also, because, it needs to be said: stellabelle wrote another hilarious H/D fic which made me snort & giggle & coo (alternatively, but sometimes at the same time). It is truly a Very Special Thing for a story to warm the cockles of my (dirty slapper!) heart just so. Awwwwwww. (I just can't take unfunny fluff, is all.)

See, the thing is-- I really don't have the emotional energy to read that much H/D anymore unless I 'trust' you as an author (and often even if I do). Even with the authors I adore... the 'H/D place' in my heart is... sore. I'm being careful, maybe, so I don't snap like I did this past winter and read -no- H/D for like, four months. stellabelle's fic is sort of... restorative in that regard. <3

Comments

[cellia.livejournal.com]

To me, it's not that Draco is so awful that he's brush-asideable as a human... just that--as he stands now in canon--he seems like he'd make a rather unpleasant and un-complementary companion to Harry in many basic ways.

This doesn't make Draco without worth as a person; "Would he be a good boyfriend/valiant ally/life companion/meaningful tryst in regards to Harry" isn't the ultimate test of humanity. It is meaningful, though, when I start thinking about Harry/Draco.

Potter as slavery:
It seems to me that most of the things you hate about Harry are just as present in Draco, so I get confused. For example:"intolerant."

Of course, the text isn't asking us to sympathize with Draco, but... so? Hm, I guess it makes your feelings toward the kids feel to me more like backlash against JKR than a result of their actions in the reality we're given... like it's the meta that's making you annoyed with the character, not the text. And that 1. is too intellectual and deep for me and 2.seems unfair to judge the kids (I mean as people, not characters) through the lens of their author/god's opinions.

(She hasn't shown her hand so badly for me that her characters exist as cardboard cutout roles for her morality plays... yet. So Draco is not just the embodiment of the spoiled, small-minded scion and Harry is not just the embodiment of the self-righteous establishment hero. Which is why I still like the nerdy HP discussion which tries to take JKR's connotations out of the story and judge what one can from the "facts." Subvert her by taking her at her word and then banishing her from the equation, rather than going in the opposite direction from her apparent intentions, I guess. Option #2 will always bother me because it so often has all the exact same flaws, just the unreasonable unfairness and favoritism by the author is switched around.)

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Ack, the "Potter is slavery" thing (as basically half of my post anyway) was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, or rather, really a kind of self-deprecating (... Draco-deprecating) humour. Because me and Reena have been... RP-ing lately and that's such a Draco-thing to say, though obviously it's not true for any sane person. Unless you go veryveryvery meta and a bit Mulder-like. ;P I think I forgot other people couldn't get the inside jokes. Sorry if that was annoying, it was entirely unintentional.

Would he be a good boyfriend/valiant ally/life companion/meaningful tryst in regards to Harry

I completely get this. It's good to talk about chemistry and actualy compatibility. Though in that respect I'd have to say I think Draco and Harry are pretty much matched in a way that's actually cosmic to me. The way they are so ying/yang both in literal (emotional/psychological) and meta (ethical/social/political) terms is kind of obvious to me, although I am biased because I prefer strange non-dramatic themes (like the foil, the irritant, the boyhero who is also a bit of an antihero in a way), so for me their being matched is strictly dependant on the way it's so important, for me, for them to be actually so abnormal, and have a kind of love that can be healthy, but not healthy like the meanstream healthy that's pushed down our throats all the time by fiction and the media.

Err, okay, I am too invested to sound also... sane, right now. And obviously we have different (both valid) platforms that make us see Draco in a different light as a "matched/satisfying" companion to Harry. I just think there's such drive to be both dark and judgmental in Harry that sometimes I feel for him to explore both those sides of himself (that are actually interdependant in my mind) there could be nobody but Draco.

... I also thinks it just cracks me up to put the Irritant with the Hero. It makes me feel so vindicated. Not even on behalf of the Irritant or on behalf of the Hero, but on behalf of human beings all around the world that are tired of being turned into stereotypes ad judged on the basis of that.

[cellia.livejournal.com]

This is a constant in my life: I take things too damn literally and seriously. Often completely miss jokes. Am uncool. *weeps* On the other hand, it does take away some of my "dude. ????"

I think I can get your vision of H/D. I don't have anywhere near a vision as really cohesive or thematic in my head. For me it is all about the writer's execution, the actual details. If sold the right way, I will buy. (This may be why I am such a pairing slut.) I usually only think about more meta things like foils and the shadow self if I force myself--or if a story is so well done on the detail level that I want to examine that specific story at a higher pitch.

More often, I am just thinking something painfully mundane and practical like, "would Draco be a good partner if Harry got a stomach flu" or somesuch... It's not that I am totally lacking in romantic, epic feelings, just that I need them to spring from real-life-ish details that make me believe in them, not themes or good arguments.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

To me, the interesting thing is balance. I mean, I didn't like any H/D fics because I had some vision in my head (except the one that's a part of my personality and is always there, 'cause I'm a horrible romantic). So, say... `Irresistible Poison' just -worked- for me, emotionally, and that's still why I enjoy H/D when I do-- and also why I don't dig the idea of 'recs for shippers' (that is, H/D recs that would appeal specifically to shippers, as if we have some mass similarity of taste).

I mean, I -do- read crapfic for H/D that I would laugh at and burn for every single other pairing in HP, but... I wouldn't exactly rec the badfic for anyone, shipper or not. I mean, I read that for porn anyway.... But moving on :>

I think a lot of times... there really needs to be a balance between the everyday details and the reference/relevance to the 'larger themes' of a pairing to make a Really Good fic for it. What I mean is... sometimes I read a futurefic where you have an established relationship or something-- or a lot of fluff in general-- that really works great at showing 'voice' and 'dynamic', but I have no clue why the canon selves of these characters got to this point, so it seems empty. Even though -this moment- seems believable, I can't really connect it, so it kind of... floats.

I think if you start with 'as is' in canon, you wind up having to write about larger 'themes', so to speak, with H/D in particular, simply because there are so many obstacles in their way, and they both have to re-evaluate almost everything they'd believed about themselves and each other in order to really get together. They can't just (realistically) fall into bed because they both think the other is cute. They have all this baggage to deal with that kind of is intrinsically tied to the major themes of these books-- prejudice (Harry is best friends with the Mudblood who beats Draco in his studies and one of the Weasleys, who've been having a feud with the Malfoys for who knows how long); good/evil (Draco's dad is a Death Eater, which are evil, and Harry's the main person who's supposed to destroy both him and his dad); sleazy bullies and cowards vs. true-hearted 'authority' figure in training... cliques at war. Blahblahetc.

So one winds up writing about war, prejudice, morality in general, self-doubt, the process of growing up, one's relationship and (breaking) ties with one's parents, one's heritage and history, blah blah, in at least some fashion. Harry/Draco as a pairing is basically a soap opera ready-made, man :> Not to mention they're both self-centered drama-queens to different extents. Fics where they just snark and have vague angst and good chemistry don't quite.... satisfy me.

Admittedly, that's what I'd written, mostly, up till now ;))

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Fics where they just snark and have vague angst and good chemistry don't quite.... satisfy me.

Admittedly, that's what I'd written, mostly, up till now ;))

Oh, Reena.

<3


Um. You say smart things up there about grand themes. And I find myself nodding.

My problem is probably that grand themes need details as their building blocks, and all too often I read things that skip that step, so I am down on the themes unfairly.

As for recs for shippers, it does make a kind of sense of you think of shipping as a kind of kink (And I do think that many people who like a pairing tend to like it for similar reasons). I've read many stories that I know are objectively only so-so, but they hit a certain button, and I am happy. So, it can be lowering the bar in a way, but it can also be giving you a shot of just what you want, albeit without much subtlety gussying it up. Like, it'd be hard to find a veelafic I didn't have a sort of vague affection for or a ravished!Harry fic that didn't turn my crank. I cannot say these are always paragons of writerly craft, but they give me something that a masterfully written Remus/Sirius never will.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

a ravished!Harry

... I am so selfless. Here: bottom_harry. Never say I don't overcome my squicks for my friends.

Sorry. Now I have to fly the fandom.

(Ick. Ickickick. That's my hero they're talking about!... Okay, see. No rationality whatsoever. And what's worse - I don't want to be rational on this.)

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your noble sacrifice! I have looked at the community. It has about 40% of the type of fics I like (yay!). Others are wuss!Harry=not for me.

It is *because* Harry is the hero that he's on the bottom. He fights it of course. That is the point. The struggle. And that he's the focus of whomever's attention.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Ahaha. You know, I was about to write about the evils of sub Harry (not bottom Harry, but sub Harry) then I remembered that what? 3 years have passed since my RuHana addiction has gotten under control (which my H/D addiction is never going to be) and I still don't think Rukawa would ever be a sub. I am envisioning them switch kinda happily, although Rukawa is in control because it's not that Hanamichi is a submissive or anything, but Rukawa... he's just the King of the World. If he wanted to be. Which he wants to be. Except that people bore him because they are just stupid.

This is so strange because if I think about other ships I love, somtimes I just don't care who tops, sometimes I want them to switch... but with H/D, I am so completely unmovable.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... just because we're (okay I am) talking Slam Dunk:

And that he's the focus of whomever's attention.

I am (for the moment) completely in agreement with this. Especially Draco. And his bile. Grrr. Mine. Mine.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you should be down on the fics themselves, like me!!1 <3 :D :D

I totally separate my ideas about a pairing and the execution of that pairing for that very reason-- because lots of things don't get Done Right, but... that's the nature of things ;)) I think almost every idea might have merit if done the right way, and it's just that there are a lot of scribblers, but not that many -writers-, because writing takes understanding and subtlety and a real vision of humanity 'as is', not just skill.

My shipping -is- a kink, but... it's just... when you rec it and praise it (vs. just describing your own reaction), you're implying it has some sort of objective value by default. It's the idea of a bulletproof kink, y'know... but I only loved every H/D fic waaaaay back ago when I was just desperate. I now only love every H/D fic of a certain sort ;)) Like... cute-snarky-crushing!Draco, wall-sex, Quidditch-room-sex, blah-blah-I-have-enough-H/D-kinks-to-bore-you-for-eternity-blah :D Just-- the -ship- itself is much bigger than some theme/type of fic within that ship. I love ravished!Harry too... as long as he's still a stubborn rebellious bitch, that is :D

[cellia.livejournal.com]

I love ravished!Harry too... as long as he's still a stubborn rebellious bitch, that is :D

Yes! <333

your debonair ways so sway me

[malafede.livejournal.com]

sleazy bullies and cowards vs. true-hearted 'authority' figure in training... cliques at war.

*swoons!!!*

(Btw, I just realised I don't think I want the authority figure in training grown into his potential. I love too much the in-fieri stage. Adolescents! Youth is the end all be all of hope. ... I really want to write H/D as Utena/Anthy, damnit. And get a reputation for it. Although I did read the canon before the fanfic, sigh...)

*catches*

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Eh, I don't know if Harry will ever grow into some sort of dominant authority role, really. I mean... he doesn't want that much power/contact with people, I don't think-- that much responsibility. He wants to be an Auror, not Dumbledore or Minister of Magic. I don't think Auror!Harry would be -that- different, personality-wise, than Hogwarts!Harry. It's not like he's in training to be King or something :>

Re: *catches*

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... but, you know, this just hit me... it would be great fun if he were a King. Makes a lot of sense. And you know The Malfoy Bride? They're always talking crazily about being Kings, etc.

And the bit you were telling me about in your last email? The King of the World and his submissive companion who only shits on him in private? Sososo H/D, if one tilts his head the right angle. I mean. Harry would be great as a King of the World (as opposed to other KoW wannabe who only piss me or are exceedingly lame) because it would be so effortless. Like, I don't even think he would want to. He would just naturally become it.

I am in love with this image now, I must fit it somewhere in the Stuff I Am Writing And It Would Really Make Me Happy To Finish One Day.

Sigh. H/D makes me so happy.

Re: *catches*

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Ack, now you're hurting my head, 'cause I was saying I'd see myself in the Draco role. Owww, my braaaaiiiiin....

Geeky anime stuff

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Harry lacks Utena's core of certainty about her identity.

Draco lacks Anthy's sacrifice and subtlety.

Hm. Draco is kinda like Nanami or, even better, Asuka from Eva... can't think of a Harry-like anime character, actually *hurts brain*

Re: Geeky anime stuff

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Draco as Nanami is actually a favourite parallel of mine. And Asuka!!! So true. Even if he became accomplished in anything, or even genius, he'd be still such an unhinged attention-starved unhappy bastard.

I kind of ship Asuka/Shinji. Too bad Shinji and Harry... it makes me laugh and laugh just thinking about it.

I actually find many similarities between Harry and Utena... for example (http://www.livejournal.com/users/adora_spintriae/7654.html#cutid1). And Utena doubts, too, at one point. Draco as Anthy is more difficult, but I don't think because of the sacrifice part, more because of the subtlety. I can see Draco dying for his dad, so I can see him dying for Harry. But the smartness of the sacred feminine... ahaha, maybe in some very convoluted way?

I think I don't eant to write it in a literal way, but in a more abstract sense where there are parallels with them being Ouroboros and all Gnostic saving the world from God and the blade and the caliche (the driver and the car!) and the adolescence/growth/revolution theme?

Re: Geeky anime stuff

[malafede.livejournal.com]

saving the world from God

... saving the world from Dumbledore!!! why the hell didn't I think about this before?

And so the Utena/Harry Ouroboros is complete. Mwhaha. *writes*

[malafede.livejournal.com]

"would Draco be a good partner if Harry got a stomach flu" or somesuch... It's not that I am totally lacking in romantic, epic feelings, just that I need them to spring from real-life-ish details that make me believe in them, not themes or good arguments.

Oh, I am the same! Want the real-life detailed scene to combine with real-life detailed scenes and give out a meaning. Ahaha, now you make me want to write a fic about flu Harry with all the yin/yang themes. It can be done! Really.

[cellia.livejournal.com]

haha write it! *dares*

I was thinking of it, because a stomach flu makes you unattractive and yucky and weak and unwitty and... that's kinda the symbol for love in my head, not kisses or conversation, but someone willing to clean up your shit and hold your head above the toilet and feed the cat and do the laundry and feed you soup when you need it.

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... sigh. That's such a happy thought. Sorry, I am so totally sappy since yesterday.

But Draco would, you know. Bitching, but he would. And would watch Potter being dirty and smelly and pale and unwitty and think he's beautiful.

[cellia.livejournal.com]

But Draco would, you know. Bitching, but he would. And would watch Potter being dirty and smelly and pale and unwitty and think he's beautiful.

How do you get to this Draco from canon man?

Oh well, better than leaving him with house elves saying, "too bad you can't join me for quidditch today."

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Oh! I also wanted to add... that I don't "judge" Harry when I say he is intolerant. Just like I don't judge Draco when I say he is a racist. I just think they both have flaws...? And I am very invested in those, and I love the both of them, so it would never mean, coming from me, a "this person should be terminated" kind of dismissal.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAH you have no idea how much it cracks me up to imagine Harry in a black coat (right, this is from the punk!Draco universe) walking up to poor Draco working as a punk drummer/guitarist in some seedy pub, right, and going, "Draco Malfoy." (And Draco would squeak and whirl around.) "Potter!" And then Harry would say, in a cold voice, "I am here to inform you that you are terminated. Come along quietly, or I'll be forced to use other measures." AHAHAHAHAH

Um. Sorry, am perverse :>

[malafede.livejournal.com]

... and then he offers Draco a red pill as an alternative to quick, meaningless death? (Ahaha, if Draco was the Chosen One, Matrix could have become suddenly interesting to me. And a half-decent movie.)