Draco Malfoy

Draco was, in general, an arrogant, spiteful bully for most of his early years. Like Dudley Dursley, his narcissistic nature most likely stemmed from his being spoiled by his parents throughout his childhood, though according to Harry himself, Draco was even less sympathetic than his cousin. He believed himself superior to most people because of his family's pure-blood lineage as well as great wealth and social standing. He frequently behaved cruelly to Muggle-borns, blood traitors, Gryffindor students, and anyone who was a supporter of Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore. For much of his youth, Draco took after his bigoted father, Lucius Malfoy, as a role model, and frequently boasted about his family's influence and wealth.

Draco was intelligent, cunning and quick-witted, capable of deducing things and coming up with clever plans based on a small amount of information; his father had expected him to obtain top marks in school after his first year, and showed disappointment that Hermione beat him. He figured out through Montague's experience that the Vanishing Cabinets in Hogwarts and Borgin and Burkes were linked and that he could use that passage to his advantage. However, his plans could have limitations based on his own arrogance when dealing with people. When he attempted to sabotage Harry during the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw Quidditch match in their third year, his whole plan was based solely around the idea that the Dementors' appearance scared Harry, ignorant of the fact that it was the effect the Dementors had on him that caused Harry problems. Draco was also adept at compartmentalising his emotions, as is evidenced in his success with Occlumency.

BroodingMalfoy Draco in his sixth year

However, something began to change in Draco's psyche in his sixth year at Hogwarts. After Lord Voldemort made him a Death Eater, he gave Draco the task of assassinating Albus Dumbledore by the end of the year, something that Draco was very eager to do at first. After a number of feeble attempts, Draco began to crack under the enormous pressure that Voldemort was putting on him. He was uncertain of his ability to fulfil the mission and was terrified that he and his family would pay the price for his failure; the stress led him to be reckless as his two feeble attempts were noted to be foolish by Snape, and he attempted a Cruciatus Curse on Harry, despite the consequences of a life sentence in Azkaban.

Over the course of the year, the mission also led Draco to neglect other aspects of his school life that he would previously have abused or enjoyed: he rejected his Prefect duties that he once would happily abuse; he feigned illness and paid another student to take over his stead in order to avoid playing Quidditch himself, as opposed to three years earlier when he would ensure the entire match was postponed by exaggerating a minor injury in order to suit the team's interest; he missed two Transfiguration homework assignments; he would distance himself from his friends Crabbe and Goyle and order them to be on lookout without telling them anything; and he would also spend less time mocking Harry and his friends despite the many opportunities. Ultimately, Draco was unable to kill Dumbledore, lowering his wand and being tempted to take Dumbledore's offer of protection for his parents.

For the rest of the Second Wizarding War, Draco became disillusioned by the Death Eater lifestyle. He reluctantly participated in Death Eater activities and by the end of the war, remained on the fence. When Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were captured in his home, Draco showed great hesitation in identifying them before the Death Eaters. Also, during the Battle of Hogwarts, he showed genuine concern for Crabbe and Goyle, something he rarely did.