Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), the resident Hogwarts bad boy, was hardly a character fans fawned over during the Harry Potter craze of the early 2000s. He wasn’t the hero, nor was he the mastermind villain. He was a low-tier antagonist; a schoolyard bully who was always overshadowed by the Gryffindor trio — Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint). And yet, years after the final movie’s release and despite 31 minutes of screen time across the entire franchise, Draco Malfoy has somehow transcended his role as a minor villain and become a true fan favorite.
So, what exactly has caused this shift in fandom allegiance? Why has Draco, of all characters, skyrocketed to the top of the popularity charts? Let’s find out.
Villain Redemption Arcs Tend to Stick With Audiences Long After the Story Ends
In fiction, it’s often the “dark” characters that are the most romanticized. Draco began the series as a vicious bully, spitting insults and tripping unsuspecting first years, but it soon became evident that he was a product of his environment. He was raised by prejudiced parents who instilled in him a warped sense of superiority. Now, the movies didn’t explicitly give Draco a full-fledged redemption arc, but there were moments where he hesitated in doing the wrong thing. Like when he couldn’t go through with killing Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), or when he didn’t rat out Harry at the Malfoy Manor. Both of these choices were voluntary and against his own self-interests.
And let’s be real, characters with a chance at redemption are way more interesting than the perfect goody-two-shoes. People love anti-heroes who walk that line between good and bad because they’re the ones who stick with you. Once you understand why they do what they do, it’s hard not to feel sorry for them.
This is why Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender still has a huge fanbase. This is why you’ll still find new fan edits of Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) on YouTube, even though Game of Thrones ended years ago. This is why Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has become such a fan-favorite after all these years. There’s something about those broken, misunderstood characters that just resonates with us on a deeper level.
J. K. Rowling’s Recent Controversies Have Also Sparked Renewed Admiration for Draco Malfoy
Another factor contributing to Draco’s resurgence in popularity could be the recent controversies surrounding J. K. Rowling. In the summer of 2020, Rowling made transphobic comments on Twitter, proudly identifying herself as a “trans-exclusive radical feminist.” These statements alienated a lot of fans and caused a significant majority of the fanbase to turn against her.
Now, Rowling hasn’t always been the biggest fan of Draco. She’s been pretty clear about it, saying he’s not the good guy everyone thinks he is. In fact, she’s even admitted to feeling “unnerved” by the number of girls who seem to fall for Draco, and she’s gone so far as to ask Potterheads not to like him! But you know how fans are — they don’t like being told who they should or shouldn’t like. So, in retaliation, they’ve begun to interpret Draco’s character in a more sympathetic light, searching for redeeming qualities the author seems to downplay. This newfound support for Draco feels, in part, like a rebellion against Rowling’s views.
Tom Felton’s Post-Potter Glow-up Made Draco Cool Again
Lastly, let’s talk about Tom Felton himself, the actor who played Draco Malfoy. Since the last Harry Potter movie, he’s changed a lot. He’s handsome, charming, and by all accounts, a genuinely nice guy. He actively interacts with fans, making appearances at conventions and meet-and-greets. This newfound “cool factor” associated with the actor has definitely trickled down into the character. It’s no wonder fans can’t stop writing fanfic about him. Girls love a cute bad boy they can fix, and Draco has become the Harry Potter version of Christian Grey and Hardin.
Then there was this thing called DracoTok on TikTok. It started in August 2020, when people shared how hot they thought the Harry Potter actors were, and Felton was everyone’s #1 pick. It got even more popular when Felton himself joined in and began dueting and reacting to the videos. Another big reason for Draco’s newfound popularity could be the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special, which came out in 2022. Many Potterheads who hadn’t seen Felton in anything new got to catch up with him and realized just how attractive he’d become. It’s like Draco Malfoy got a glow-up of his own, thanks to Felton’s post-Potter transformation.
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