The relationship between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy is certainly a tense one throughout the franchise, with the two young wizards at loggerheads throughout each movie. They're two of the greatest wizards in the franchise, but they end up spending their time as rivals who do not see eye to eye.
However, while they have a lot of moments of pure hate against each other, whether it be fighting or verbally abusing each other, there are also moments where their rivalry almost feels like flirtation. They're two characters who actually do respect each other deep down, and that leads to some close moments.
Flirtation: In The Forbidden Forest
When Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy end up in punishment together heading into the Forbidden Forest, it is a true moment of flirtation between them. Each character is clearly scared and nervous, but neither of them wants to it that in front of the other.
When Fang runs away, the two of them get even more nervous and the back and forth conversation between them is certainly a moment that those relationship fan theories have latched onto as it does lean towards flirtation.
Hate: Harry Potter Stinks Badges
When it comes to the Triwizard Cup, it is something that Harry Potter never wants to be part of, and while some students get behind him to him, others take the chance to bully him. A big reason that so many of the students bully him is Draco.
He creates and distributes "Potter Stinks" badges, showcasing his disdain for him, even during some of the scariest times of Harry's life, which is a low moment even for the young Slytherin.
Flirtation: Tension During Hagrid's Class
Hagrid taking a class himself, in hindsight, is likely a poor decision. However, it does lead to a moment of flirtation between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy as they confront each other before class, which leads to a close moment with them as everyone watches on.
It's obvious that they're not keen on one another, yet at the same time, it is easy to see how those who 'ship' these two characters can see this situation as flirting due to the back and forth that they have. There's a lot of tension in this scene.
Hate: Hogwarts Express Confrontation
After Draco's father ends up in Azkaban Prison, Draco Malfoy's character takes a much darker turn. That is shown by his journey to Hogwarts that year, where he looks to hurt Harry as much as possible before they even enter school.
Knowing that Harry is snooping on him, Draco takes the time to stay back when everyone else has gotten off the Hogwarts Express. He shows real aggression towards Harry, which includes stomping on his face in a moment that is filled with pure hate.
Flirtation: Chasing The Snitch
One of the ways these two ended up flirting was on the Quidditch field. The two wizards played the same position on opposite teams, instantly making them rivals, and the scene with both attempting to pick up the golden snitch is a great example of some friendlier tension between them.
While they jostle for position, push each other around, and trade insults, nothing ever gets as truly out of hand as it does in other encounters between them. This feels friendly, like two people who ire each other.
Hate: Early Duel
In Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Harry and Draco are thrown into a duel against each other in front of the other students. It's a situation that Gilderoy Lockheart creates, and is one that even Severus Snape initially doesn't want to happen.
As soon as it begins, the tension rises and it is clear that they don't like each other. Each young wizard tries to take down the other and it ends up escalating out of control, setting the tone for their feelings of hate early on.
Flirtation: Saving Harry's Life
While Harry Potter saving Draco from the Room of Requirement is obviously leaning more towards flirtation, it is actually more surprising when the shoe is on the other foot. Draco is typically seen as a villain, and saving other people, especially his main rival is something that most wouldn't expect.
However, that is the case as Draco pretends to not know who Harry is when he ends up being captured but has a distorted face. Even though it's obviously Harry, Draco lies in a bid to save his life, proving he has some type of feeling toward him as a person.
Hate: Busting Open Dumbledore's Army
Dumbledore's Army is something that Harry takes real pride and joy in throughout his time in charge, and it is something that has real importance. Dolores Umbridge works tirelessly to work out what is going on and who is behind it, and eventually, it is Draco who helps break their hiding spot.
It's a low moment for Draco as he doesn't just betray Harry, but also all of the other students involved in the group. It's something Draco does out of spite, purely because he doesn't like Harry, which is what makes it a poor moment for him.
Flirtation: Wanting To Be Friends
The biggest moment of flirtation between them comes when the young students all first arrive at Hogwarts. When they wait before entering the Great Hall, the two wizards have an interaction with each other where Draco Malfoy makes it clear he wants to be friends with Harry.
It's obvious that Draco has heard of Potter, and that leads to him trying to charm Harry straight away in the hopes that they could become close. However, Harry's decision to choose Ron is what sparks their rivalry, one out of jealousy.
Hate: Harry Uses Sectumsempera
When it comes to the biggest moment of hate that takes between the two of them, it is actually Harry Potter who delivers it. Meeting in the bathroom inside Hogwarts, the two of them end up in a duel against each other where Harry actually uses the Sectumsempera spell.
This is something that could have actually killed Draco and takes their rivalry to a different level that nobody expects from them. Everything up until this point had been tense, but this was a step up and showed Harry's inner feelings towards Draco.
