J.K. Rowling never intended for Harry Potter readers to fall for bad boy Draco Malfoy.
In fact, she revealed in a new 12 Days of Christmas story posted to Pottermore Tuesday that she found herself "unnerved" by the "number of girls who fell for this particular fictional character."
She wrote that she does "not discount the appeal of Tom Felton, who plays Draco brilliantly in the films and, ironically, is about the nicest person you will ever meet."
However, "Draco has all the dark glamour of the anti-hero; girls are very apt to romanticise such people," wrote Rowling. "All of this left me in the unenviable position of pouring cold common sense on ardent readers' daydreams, as I told them, rather severely, that Draco was not concealing a heart of gold under all that sneering."
And while Rowling dismissed girls' Draco crushes as an "unhealthy fantasy," she admitted there was "some unextinguished good at the heart of Draco." For that, though, Rowing wrote that she pitied him, "just as I feel sorry for Dudley."
As for why Draco turned out the way he did? He "was raised in an atmosphere of regret that the Dark Lord has not succeeded in taking command of the wizarding community," wrote Rowling, noting that he and the rest of the Malfoys thought Harry could be be "another, and better, Voldemort."
These 12 Days of Christmas Pottermore tales are the gift that keeps on giving!