They both came from families with huge reputations

By the time Harry and Draco were enrolled in Hogwarts, the names Potter and Malfoy were already well-known. James Potter was a star Quidditch player and Lily was a member of the prestigious Slug Club, well before the pair died at the hands of Lord Voldemort.

Lucius Malfoy’s name was known (and feared) throughout the Ministry of Magic, while his wife Narcissa hailed from the ‘Noble House of Black’. For better or worse, both boys had a lot to live up to.

Family pride ran deep with both Harry and Draco, so defending their parents’ honour often brought them to blows. Maybe if they’d only stopped cursing each other for five minutes, they’d have realised they were both struggling with similarly lofty expectations.

They almost perfectly embodied their houses

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, ‘SLYTHERIN!’
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry, on the other hand, chose specifically not to be in Slytherin, favouring Gryffindor. True to the qualities prized by their houses, Draco was as cunning as Harry was determined. If his family’s name, connections and money could give him an advantage, then Draco would likely have used them without hesitation. Harry could have gained power and influence from his reputation as ‘The Chosen One’, but his principles wouldn’t let him.

It can be said that Gryffindors strive to succeed on their own merits, whereas Slytherins may see this as a foolish waste of resources. Neither is right or wrong – they’re just different points of view, but it’s a big reason why these two might never have seen see eye to eye.

They were both Seekers

‘Father says it’s a crime if I’m not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree.’
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry and Draco both loved Quidditch, obviously, but paralleled each other when it came to the great game itself. Draco was so eager to play for his house that he had his father fork out for seven Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones – one for each of the Slytherin team.

Harry’s talent was clear from his first broomstick ride (which actually happened thanks to Draco stealing Neville’s Remembrall), and earnt him his place on the Gryffindor team.

While a shared interest in sport would normally spark up a friendship, for Harry and Draco it was yet another thing to fight over. These two Seekers spent more time seeking each other than the Snitch.

They both had uncomfortable connections with Voldemort

But their rivalry ran far deeper and darker than a game of Quidditch. During the first Wizarding War, the Potters joined the Order of the Phoenix while Lucius served Voldemort as a Death Eater.

Though Harry’s connection with the Dark Lord was more obvious (it was literally visible across his forehead), Draco’s connection to Voldemort grew over time, reaching its peak in Half-Blood Prince, when Draco was assigned Lord Voldemort’s deadly mission. You’d be forgiven for thinking Draco may actually have relished this, but with his father in Azkaban and his life under threat, Draco succumbed to the pressure and isolation that Harry had suffered many times over.

Despite now feeling the pressures Harry often felt thanks to his own reluctant connections to Voldemort, it’s funny to think that he would probably be one of the few people to actually understand what Draco was going through. Alas, due to their distinct lack of friendly banter, they didn’t exactly strike up a heart-to-heart on the matter.

They were both wealthy in very different ways

When Draco and Harry first met in Diagon Alley, they were hardly strapped for Galleons. But they’d been raised under two extremes: while the Malfoys probably spoiled their son rotten, the Dursleys treated Harry like he was, well, actually rotten. As such, their attitudes towards their brimming Gringotts vaults were tremendously different.

‘You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.’
He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it.
‘I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,’ he said coolly.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Draco often flaunted his wealth, but Harry remembered poverty all too clearly and was very sympathetic to those who had little. After his spending spree on the Hogwarts Express sweets trolley, the first thing Harry did was share with his new friend Ron, who Draco insulted for being poor. Perhaps if the Malfoys hadn’t spoon-fed their son with such a disdain for others, these two foes could’ve been friends...?

Okay, it’s a long shot.