Ok, so I've always thought that Draco's respect for Harry was a gradual thing, but he only let it show later in life. This is how I imagine what happens when he first starts to appreciate him...
'He's got no chance!' Malfoy said gleefully to Crabbe and Goyle, whilst walking u the sloping lawns towards the castle. 'I mean, no one in their right mind would let that oaf teach here in the first place, and after that lesson I'd say he's got… a week? Two at most.' The other boys grunted in amused agreement, both with identical grins on their faces. Malfoy sighed. Was it too much to ask to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone?
A few seconds later, Crabbe nudged him in the arm and pointed up ahead of them.
'Look.' He muttered. Well, Malfoy thought, they were good for one thing – tormenting Potter. He was walking in front of them with the Mudblood and the Weasel as usual.
'Perfect.' He murmured and gestured to Crabbe and Goyle to speed up. They did so and soon they were walking directly behind them. They were discussing the lesson, and the mere thought of it made Malfoy want to sing. There was no way Dumbledore would be able to get the idiot out of this one. Granger's loud, obnoxious voice drew him out of his thoughts.
'I wish I could see them…' You would, wouldn't you Granger? Malfoy thought viscously. It would be just another thing to be best at. Malfoy would never have admitted it, but he was slightly jealous of Hermione's brains.
'Do you?' Potter replied. His voice was toneless and very quiet. Something about the way he said it struck Malfoy, as if there was more that Potter wasn't saying. He pushed it aside however – he had more important things to worry about that Potty's pathetic problems. Granger rambled off some long-winded apology, grovelling at him as always. The conversation continued and Malfoy took his chance to make a snide remark at Weasley.
'Do you reckon if you saw someone snuff it, you'd be able to see the Quaffle better?' Ron's ears went red as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle laughed at him, making their way up to the castle.
Later that evening, whilst lying in his comfortable bed in the Slytherin boys' dormitory, Malfoy's thoughts drifted back to the overheard conversation. What was it that Potter had said? 'Do you?' Just two words, but it was the way he'd said it. His voice had sounded so hollow, so empty. And for the first time in his life, Malfoy found himself thinking about what Potter had actually been through. He had watched his friend die. He had fought the Dark Lord. Of course, Malfoy had watched people being tortured, plenty of them. He had taken a strange pleasure in occasionally kicking his old house el down the stairs when he was in a bad mood. But he'd never experienced death – not in the way Potter had.
His train of thought continued, and he decided that, although Potter didn't deserve to be treated any differently because of what he'd done, like how he was worshiped by the other Gryffindors, and of course, Potter was still an attention seeking, arrogant moron; but maybe he had done some pretty tough things, even if it was all luck. Maybe Potter deserved slightly more credit than he gave him.
So what diid you think? Please R&R... I'll give you cookies :3