I think JKR deliberately did not come down on one side or the other. We, as much as Harry, are supposed to suspect Draco has taken the Dark Mark but we are not getting the final answer. This is why I think the illustrator ultimately went with an image of Draco where - again - we can suspect he is clutching his arm because he had taken the Mark but we have no ultimate proof.
I can see JKR being content to have the movies show the Dark Mark on Draco's forearm, because the visual impact is so much stronger. She would not go against the director's wishes, I think. She is quite reasonable, and very aware of the differences between movies and books. But her books are her baby, and there she did not want something she meant to be ambiguous be clarified through the illustration.
My reasoning why canonically I don't think Draco took the Dark Mark is this: The Malfoy family was already very much on the decline in Voldemort's favours at the end of fifth year. The Dark Mark is a sign of honour, an initiation into the inner circle of the Death Eaters. I cannot imagine Voldemort would bestow this honour to Draco right after Lucius has failed to secure the prophecy for him. It would more sense that Voldemort promised Draco aka the Malfoys that he would get the Dark Mark once he killed Dumbledore. Draco's wild accusation to Snape that Snape was after a glory that he himself was out to gain, speaks to that theory, I think.
Which still leaves us with an ambiguous canon that we can play around with whichever way we please. I usually write Draco with the Dark Mark, for all the reasons you described.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2014-12-19 02:47 pm (UTC)I can see JKR being content to have the movies show the Dark Mark on Draco's forearm, because the visual impact is so much stronger. She would not go against the director's wishes, I think. She is quite reasonable, and very aware of the differences between movies and books. But her books are her baby, and there she did not want something she meant to be ambiguous be clarified through the illustration.
My reasoning why canonically I don't think Draco took the Dark Mark is this: The Malfoy family was already very much on the decline in Voldemort's favours at the end of fifth year. The Dark Mark is a sign of honour, an initiation into the inner circle of the Death Eaters. I cannot imagine Voldemort would bestow this honour to Draco right after Lucius has failed to secure the prophecy for him. It would more sense that Voldemort promised Draco aka the Malfoys that he would get the Dark Mark once he killed Dumbledore. Draco's wild accusation to Snape that Snape was after a glory that he himself was out to gain, speaks to that theory, I think.
Which still leaves us with an ambiguous canon that we can play around with whichever way we please. I usually write Draco with the Dark Mark, for all the reasons you described.