#and the pining for james while he loves lily trope is always good for that

[missgryffin]

hi! I’m a new writer and I started a fic but I just wanted to ask if you had any advice for writing fanfiction. I started my fic but I’m kinda hitting a writers block and I don’t know where I want my story to go. I want my characters to have dimension but I don’t think I’m communicating it well. And my plot line, I feel like it’s so hard to communicate in writing. I just feel like my writing is bad as a whole and I wanted to ask for advice because you’re literally one of the best writers I’ve encountered! Love your writing so much

Thanks for the kind words, anon!! 🫶 This got long, so I put it below a cut:

First off, congrats on getting started — that's always the hardest part, and there's a lot of bravery in starting something new and letting your work exist outside your head. The #1 piece of advice I hear everywhere and pass along to you is simply to keep going. Writing is a muscle, and it takes repetition, practice, reflection, etc. to find your style and get better. I came back to writing in 2020, and it took writing consistently since then for me to be where I am now of feeling like my writing's where I want it to be and feeling confident about bigger pieces.

On the direction of your story and your plot, know that this is such a common dilemma for writers!! And honestly, the advice out there varies a lot depending on if you're more of a pantser (make it up as you go) or plotter (plot it all out first). I'm somewhere in the middle. I plot a decent amount, but sometimes it's only in broad strokes, so I leave room for building out scenes intuitively as I write. I also get stuck all the time, and for me, I know that means that something's not working — either I have to go back and change something in the prior paragraph/dialogue, or I have to take the scene in a new direction, or I have to figure out a different way to bridge the gap between what happened and what I know I'm building toward.

At this point, my advice to you would be this: do some daydreaming. Go on Pinterest, browse Tumblr, go on a walk with a good playlist. Let your mind wander, mood board your fic, let all the vibes marinate. Whatever scene ideas pop into your head, write them. Write out of order (you can always massage things to fit chronologically later). Loosely figure out your ending, so you at least know where you need to end up — sometimes it's easier to work backwards when outlining the latter part of a fic. Use tropes and their conventional story beats as much or as little as is helpful to you.

Once you have that direction, my advice on "communicating" your plot and characters really boils down to the adage of "show don't tell." Which sounds so cliché, I know, but it really does work!! Think about the aspect of your plot or character you want to be coming across to the reader, and then brainstorm actions or scenes that could demonstrate that happening.

An example of when I was very conscientious of this is Castling. (Spoilers ahead!) The main plot is present day, but I wanted to build the emotion and pining and just the stakes overall by inserting past flashbacks, as opposed to just saying, Lily and James were best friends while growing up at school. So I came up with a handful of significant moments to show their friendship in action throughout their past. The second year scene sets it all up: Lily does not hesitate to confront James for Remus, demonstrating both her fierce + sassy personality and the depth of her friendship with Remus. The seventh year scenes show how everything's evolved: first there's the fight in the corridor, in which James steps in to shield Lily and punches Mulciber after an incident that escalated while they were brewing Amortentia in Potions, and then later that night Lily finds out James got broken up with. I never had to say that they were starting to subliminally have feelings/attraction toward each other — we pick up on that based on what happens: James doesn't just defend Lily out of basic nobility; he's "a caged bull in Sirius's arms" in the immediate aftermath of Amortentia 👀, which is the breaking point for his girlfriend. James picks Lily's friendship in his girlfriend's ultimatum without second thought. And they don't hug. It's not a sibling-like consolation because there's an undercurrent of tension that's decidedly not sibling-like anymore — they're just in total denial about it. And then finally there's the post-school scene, in which they're more comfortable around each other in part because they're simply more mature and have figured out how to care about each other without crossing the boundary of friendship (yet).

Something I tell myself a lot when it comes to figuring out plot and "showing" the reader is plot can be small. I'm constantly saying this to myself. And what I mean by that is, "plot" doesn't have to be some sweeping, complicated thing. Of course some stories go that way and longer stories often necessitate more complex narratives, but there can be just as much plot in "discovering feelings for each other" (As Lovers Go) as there is in "planning a complicated mission that goes awry because of a secret double-agent" (Vindicated). It's simply a matter of going more deeply into smaller details and the emotional trajectories of the story. So "plot can be small" doesn't mean the plot itself is "smaller" or "lesser," it means that plot can be based in small actions that are incredibly important or meaningful to the characters, and the story then teases out all the little details surrounding those small actions.

And finally, the last thing I'll say (this already getting way too long 😅) is that plot and character development are both very layered things. The Castling corridor fight initially was just a corridor fight — the idea for adding the Amortentia element came later, and the idea for connecting the fight with the ultimatum and the breakup came even later after that. Don't put pressure on yourself to figure things out entirely the very first time you write something down!! Ideas build on each other as you keep writing. You'll add layers that make scenes better. And the layers of the story and the characters will keep building throughout the story. This is where dimension comes from. We don't need to know everything about a character right away — let the layers peel back as the story goes on.

If you're still reading: I hope this can help!! Best of luck with your writing!! 💗

#ask #on writing

[cherry-holland]

take care

James Potter x Hufflepuff!fem!reader

Warning: mentions of death, angst, fluff

Author’s note - hey y’all!!! So I haven’t written a one shot in a while, but I had this idea in my head and I couldn’t help but write it out, so I hope y’all enjoy!! Also, I know the end is not the greatest, but I couldn’t think of a better ending, so pls go easy on me 😅😌 edit: I forgot to mention this is a Hufflepuff!fem!reader one as well! 😅

If there’s one thing that you know for certain in this world, it’s that James Fleamont Potter has your heart in so many ways, and he doesn’t even know it yet.

You’ve known the hazel-eyed man since you first met him in fifth-year. You had previously only heard about him in passing, thanks to the tricks and shenanigans he and his best friends, the group lovingly dubbed the Maurauders, came up with to taunt the Slytherins and other fellow classmates. James was also an exceptional Quidditch chaser for Gryffindor, making his way up to captain by your third-year, and was adored by plenty of girls and guys in your class. And yet, the brunette never crossed your path until Professor Slughorn had you two paired up for a week-long project.

You were the envy of everyone when Slughorn announced the pairing, and at the time, you were only upset because you had hoped to be partnered up with your best friend, Pandora. You had looked over to see the wild-haired boy meeting your gaze, giving a kind yet goofy smile. You had returned the grin as he made his way over to your desk, and the rest is history.

It’s really hard not to like James Potter, considering he is the most charismatic, charming, kindest person you have ever known. He is also the most talkative person you’ve ever known, which was, at the time, something you had to get used to. You were a bookworm by nature, always loving to get lost in a good muggle story and learning new and exciting things about the wizarding world you grew up in, so being around a very extroverted person was a whole new challenge in and of itself. However, by Godric’s good graces, you two got along quite well, with James bringing out your more communicative side and you introducing him to the world of muggle literature, which he was absolutely astonished with (and got Remus Lupin wondering who the hell you were, to have James Potter interested in reading anything).

You didn’t know exactly when it was you started to fall for the man that became your best friend, but it came suddenly and all at once, your heart fluttering at every pet name he would give you, cheeks flushing crimson whenever you would feel his strong, muscular arms drape around your neck when you would talk in a group setting. You hated the idea that you were living proof of the ‘I fell for my best friend’ trope, but your heart couldn’t help but soar every time you laid eyes on James, and it lurched when you realized that it would never be reciprocated. The reason being? The hazel-eyed boy only had eyes for one person - Lily Evans.

Everyone knew how head-over-heels in love he was with her, and honestly, it was hard not to love Lily Evans. She had the sweetest, caring heart, and was a major ride or die friend to all she loved most. She was smart, witty, and absolutely breathtaking, with hair the color of an autumn sunset and eyes like fresh sage. James spent practically all of his Hogwarts years pining for the girl, until she finally caved into his advances in sixth-year. Watching James fall even harder for Lily physically pained you, because you so longed for that to be you - to be the one James doted over every day, have him hold your hand as you walked down the long halls of the Scottish school, to be able to kiss him and feel all of him. And boy, did it hurt worse when he married her after school ended.

Now let’s get things straight - you were elated for your best friend. You wanted James to be happy, even if it wasn’t at your expense. James Potter deserves the world, and if it wasn’t with you, then that’s what it was to be. You were in Lily’s bridal party, the two of you becoming friends not long after you and James, and you were given the honor of being godmother to their first child, a son which they had not too long after their nuptials, along with Sirius Black, another friend you’d made thanks to James. You were happy for both of your friends, living out their perfect lives and building a life together - but oh how you wished that were you.

After the birth of Harry James Potter (“this one has to have my name in there somehow”, James had protested at a baby shower when asked about names for the child, which caused every one of the Maurauders and you to roll your eyes in jest), you decided to let your childhood crush on your best friend go to rest. He was happy, with a whole life that you couldn’t bear to mess up with your feelings, and you needed to move on. Pandora and Regulus, your only Slytherin friend who happened to be Sirius’s brother, had a long discussion with you the night after Harry was born about the matter, and they agreed to help get your mind off of James Potter romantically, for good. It was hurting them to see you hurt every time James and Lily did anything together, and none of you could bear that pain anymore.

For that whole year, you threw yourself into your work. You found a job at the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, a position you had been longing for since you were taking your OWLs. The position you held was so top-secret, as is all positions in the Department of Mysteries, you couldn’t even tell your family or friends about it. You loved going into work every morning to something new and exciting, knowing what you were doing was for the greater good. You even dated around a little, much to the chagrin of the Maurauders - especially James, who was always playing protector when it came to guys you dated. You were living quite a normal life for once, your feelings for James being pushed into the very far corner of your mind and heart. Everything seemed perfect - until Halloween 1981.

The rumors of Voldermort rising in power was heavily discussed in the Ministry, especially when it came to your position. You heard even more rumors that his followers were infiltrating the Ministry, and paranoia was rampant everywhere. As being a part of the Order of the Phoenix, you also knew who became Death Eaters, and what to watch out for. Dumbledore had mentioned in a meeting that a prophecy was given about a child that would stop Voldermort, but no one could’ve guessed who it was about, considering the prophecy spoke of a child born in the summertime, and it wasn’t only James and Lily who had a baby around that time. Dumbledore placed Secret Keepers for both the Potters and Alice and Frank Longbottom, the other couple who had a child the same time they did, and everything was presumed to be safe.

That Halloween night changed everything for the Maurauders, the Potters, and you. Knowing that Peter Pettigrew, the fourth Maurauder and the Potters Secret Keeper, gave the family into Voldermort’s hands had you wanting to kill the traitor yourself. However, knowing that Lily Evans-Potter sacrificed herself for James and Harry, in order to give them a better life, was the thing that broke everyone. Her love for her family was strong enough to stop Voldermort, but the loss of a beloved friend overshadowed that.

After Halloween 1981, James Potter changed significantly. He wasn’t his happy-go-lucky, bubbly self anymore, just barely getting by to be good enough for his son. The light had dimmed from the man’s eyes, and everyone was trying so hard to bring that light back, to help James come back to himself. But you knew - your best friend lost his first love, the mother of his child, this wasn’t something that was going to heal quickly. So you took to the only way you knew how to help out your first love, by just simply being there for him.

You took time out of your days to go check on him and Harry, leaving work early enough to be able to have nightly dinners with the two. You watched Harry when James needed time to rest, with Sirius helping out from time to time. You always called every morning to be sure James was up and functioning, sending your owl to him with a fresh brew of light roast coffee in a Thermos with a word of encouragement. You would often go to the Potter residence to just be a presence for James, your own being as a reminder that he wasn’t alone. It took him a while, but your acts of service and words of affirmation brought him back to himself.

James wasn’t one that was ever good with saying he needed help, but you just knew. It was one of the things he loved most about you - you were a comforting presence that always knew exactly what to do or say at the right moment without even trying. You truly cared for your friends, and never let them go without knowing how much you did, and you’d do even the littlest of things to show them that. You helped James so much in that year after Lily died, shining a light so bright in that darkness that consumed him. He couldn’t help but start to see the other wonderful things about you - the way your eyes lit up when your favorite muggle song played on the Potter’s charmed stereo, how your hair would delicately fall out of your claw clip to frame your face, and how Harry trusted you enough to want only you to read him a bedtime story, much to the chagrin of Sirius. You helped him piece his life back together, and mend his heart in the process.

One of the things the Maurauders were good at was noticing how the other was feeling. Remus and Sirius took note of their best friend’s feelings for you one autumn night, after the trio, you, and Marlene McKinnon and Mary MacDonald finished your bi-weekly game nights at James’. The couple saw how whenever you would laugh at Marlene’s jokes, James would flush scarlet, a lovesick look in his eye just by your hearty chuckle alone. They also saw how he would glance at you from time to time, admiring your features as if you were a painting in the Met. The duo pulled James aside after everyone left to confront the brunette, eager to hear him confess that he finally came to his senses about you.

“What, y/n? Nah, I love her as a friend,” James stuttered, his hands clamming up with nerves.

“Oh come on, James,” Remus scoffed, the lycanthrope’s arms crossing in disbelief, “we know you don’t just love her as a friend.”

“We’ve seen the way you look at her, Prongs,” Sirius chimed in. “It’s the same look you gave -“

“Don’t,” James interjected, then sighed as he looked between his two best friends, who were already staring him down. “I dunno what to do now. Here I go developing a fat crush on my best friend, not even knowing if she feels the same.”

Sirius let out a booming laugh, causing James to give him a curious look. “You don’t know, mate? Y/n’s had a crush on you since year six, after that project you two did for Slughorn.”

“No way,” James huffed, face twisting in disbelief. “That’s not true… is it Moony?”

The sandy-haired man stared at James with a wide-eyed look, fishing for a cigarette in his grey coat pocket. “I can’t believe you didn’t see it, Prongs. Everyone knew about y/n… the girl would’ve done anything for you.”

“Still does, even now,” Sirius chimed in, taking the extra white tobacco stick that Remus offered him. “I mean, look at all the shit she’s done for you.”

James’s mind raced as he thought back to all of the help you had given him over the past two years since that night, and it all clicked for him. You cared about him… there’s a chance.

“Go get her, mate,” Sirius spoke, clapping a hand on his best friend’s broad shoulder, blowing smoke from his lips. “We’ll stay and watch Harry for you, just go to her.”

James gave the couple a grateful look as he thanked them, running to grab his coat to go look for you. He knew by the time their conversation had ended, you already disapparated to your apartment in Diagon Alley. With one final look of thanks at his best friends, the raven-haired man and the sandy blonde giving him a “good luck” smile, he disapparated right outside of the brownstone, a wave of nerves turning tides in his stomach. He had no idea what he was going to say to you, or how he was going to, but he knew it was time to finally confess, to have you with him for the rest of his life.

James walked up the steps of your apartment, knocking on the door nervously. You opened the door a few seconds later, in a pair of black and yellow Hufflepuff sweatpants and an oversized Sublime crew neck, your hair twisted up in a goldenrod hair clip. Your face twisted in confusion at the man standing in front of you, his already wild curls in a disarray, eyes wide.

“James, is everything okay?” You questioned, making sweater paws from the frigid breeze.

“Can I come in?” James asked, stuffing his hands in his black pea coat.

You nodded as you silently let him in as he took a look around your lived-in apartment, full of Hufflepuff memorabilia and cozy linens. Hung in the corridor were pictures of your family, starting from when you were little, and James noticed that you also had pictures of your friends from Hufflepuff mixed in with pictures of the Maurauders. He scanned the moving pictures until he landed on a candid picture of the two of you from your sixth year. You and the Maurauders had just successfully finished pulling off a dung bomb prank on Slytherin house, and had reached Gryffindor tower to recouperate. James sat on the long, red couch in the middle of the common room with your head in his lap, laughing hysterically at the prank. He remembered Remus took the photo upon entering the common room, wanting to commemorate their first prank of the new school year, and the picture did nothing to calm the tides turning in his stomach. He studied your face in the picture, noticing how your y/e/c eyes shone with such light in them as you looked up at him, so much… adoration that he had never noticed before, causing his heart to race.

“James, what’s going on? Are you and Harry okay?” You asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

James turned away from the picture to look at you, his heart racing even more at the sight of you. “We’re both okay, just needed to talk to you.”

“Okay…” you spoke, walking over to your living room to sit on your burgundy couch. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

James sighed as he followed you, stopping to face you. “Well…”

You waited patiently for him to finish, urging him with a look. Well here goes nothing, James thought to himself. “You have been there for me through everything, y/n, through all of the good and the bad. You’ve been there when I lost Lily, and have helped me to raise Harry. You helped me come back to who I am, saved me from myself, and there’s nothing that I can ever do to repay you for that.”

Your gaze softened as you reached for his hand. “James, you don’t have to do anything. I care about you both and would never let you do life alone.”

“Do you?” James asked, bending down to your eye level. “Do you care about me?”

Your breath hitched in your throat. Did he finally find out? “James, what do you mean?”

“Y/n/n… do you care about me the way I care about you?” James pondered. “Do you ever think about me and wonder what our life would be like if we were together, like I do? Because I think about you a lot, and how I wake up everyday, eagerly awaiting your owl with a fresh cup of coffee for me, and how I can never wait for you to come by the house to spend time with Harry and me, and how I fucking wish you were there all of the time… and how much I’ve fucking fallen for you.”

Your eyes welled up with tears as your heart grew at his words. “Jamie… of course I do, ever since…”

“Sixth year?” James finished, sniffling back tears of his own.

“Yes, since sixth year,” you said, letting out a throaty laugh in response.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” James whispered, taking your free hand into his, gazing up into your misty eyes, ghosting his thumb softly over your hands.

“Because, you were in love with Lily back then,” you began. “I didn’t want to be the person to fuck things up, because you’re my best friend, and I wanted you to be happy, even if it meant it wasn’t with me. I knew back then I wasn’t gonna have a chance with you, so I kept it to myself.”

James’s face fell slightly at your words, giving your hands a squeeze before releasing one to cup your face, that was damp with tears. “Oh, angel, I don’t think that’s true.”

“You don’t?” You questioned. “You were so in love with Lily, you didn’t see me like that back then.”

“You’re right about that,” James sighed. “I was in love with Lily. She was my first love, she gave me Harry… but you… you’ve given me my life back again. You brought me back to myself after losing my wife, you’ve supported me and Harry in ways you never needed to. I’ll never forget Lily by any means, but you taught me to love again, to feel for someone in a way that is pure, unabashed… You’re light personified, y/n, and I don’t ever want to let you go.”

“I… I don’t know what to say…” you blushed, tears streaming down your face and onto James’s large hands.

“You don’t have to say anything,” James whispered, smiling softly.

You looked into those hazel eyes of his, and saw love. Pure adoration was seeping into his every being, from the way he spoke to his gaze, like daylight covering the morning sky. You never had anyone look at you like that, like you hung the stars and the moon, and you savored the mental picture before fluttering your eyes down to his lips, the rosy, glossy hue making you flush. You glanced up into his eyes, noticing how close you now were to him, giving him silent permission. James leaned in and pressed his lips onto yours, caressing your face with such tenderness, as if you would break. You kissed him back, relishing the feeling of his pillowy lips on yours, letting your lips do the talking as to how you felt. I love you, I love you.

James broke the kiss, pulling only so far away as to have your foreheads touching. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, so much so he felt it could fall right out of his body. “Wow, that was better than I expected.”

You chuckled at the brunette, running your hand up to the back of his head, playing with the tendrils at the nape of his neck. “I love you, James Fleamont Potter.”

“And I love you, y/n y/m/n y/l/m,” James confessed, leaning in to kiss you again.

#james potter #james potter fanfiction #james potter fluff #james potter fic #james potter x reader #Harry Potter #maurauders era #maurauders #James potter one shot #my writing

[papillon-mechant]

lupin!reader who’s always spent all her time with the marauders growing up. and eventually she develops a pretty strong crush on a particular curly haired gryffindor boy with glasses

lupin!reader’s heart breaking a little more each time he refers to her as “just like a little sister”, and breaking even further as she watches from afar while he falls further and further in love with lily

lupin!reader putting on her best face at the engagement announcement party, and standing behind lily as her maid of honor, holding back tears as she watches the love of her life marry someone else

#marauders musings #🌸james #james potter #lupin!reader #i’m in a very sad and angsty mood #and the pining for james while he loves lily trope is always good for that

[princesssarcastia]

2021 Harry Potter Fanfic Primer

im here to point fingers at the incredible authors that have enabled my new interest in HP content.  im still conflicted and upset about it, tbh, but for now we’re leaning into the curve.  we’re getting out our shovel and finding out just how deep we can make the hole we’re in.  hand in unlovable hand my beloved <3.  anyway, these fics are wonderful, their authors are wonderful, and you should go read their stuff. if there’s a star next to it that means im losing my mind over it and always will be.

Creatively Maladjusted, by elumish on AO3, 101k  (they also have a wonderful writing advice blog on tumblr, @elumish, which I recommend following if you are a writer) 

A very excellent re-telling of harry’s first year at hogwarts if he were sorted into Slytherin, plus some more not!fic or piecemeal re-tellings of his second and part of his third year.  Harry, in this, has a slightly different trauma response to growing up with the Dursley’s.  He’s a bit quieter, and the signs are a bit more obvious to the people around him, and I enjoyed that immensely. 

Honestly, if you’re going to get sucked into something you have absolutely no business getting sucked into, elumish is the way to go, their fic is incredible. their teen wolf fic is also immaculate, if you’re so inclined. 

Dissonance, by ImpishTubist on AO3, 2.5k (@impishtubist on tumblr)

Set during fifth year.  Oblivious!Harry has always been a delightful trope when well executed, and this is well executed.  Plus, some angst between Remus and Harry over what Umbridge has been doing to him.

I would certainly recommend a lot of ImpishTubist’s other hp work on AO3, like Lacuna.

blow us all away, by rexcorvidae on AO3, 23k (@rexcorvidae on tumblr)

In progress (like, updated last week in progress).  Currently in the beginning of Harry’s first year.  Fem!Harry, Indian!Harry.  Hagrid puts Harry in touch with Remus when she has questions about her parents, and they become reluctant, traumatized, angst-ridden pen pals who keep missing each other’s true intentions like ships in the night.  hot DAMN do I love this fic.  there’s hints of the way the dursley’s treat Harry peaking through in her letters, and I appreciated the attention to “hmm, her experience as a girl of indian descent in britain under the thumb of a bunch of white people who like being Normal may not have been gucci”

Definitely comb through the rest of their HP fic, too, I may or may not have gone feral over it.

Where the Heart is, by silver_fish on AO3, 15k (@kohakhearts on tumblr)

Woof.  This one said, “hey, harry was probably SUPER depressed in the summer after fifth year.  like, clinically.  maybe someone should do something about that.”  Fuck yeah.  Then this one said, “that someone was Snape.”  You all know my opinions on Snape; generally, Bad.  But damn if this fic didn’t wholly convince me by the end of it.  I thought it was a very realistic way for Snape to start seeing Harry as a person all on his own, and not a proxy for Snape’s angst over James and Lily, respectively.  The angst is wonderful, the ending is even more so.

*bernie sanders voice* I am once again asking you to read through the rest of the author’s HP fic.  a lot of them have similar themes; there’s actually a great one with Molly that i’m not reccing here, Wonder.

☆Bindings, Bindings, by Quietlemonhush on AO3, 60k (@quietlemonhush on tumblr)

WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOYED/AM ENJOYING THIS.  If I had to pick a single fic and say “you, it’s your fault I’m stuck here,” it would be this one.  Anyway Lily in the afterlife is So Very Angry about how Petunia is treating Harry, and how Sirius is rotting in Azkaban, and how Remus is alone, that she literally brings herself back to life and drags James and Regulus with her.  All three of them are there to chew bubblegum and fix everything that went wrong after they died—and would you look at that, they’re all out of bubblegum!  There’s only Fury left.  That inciting premise is very crack, but every moment after that is very much not crack.  Lily and James love harry more than anything, the way a child should be loved; James and Sirius have the epic friendship of a lifetime; Sirius and Remus have staggering amounts of resolved sexual tension and take turns keeping each other in check; Regulus, though he realized that Voldemort and his family were shit before he died, is still unlearning all his racist bullshit and, also, years of trauma.  Actually, they’re all traumatized, but hey: now they have one another again and not a damn one of them seems inclined to let go anytime soon.  Quietlemonhush went, “hey, HP has a lot of Awful people in it, and a lot of Righteous people in it, and many of them are Very, Very Powerful; also, love is the most powerful force in the universe” and i said “hell yes tell me more right now.”  And then they did!

Quietlemonhush writes Sirius/Remus in a way that makes it sooo much fun to devour, so the rest of their HP fic is most certainly worth a look, if that’s your thing.

Rebuilding, by Colubrina on AO3, 113k (@colubrina on tumblr)

Hermione/Draco (*shrug emojis into the abyss* yeah, yeah, like none of us have ever been there before).  Takes place during Hogwarts 8th year, and while the beginning is, IMO, a little unfair to Ron, it gets much better.  Tells the story of Hermione and Draco clearing the air, learning to like each other, having some hormones over each other, and then falling in love.  Also tells the story of Hermione and Theo Nott becoming friends; the story of how every single 7th and 8th year student is fucked to hell by the war and the Carrows; the story of how they start an emotional support group about it and all become friends; and the story of, what the hell do you do with yourself after that kind of trauma?

I’ve been dipping in and out of Colubrina’s HP since before I was even on tumblr; I actually found them in those dark yesteryears when the only fandom interactions I had were on fanfiction.net.  Of such fame as Green Girl, which is an HP fic staple, and has also written a lot of wackier, crackier, and darker things than that.  If you don’t take yourself too seriously, I highly recommend many of their big HP works, though I imagine it’ll press some people’s buttons.  Colubrina’s work really does take up a corner of my mind whenever I’m in an HP mood, and will take up yours if you let it.

☆ all waiting is long, by shuofthewind on AO3, 149k ( @shu-of-the-wind on tumblr)

This is so well written that I can’t stop thinking about it.  It is occupying my mind when I lie awake at night, you know?  It’s one of those.  Hermione messes with something she probably shouldn’t have in Grimmauld Place, so when Sirius is sent through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, she gets thrust into an alternate universe...in 1975.  Instead of handwaving it away, shuofthewind actually gets into the mechanics of it in a way that makes sense, to emphasize that hermione is never going home.  ever. The world she finds herself is shifted slightly to the left, quite a bit darker, but in a “the author is treating the idea of a society-wide conflict over blood purity much more seriously than JKR ever did” way, not a sensationalist way.  Now, Hermione has to grapple with all her grief at losing everyone she’s ever loved or known, the moral/ethical/magical implications of sharing what she knows about her future in an alternate world, and, you know, a goddamn war with people who want to murder her for being who she is.  This Hermione is smart, and she’s kind, and she’s powerful, and she’s making real friends.  If you hate JKR’s guts I’d go read this right now, because it delivers in all the ways she failed us.  It’s plotty, its got great world-building, and it pulls back the white curtain on the wizarding world to show you that, like real life, it’s multicultural and full of queer people...and the discrimination that comes with both.

shuofthewind write epics, mainly for the MCU, and I’ve read some of them a looooong time ago, so this fic kinda seemed out of left field for me but im SOOOO GLAD it exists.  If you want MCU fic you can sink your teeth into, go for it, but alas, they do not have any more HP fic (.......yet?)

Speak Now [+] Listen Now, by mrsfrizzle on AO3, 33k altogether

Harry reaches out to Remus for support because Umbridge is getting to him with her literal torture.  Remus, being a former professor, former mandatory reporter, person who loves Harry and has since he was born, and all around good man, tells Harry he has to tell someone, or Remus will.  It’s everything any adult looking back on that time in HP canon ever wanted, which is for an actual adult to say “what the fuck, those are literal chidlren” and then do something about it.  Then, a far more dangerous task: Harry trusts Remus enough to go to him about the Dursleys.  Harry and Remus’ relationship develops SO WELL, and there’s a bit of exploration about how Sirius may not exactly be guardian material, because he did in fact spend 12 years of his life getting tortured instead of growing up.  I think I’m actually going to go reread this right now, because it speaks to my id.

they do have some other HP fic which did not appeal to my hyperspecific wants, but may appeal to some of yours.  I think they’re also a published author, there should be a link on their profile page.

chase the stars, by Duskglass on AO3, 101k (@felix-duskglass on tumblr)

When Harry is five years old, a picture of him ends up in the Daily Prophet, and Sirius Black, Terror of Ministry Officials Touring Azkaban everywhere, gets a hold of that issue.  He then, in order: breaks out of Azkaban; crosses the countryside to Surrey; Finds Harry: Kidnaps Harry; Breaks Into Remus’ Apartment; starts processing (or maybe just acknowledging) his trauma from Azkaban, the war, and his childhood; and pines after Remus.  It’s a little plotty, and deals a lot (sometimes through flashbacks) with the specific awful things that happened to Sirius—largely because, after years in the constant presence of Dementors, those are nearly literally the only memories he has left.  It’s a wonder he’s got the strength to love Harry and Remus at all.  But then, maybe it isn’t.

This is a Very Serious Fic, but the rest of Duskglass’s HP work is actually just cracky enough to tickle your funny-bone, while still making you think “okay but why couldn’t we have done that in the first place.”

So!  That’s it for recs, for now.  These are all things I’ve found and read in the last month; if any of y’all are interested in my old HP recs, let me know and I can make a post for that, too.  While I’m still very conflicted about my choice of current fandom, I am not in ANY way conflicted about my taste in fic and authors.  Send these guys some love, read their fic if you’re so inclined, and leave some nice comments at the end of it.

#harry potter #hp #fic recs #hp fic #to the authors: if for some reason you don't want to be on this list #let me know and i'll be happy to take your part down #tho i'm hoping you're fine with it because i want other people to read this stuff #and then cry about it with me #harry potter fic #harry potter fic recs

[diademsandtiaras]

valentine’s day fic rec

Posting this a bit early, but in honor of the holiday, I thought I’d rec my favorite wolfstar fics that are based around valentines, because tooth rotting fluff always cheers me up <3

always, without falling by beespiesandplaid

For the past three years, Remus has received anonymous valentines gifts that have made no sense. On the fourth year, things fall into place.

- sirius pining and remus being oblivious is my absolute favorite wolfstar trope

valentine’s in hogsmeade by showmeyourtardis

Sirius Black has a problem, and it comes in the shape of the Ravenclaw Head Boy that keeps kissing Remus Lupin. Meanwhile, Lily Evans also has a problem when a rumour appears stating she was snogging someone in the corridor and somehow finds its way to James Potter.

- this one’s a bit longer, but it’s just so good oh my god. I absolutely live for jealous sirius, and the side jily adds on to the perfection.

a matchmaking mission by downn_in_flames

James Potter has a mission: get Sirius Black and Remus Lupin to finally admit that they both fancy the pants off each other by Valentine's Day.

- this one is a modern, non magic AU, where james and sirius are roommates with lily and remus, and they’re all oblivious, pining idiots and it’s adorable.

sirius black, valentine’s disaster extraordinaire by quietuniverse

Sirius Black belatedly realizes that he's in love with Remus Lupin and stages an elaborate Valentine's Day full of surprises (that most certainly do not backfire—not at all.)

- again, pining sirius will always be my favorite.

rumour has it by pixelated

Valentine’s Day is approaching. The boys are making plans. Remus is pining.

- this has to be one of my favorite fics ever, the mutual pining (!!) and the fluff are just too much

the wolf wants what it wants by habekerhooligan

Someone is leaving chocolate bars on Remus' bed. At the same time, Sirius has been acting distant. Remus works on his relationship with his best friend while worrying that he has a secret admirer, whose heart he'll have to break. After all, who would want a werewolf? Set in Year Six.

- once again, pining sirius and oblivious remus, what more do i have to say?

one heart by cottonpadenthusiast

Remus hates Valentine's Day. He has always been alone and this year is no different. With the whole of Gryffindor tower at the Valentine's party, Remus feels more alone than ever and the slight problem of being in love with Sirius Black seems ever more present on a day like today.

- this one is pretty short, but i’m a sucker for pining and a fluffy ending

lingua florum by phantomwriter

Flowers are a common theme with Sirius recently.

- pining sirius trying to express his feelings with flowers is just too much

james potter and the valentine’s day charade by channeltheflannel

*discontinued*

It's the sappiest season of them all, and James is determined to take advantage of it to finally win over Lily. She's not having any of it, of course.

So, in the face of rejection, James comes up with a brilliant plan to woo her....

Step 1: Fake-date Sirius.

Step 2: Pay Remus to fake-date Lily.

Step 3: Reap the rewards.

- the miscommunication between them all is too much, oh my god (heads up, this is still ongoing it’s actually been abandoned, sorry)

—

tag list:

@smodernlife @fandom-reader @citydaes @miriamg02

#wolfstar #wolfstar fic rec #valentine’s day #valentine’s fic rec #valentine’s fic #fluff #sirius black #remus lupin #fic rec #harry potter #wolfstar fic #themed rec list #v day #jily #james potter #lily evans potter #lily evans #lily potter #wolfstar valentines #valentine’s wolfstar #sirius black and remus lupin #wolfstar rec list

[q00kies]

00Q fic rec list

So, those are my favorite 00Q fics and I thought I might make a list of them ! Most of these include pining and emotional constipation on some level.

The favorites

Sigh No More, by dhampir72 rating : T  words : 20K

Bond wants nothing more than for someone, just once, to be waiting for him at the airport when he returns home. 

My favorite. The characterization is beautiful and gives depth to a damaged, vulnerable James Bond. “Do you want me to arrange a car for you?” Q asks. “I want you to come get me,” Bond says. [...] Q says: “Okay.”

come a lily, come a lilac, by pdameron rating : T warning : AU - flower shop words : 8K

"Most people just pick whatever flower they think is prettiest. It doesn’t require a lot of input from me.” The man walks up to Q, leaning against the counter between them. “Well then, what can I do to get your input?” (In which Q runs a flower shop, and his newest regular is almost definitely a spy.)

This fic features all the good tropes : violent mutual pining, misunderstandings, mild angst, fluff, humor. The characterizations and banter are excellent. pdameron is my favorite 00Q writer, you should read everything they’ve written. 

Ordinary Numbers, by Bootsnblossom, Kyptaria rating : T warning : AU - different first meeting, AU - Q is not Q yet words : 44K

More than anything, Mike Taylor wanted to be ordinary. Being a genius, he learned early in life, meant people expected too much. A career at the MI6 Help Desk seemed the perfect way to guarantee a lifetime of obscurity, until he got a very unusual tech support call.

Excellent plot and detailed writing. Such a worthy and satisfying read.

Ulysses, by girlbookwrm rating : T words : 89K

“Paperwork for the new head of Q-Branch,” Tanner said.“Of course.” The words were like glass in his throat. Smoke inhalation was a bitch. His brain felt slow and foggy, like it was full of smoke too. “Who shall I take them to?”M lifted one white brow. “They’re for you, Quartermaster.”Bond and Q are drawn together by names, work, and a certain Aston Martin. In which Q is kidnapped once, Bond is poisoned twice, and Eve is a badass on at least three occasions. AKA that time I tripped and wrote 80,000 words of 00Q.All titles unapologetically stolen from Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

This also features all the good tropes imaginable. Like, everything you need. Delicious read. Brillant writing. Dialogues and narration were clever. Beginning is Skyfall and Spectre rewrite but don’t let that deter you, it only lasts for 2 chapters or so and it’s well done.

Long-ride / slow-burn

Lay it down, by damphir72 rating : M words : 81K

Bond and Q agreed: their relationship was nothing more than physical. Until it suddenly isn't.

sick fic. Bond takes care of Q. Similar to Where You Are, with such dedication and softness and love. 

Nodus Tollens, by Only_1_Truth rating : T words : 88K

Nodus Tollens: the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore Q's life at the technical help department of MI6 was decently quiet and paid reasonably well - it even gave him vacation time, although he rarely used it. So when Q was finally coaxed to leave work for a bit and relax, he thought that Paris might be fun. Of course, that was before the gunfight, witnessing a shooting, and being kidnapped by a strange, blue-eyed gunman named James Bond.

Yours, J, by swtalmnd rating : E words : 39K

Bond sends letters. Q is vexed. Q-branch starts a betting pool. There are an appalling amount of sweets. Also, 002 is a bit of an arse.

haven’t finished this one yet but recing it because it’s GOOD. pining hell “He was the one person James Bond didn’t want to seduce”. urhhh

Quriosity, by dr_girlfriend rating : E words : 79K

COMPLETE! Bond finds himself increasingly curious about his enigmatic Quartermaster. Excerpt: "Your prior hotel is no longer secure, I will direct you to a new location. Your luggage has already been transferred. A field agent and medic from the Diréction Générale de la Sécurité d'État will be waiting at the side entrance. I have cleared them both personally." In contrast to his crisp dry English, Q's pronunciation of the French words was fluid and flawless, the throaty tone of the fricatives sending a surprising jolt of awareness straight to Bond's cock — all the more remarkable given his degree of blood loss. "You're wasted on Q-branch, you have the voice for a phone-sex call-in line." The words slipped out of Bond's mouth without forethought, although he had plenty of time to think in the sudden pause that came afterward and stretched on for endless moments. Bond hadn't realized until now how Q was always there, with an immediate reply. In all their banter Q had never before been at a loss for words. Ever.

classic. very in character : the banter, the dynamics. good tropes. 

Humor

Dramatic Arts, by scioscribe rating : T warnings : none words : 2,9K

In which Spectre is actually Bond's poorly written attempt at falsifying a mission report. Q wants a flight simulator, Eve wants more lines, and M wants a drink. Everybody's a critic.

So If You Give, by TheCatOnTheMoon rating : T words : 6,1K

Bond gives Q things because of reasons. Q thinks that Bond completely misses the point.

Hilarous. MI6 works like B99. Q is everyone’s darling.

some guys just can’t hold their arsenic, by pdameron rating : T words : 5,8K

“Motherfucking - goddamn - fucking shit!” “Good lord, Q,” Bond says from behind him with no small amount of amusement. “One would think you’d never been in a quarantine before.”

a lot of pining and them being dumb. hilarous dialogues. the writer writes WELL.

By no Ordinary Means of Communication, by laughtershock rating :  E words : 7,9K

Q can’t help but wonder how, exactly, his life has come to this (The one where Bond discovers post-it notes, Q discovers how not to talk about feelings, and together, they fight crime make things far more complicated than necessary.)

this is here because I love the sex scene in it : Q gets plugged for a meeting.

million dollar question, by skylights rating : G words : 5K

Q doesn’t bend for anything and Q certainly doesn’t break for anyone, especially when it comes to stubborn double-ohs intent on making Q’s life hell, so when Q wakes up on a Saturday morning to 12 new texts from Bond and the incessant ringing of his flat’s doorbell, Q makes sure to bring a gun to answer the door. “Delivery for one…Quabik Quadree?” Q feels the weight of the Glock 19 in the pocket of his dressing gown and sincerely wonders whether to shoot the delivery man or himself. (or, that fic where everyone wants to know Q's name and stupid things happen in the process)

Fluff

A modest proposal, by Tokyo_the_Glaive rating : T words : 3,3K

Or, five times Bond asked Q to marry him, and one time Q beat him to the punchline.

there’s love to be had, by pdameron rating : T words : 1,2K

“I won’t begrudge you your happy ending, Bond. If you want to ride off into the sunset, MI6 won’t stop you,” Mallory says. “But I will say this. If you do walk away, take care with what you leave behind.”

(In which Bond has a bit of an epiphany on the bridge and finds that he can't leave MI6 just yet.)

I don’t take your pleasure for granted, by CatchClaws rating : M words : 6,2K

Q tries to talk himself out of having a crush on James Bond. Bond makes that rather difficult.

In which Bond reads sci-fi books. Well written. Banter is delightful.

please stay, by pinknamjoon rating : T words : 2,7K

Bond keeps flirting with Q while he's on missions, both over the comms and through surveillance cameras, and Q is extremely flustered.

Name on my skin, by the runawaypen rating : G warning : SOULMATES !! words : 900

Everyone has the name of their soulmate written on their skin. And Q can't help but feel excited to learn that the James Bond written on his wrist is one 007. It's a shame James doesn't know Q's real name. Things could have been simpler.

Angst (with happy ending. always)

Remember me, by Jen (ConsultingWriters) rating : T words : 5,6K

Bond has lost his memory. Q has lost his love. "What have I forgotten?” Bond asked; Q watched him, trying to find the James he knew. “Nothing that you won’t work out on your own, if it’s really important,” Q said carefully, before returning every fraction of his attention to the computer in front of him.

dying noises

Loneliness is a disease, by fairyjimjam rating : T words : 9,5K

Q stands up, nearly breathless, and ventures towards the lift. Bond is back. He's back. Back. Back Back Back- "I need a car." Q stops in his tracks. He's not back. No of course he isn't. Q's chest hurts. "Have fun at an automobile shop then," is what slips out of his mouth.

Q is absolutely miserable after Bond’s left and Bond is clueless. Sad pining hell. What’s new. Ending is dubious though. 

just like old times (please, don’t ever change), by Rosslyn rating : T words : 5,1K

Sometimes when Q is alone in his workshop and there is an experiment that needs to be supervised and he can’t go home and he can’t sleep, he watches Bond’s vitals.

canon

as permanent as stone cathedrals, by pdameron rating : T words : 6,0K

Q has been in love for two years, six months, and twelve days when James Bond walks away, leaving him with a bleeding head and a broken heart on a dark and noisy London bridge.

If you didn’t get the hint, yes, go and read everything this author has ever written.

Bittersweet, by dr_girlfriend rating : M words : 14K

The first time Bond flirted with Q, it was purely out of self-defense. The second time Bond flirted with Q was largely manipulation. The third time Bond flirted with Q, he just wanted to feel something. The fourth time Bond flirted with Q was out of sheer boredom.

Somehow, flirting with Q became something of a habit for Bond.

And then, it became something else.

features rejection hmm delicious. ‘Those who love to pursue fleeting forms of pleasure, in the end find only leaves and bitter berries in their hands’

Missed chances, by cherrygoldlove rating : G words : 2,7K

Eve leaned across Q's desk.” Bond has someone!” Q's eyebrow lifted as he sent her a quick look from above his glasses. “He has someone every thirty minutes.” He returned his gaze to the screen and continued to type; “No, not like that! He has someone long term, they're dating!”

misunderstandings, jealous Q, fake relationship, angstish, heartbreak, pining what more ?

Favours, by dhampir72 Rating : T Words : 6,1K

James Bond never looks at Q unless he wants something.

it’s not angst but idk where to put this. pining. 

Omega verse

The two fics below are mpreg-free, don’t feature any consent issues and are full of pining. Alpha!Bond and Omega!Q

A Matter of Convenience, by junetangerine (culuyetille) rating : E words : 19K

‘twas why the whole thing had been sanctioned in the first place: minimal disturbance of the status quo, just a blip in their routine, no consequences. So what if the Quartermaster had had an untimely, dangerous heat and 007 had been the one assigned to see him through it. Both of them knew better than to let anything come of it. (Alpha/Omega dynamics) 

Light omega fic. This is the only omegaverse fic you need to read. Wonderful ! 

Where you are, by dhampir72 rating : E warning : WIP 5/7 chapters BUT chapter 5 can be considered as a satisfying ending. words : 44K

An Omega unable to create life is a creature to be pitied, or at least, that is what society says. Q is fine with it, really. He had never wanted children anyway...and settling down with a mate never truly sounded appealing. So he’s fine with it: being alone, bearing no children. It’s fine.Until it isn’t.

Angsty omega fic. Q is diseased, Bond takes care of him with such dedication and softness and selfless love. I cried. (no tragic ending)

Porn without plot

Gloria in excelsis, by feelslikefire rating : E warning : barebacking words : 3,8K

Q has a dirty secret; Bond has an attraction and now he's got the excuse to act on it. Smut featuring glory hole(s).

glory hole

Resource sharing, by rsadelle rating : E  Warning : dom/sub, Bond/Q/Trevelyan threesome, double-penetration words : 3,4K

Q experiences what it means when James says he and Alec share everything.

#00Q #james bond #quartermaster #Q #in honor of #bond 25 #00Q fics #00Q fic rec #00Q fanfiction #recommendation #the reason why there's not enough dhampir72 fics in this list is because i haven't read them all yet

[hogwartsfirebolt]

I know what you’re thinking! But I promise this third one is the LAST PART of my fic rec list for 2018!!! You can find part one HERE and part two HERE to see all 30 of my favorite fics I read this year. The banner art is by the wonderful @alek-r who was kind enough to let me use her work for this ❤️ Now, once again in no particular order, here it is:

            FAVORITE FICS I READ IN 2018 PART THREE

1. Hesperides - @lettersbyelise​ : Draco Malfoy is not the kind of man to lavish gorgeous Greek holidays on his flings. So Harry doesn’t really know what to make of his invitation.

In under 2k words, Elise immerses us in the lightness, elusiveness of a romantic getaway. Every word in this fic is purposeful and beautiful, and throughout the year I found myself going back to it more than once if only to relive that feeling. I can almost smell the salt in the air, feel the white sand between my toes and the sun warming my shoulders. The full sensory immersion of this fic isn’t limited to that, though, because I was also there for the slow, languorous sex, the butterflies in the stomach, the easy companionship. Simply wonderful.

2. Fast Forward, Two Steps Back - @emmagrant01​ : Everyone knows that Draco Malfoy died in the Room of Requirement ten years ago. So when he suddenly reappears at Hogwarts ten years later, still seventeen years old, Professor Harry Potter’s life gets very complicated.

When I first encountered this story, I couldn’t resist the pull of that summary, I opened it immediately, ignored absolutely all my homework for the day and effectively DEVOURED it. The premise is so interesting, and the way it navigates Harry and Draco’s dynamic when Draco is 17 and Harry is 27 is downright masterful. I am always weak for fics that explore Draco coming to terms with who he is after the events of book 7, and having Harry as someone who already went through all of that and is willing to help was a very refreshing take on the trope… and come on, sexy professor Potter? Sign me the hell up. 

3. Spokesperson - BummedOutWriter : “It was entirely consensual,” Malfoy drawled, as the lights from dozens of cameras flashed across his pale face. In fact, his face was paler than usual. Honestly, gray. “Councilmen Rupert and goblin Gornuk request privacy at this tender stage of their relationship. Excuse me.” And with that, Malfoy hurried off the platform with no explanation of why he was departing so suddenly. Harry could see the slight pooch in his robes where their baby was growing. Malfoy disappeared into the building and reporters yammered in protest. Morning sickness, Harry mused, not quite sympathetic, because Malfoy didn’t seem to warrant it. A bumbling young witch stepped forward and took over the press conference.

This fic is SO good. In just under 3k words, it has everything: a dash of humor, a tiny bit of angst, a teaspoon of pining and a pinch of fluff. It tells a story of a one-night stand that inevitably ties two people together when they’d very much rather not be. The presence of the press in it is really well done, and it has one of the most creative professions I’ve seen around for the HP world; Draco’s snark is inevitably present, and the way he attempts to keep Harry at an arm’s length away at all times without actually managing it rings very true to the pairing. 

4. A Man Named Potter - @l0vegl0wsinthedark​ : Potter begins to take me apart, each savage, pounding thrust peeling away layer after layer of everything that I am, reaming me open in a way that makes me wonder how I’ll ever be able to let anybody else but him fuck me after this.

I have read this series several times, and the reason is that it is simply scorching hot. Yes, like that, in bolds. It is composed of two fics, the first one in Draco’s POV and the second one in Harry’s. I was a bit scared going into it, because I don’t usually read first person POV, but this one is SO well done that I enjoyed it immensely, and the way it was told only added to the absolute hotness that is the first part and the sweetness of the feelings that surface in the second. And hell, if you need some more enticement to go read it, Harry calls Draco kitten. 

5. Boiling Point - @goldentruth813​ : Ferveret - n. boiling point. After an Auror raid gone wrong, Draco ends up trapped in a dodgy safehouse with nothing but Harry Potter’s dubious company and a dwindling supply of food. With only each other and the walls surrounding them, they’re forced to confront their past and their feelings which have long been threatening to boil over.

One of my favorites of Janel’s! The forced proximity trope is always an amazing way to explore how two people fit against one another while providing the space to build trust and get to know each other better, and it is breathtakingly beautiful in this one. It makes you feel it all, the longing, the fear of opening up, the defensiveness that comes with feeling vulnerable, the heartache when facing demons of the past and the love, the love, the love. 

6. Dwelling - aideomai: Curses, James and Lily Potter ride again, several Ministry balls, a teenage Summer of Love, a grim young adult dystopian winter, a few different Draco Malfoys, secrets and the problems re: not having any, alternate lives, impossible lives, real lives, allusions to Dirty Dancing, and just because it’s not called the Mirror of Erised doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know better.

WHERE TO BEGIN. This story is mind-blowing through and through, and it is so damn GOOD I can’t even put it to words. It’s an AU that’s not an AU, a story with all the tropes: childhood friends, post-war, case fic, eight year, everyone lives, nobody lives, canon compliant, non-canon-compliant, summer of love, a group of teenagers having to figure out what the hell is going on, and a DEEP study on how much it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. One of my all-time favorites, and one that you NEED to read asap.

7. What We Pretend We Can’t See - @gyzym​ : Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

This fic is a Drarry classic for a reason. It has the most PERFECT characterizations I have ever, ever read. Draco is snarky and funny and dramatic and just a bit crazy, and Harry is noble and good and they’re both so complex, so lovely it makes my heart ache. In this story, there’s a case involving Draco that Harry is trying to decipher, and in trying to do so, they grow together. The way they are in this one feels like such a natural development, considering everything we know about them in canon, and the way their relationship develops is natural and amazing and I DREAM of the day I have the time to sit down and give this a very thorough reread. It decomposes and rebuilds each of their personalities and it feels so human and so real. A thing of beauty. 

8. Malfoy’s Anatomy - @novareblogs : Healer interns are nothing short of a bunch of little children running around with wands and severed limbs, having inappropriate sex in inappropriate places. What’s the worst that could happen, really?

Here’s something about me: I’m a medical student, and very partial towards Healer stories. It is a trope I actively seek, and out of all the fics that I’ve read that include it, this one paints the REALEST environments I have ever seen. I was cackling all the way through, the relationship between higher-ups and med graduates, how students tail the surgeons (and give them nicknames), having to find a place where you and your friends can study until four am, when you inevitably fall asleep against each other. It is literally what studying medicine is like. And not only is this fic hilarious, it also has a very fresh take on the characterizations. I had never seen Harry like this, and his relationship with his (very much alive) parents feels very real. The way he and Draco slowly come together as they uncover secrets about each other’s pasts is wonderful, and the medical consent that’s handled throughout the story is very well done. A very good read that I didn’t expect to find, yet surprised me in all the right ways.

9. Humbug (A Christmas Tale) - Snegurochka : Draco has been taking his casual relationship with Harry for granted. Visits from four key ghosts the night before Christmas just might shake up his priorities in life.

A beautiful retelling of A Christmas Carol, with delicious pining and gorgeous characterizations. I always do love stories of fuckbuddies who are definitely so much more, but pretend they’re not. That, plus a wonderful redemption arc for Draco? I was sold. This story made me feel butterflies and tear up at times, and I love it very, very much. An excellent fic to read this time of the year. 

10. Away Childish Things - @letteredlettered​ : Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

God. There is so much to say about this story. It’s beautiful, in every sense of the word, breathtaking. Lettered has such a way with words, I felt like I was right there next to Harry and Draco, like I was them, feeling everything they felt. It is incredibly powerful. It made me feel angry, empty, lost and sad and it made me feel excited and elated and hopeful. It made me understand things about myself as the characters discovered things about themselves. This story might be one of the absolute best things I have ever read, in and outside of fandom, and it’s such a thorough exploration of each of the characters that it feels inevitable, it feels like, no matter what the epilogue says, this is what actually happened to them. I cried, I cried so many times from both sadness and happiness. There are simply no words to explain how gorgeous it is. I am immensely grateful to have read it. 

Thank you to all who read my lists, and thank you thank you thank you if you decide to give these works and these authors a chance, because they deserve all the love in the world. All the way from here, behind a username and a few tumblr posts, I can honestly say that these 30 stories made my year. I hope they can make yours, too ❤️ If you ever want to discuss these (or any story really) my DM’s are always open. Happy New Year!

#drarry #drarry fic #drarry fanfic #drarry fic rec #drarry fic recs #ficrec #2018rec #draco malfoy #harry potter #drarry rec list

[meggannn]

10, 11, 12, 14 for the fanfic ask~ !

10. Favorite trope/element/scenario in fic?

partnerships are really my ultimate kink. I think my favorite type of “scenario” though is a bit of a combination of angst, emotional helplessness, and snark/dark comedy elements. particularly if one – or if it’s a pairing, two – characters against the world or facing otherwise impossible odds (almost always suffering from difficult emotional issues if they’ve been fighting it for a while), just taking a minute to have a break, find solace in the friendships they’ve built, have a heady moment of pining between them and their LI as they reaffirm their commitment to each other but then still just can’t bring themselves to say the words, and then throw themselves back into the fight.

11. Least favorite trope/element/scenario?

I’m not really a fan of alpha/beta/omega stuff, or werewolves, vampires… what’s that other one uhh. zombies either. also I guess high school or coffee shop AUs can sometimes be cute but I haven’t really ever won that’s captured me. the only exception I have ever made was this one cute James/Lily coffee shop AU, and something I never though I’d see, an incredible Shakarian coffee shop/bakery AU that could only have been the work of the incredible @damalur​

12. What turns you away the most from a fic?

I don’t know if there’s one particular trope that’ll turn me off, in general I tend to judge a fic straight-up by its writing no matter the plot or premise. I don’t mean that in a snobby way, but I can usually just tell whether an author’s style or formatting will agree me with me very quickly. I open a lot of stuff to check out but if I find myself skimming, I usually take that as a sign I won’t enjoy it.

I think what turns me away most of all is, and this is gonna sound weird, but… simplifying relationships or characterizations? I’m not sure how else to say that. but I feel like I can tell when a writer spends a lot of time working with a story trying to work through all of the valid layers and angles of a scene to find the one that’s right for the moment, and doesn’t just rely on the fandom’s stereotypes or one-note characterizations. like, it’s the difference between a writer who portrays Harry’s relationship with Dumbledore as entirely hero-worship or straight-out bitterness, versus a writer who understands Harry wholeheartedly felt extremities of both during all the years he knew him (and for would likely still be colored by those complex feelings in the future). that is, putting aside whether or not Dumbledore did was “right” (I personally think it wasn’t), Harry-The-Person is a complex character who may not agree with my view on things, and if I want to do Harry justice, I should respect that.

related, but I feel like I can also tell when ta writer uses the protagonist as a flat-out mouthpiece for their own views (sometimes this works, but in my experience most of the time it doesn’t) and that can be kind of off-putting. like for example their feelings (in DA2) on Anders or Fenris, or (in ME) their feelings on Ashley or Kaidan. even if I don’t particularly like a character – I don’t particularly like Udina or Meredith, for example – I still want to see them “respected” in the fic insofar as letting them move about the story and affect the plot without unnecessary obstruction from the MC (or characters who wouldn’t normally hate them, suddenly hating them). I hope that made sense.

14. What tropes/elements/scenarios get you the worst?

pining and slow burn is everyone’s kryptonite and I’m no exception, but some others that I love are faked or presumed dead especially when both characters are still pining (aren’t I lucky that both Hawke and Shepard canonically get to be a part of this one???). amnesia can also be great but I’m rather touchy about this one because reading fics that are sensitive to amnesia – and acknowledge that the person who’s suffering from it post-accident is not necessarily the same person pre-accident, and may never be again – while also not fetishizing or making light of it, I guess I’m just a little sensitive about that one. but when it’s done right, it’s so good.

fanfic ask meme

#writing #likeabirdinflight #askbox