#the drarry is so real. i can't even.

[teledild0nix]

what are thee best drarry fics to read in this day and age? I've not read any for a few years and I don't know what's good 🤔

what an incredibly flattering question! i do not know what your tastes run to, but here are a few of my recentish favorites in no particular order. i think these are all m or e, as that tends to be what i go for. they're also properly adults, well out of hogwarts, and the stories are sort of mid length, over 10K, under 100K. make sure you read the tags!

Necro-romance by @thehoneybeet coming in hot!!!! i feel like this is a very very profoundly drarry story. we are fucked up in some of the same ways so let's do weird sex about it. dark, weird, very tender. incredible atmosphere. loved it!!!

In Every Universe by @skeptiquewrites this is like an AU hopping fic where draco is on the run for Reasons, and harry is chasing him. not with state violence in his heart. please come home. EXQUISITE worldbuilding, one of my favorite things about Tee's fics. This fic is so fun and there are also some really heartwrenching moments that i won't even come close to spoiling. god i love it it's so fucking good

Anatomy of a Wolf Heart this fic is orphaned but i actually do know the author very well (and love him with all my heart). this is an amazing draco. he's dealing with some significant trauma on top of what he went through in canon. all i'm gonna say is werewolf draco cinematic universe my beloved. i love this harry, too. compulsively doing the right thing even as it fucks his whole life up. yum.

Home Truths another @skeptiquewrites fic bc Tee's writing got me WEAK. i rlly love the ensemble here!!! harry and draco are both amazing characters whom i adore, but they are also surrounded by other characters who feel so real and so lived in. wonderful worldbuilding as per usual w this author. and. harry is a pro athlete at the peak of his career so uh. he do be inhabiting his physical form. it's sexy okay. damn. Tee has a talent for capturing Draco's drama and prissiness without making him feel like a caricature. i found this story genuinely inspiring for lots of reasons, and i can't say enough good things about it.

Preserving Lemons by @saintgarbanzo (this one is locked to the archive, so you'll need to be logged in to read it) god i love this story!!! food as a love language? gender magic? fucking YES PLEASE. it's nice to see them get out of the typical Stately Homes backdrop (i enjoy that too, but. well i'm not going to go off on a tangent about it now. variety is the spice of life!). lots of sensuality here and a heaping dollop of straight up fucking. i just love this depiction of them. i love draco's offers of vulnerability and harry's diving in face first. LOVE.

A Gift of True Esteem by ME! i am big enough to acknowledge that i write fucking good fic okay!!! hogwarts professors, chronic illness, historiography, gratuitous use of patronuses, fun world building in general. harry has been self-isolating a little bit. burying himself in his work. he has to let himself feel things again. joy, love, pleasure. draco makes him want to.

Names for a House this is also by me bc it's my fuckn list and i do what i want!!! harry is raising teddy lupin after andromeda gets sick (don't worry i do not kill off any old ladies in this fic). harry is also the wizarding world's first novelist. teddy lupin is a budding werewolf about to go off to hogwarts, and harry is not sure how to do right by him. FORTUNATELY harry's erstwhile nemesis and current cursebreaker is also a werewolf and teddy's cousin, and he's more than willing to help out.

#drarry fic rec #apliddell #my mutuals are very talented #it's so cool to like. spend time around people whose art you enjoy #it's like. inspiring!!!

[thedrarrylibrarian]

hello! thanks for doing this and feel free to ignore this if you can’t think of any but I’ve been looking for some good drarry fics with the timeloop trope? it just struck me that I haven’t read any drarry ones which is very off-brand for me

Hello! Your holds have arrived!

"Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today!" A timeloop scenario is a nightmare, but oh so fun to read! I think you'll enjoy the list I've put together for you!

Timeloop

Stuck In Time by mfish (318 words, rated G)

Harry's stuck in a time loop. With no hope in sight.

Time After Time by @goldenzingy46butwriteblr (1,014 words, rated G)

Harry makes a mistake, and he sees Draco die. Time changes. Harry makes a mistake, and he sees Ron die. Time changes. Harry makes a mistake, and he sees Hermione die. Time changes. Harry--

Woke Up this Morning by @myrtlefics (10,553 words, rated T)

The party was swirling on the other side of the door. Harry opened his eyes, looked at his reflection in Luna’s bathroom mirror, and said as calmly as he could, “What the fuck.”

Harry Potter keeps dying. And dying. And dying again, and Draco Malfoy is sharing his death loop.

all in good time by saltwatergarden (13,054 words, rated M)

Draco Malfoy's life is boring and repetitive. He supposes he shouldn't complain, since that's better than sharing a house with Voldemort, or doing time in Azkaban.

When he gets trapped in a time loop, however, he is forced to confront the routine he has fixed for himself, and try to break out of it. It isn't all bad, facing no consequences for his actions can be fun for a bit. But after he starts visiting the Auror Headquarters and having brief but remarkably pleasant conversations with one Auror Potter, he finally has the real motivation to break out of the time loop - something worth sticking around for.

Boats, but Not the Ocean by @p1013 (15,551 words, rated E)

If Draco ever gets his hands on this Bill Murray character, he's going to kill him.

Palm Springs by @kittycargo (20,134 words, rated M)

Harry collapsed into the chair next to him. “What is happening?”

“One of those infinite time loop situations.”

“What?!”

“You know. Yesterday is today. Today is today, tomorrow is today.”

“But how do I stop it? I don’t want tomorrow to be today. I want tomorrow to be tomorrow!”

“Yeah, that’s understandable.” Malfoy said calmly. “Do you like tacos?”

The Inconveient Death(s) of Harry Potter by @nv-md (33,105 words, rated E)

Harry and Draco have spent the decade since the War avoiding each other, even as they’re forced to work together at the Ministry and their friend groups begin to alarmingly overlap. But what happens when Harry meets a tragic end (in a manner of speaking) and Draco’s the only one who can save him?

Or Harry won’t stop dying, Draco’s had too much coffee, and there’s more than enough time for them to make a mess of each other’s lives.

The Day Before the Wedding by @kbrick (39,419 words, rated E)

Harry's getting married to Ginny tomorrow. The problem is that he can't seem to get beyond today.

Time and Again by @manixzen (68,953 words, rated E)

Harry's absolutely sure it's Malfoy's fault that they are stuck reliving the same day over and over.

Harry is good at his job. He's professional, has an excellent closure rate, and is a well-respected Auror. Malfoy's the unprofessional one with his snark and his judgemental eyebrows and his far too-posh-for-work robes. If Malfoy could have managed to refrain from being a pain in the arse, everything would have been just fine. They wouldn’t have gotten in yet another argument, Harry wouldn’t have been distracted, and Harry certainly wouldn’t have accidentally set off a powerful artifact at their crime scene.

And if Malfoy would just get out of his way now, Harry's sure he can quickly fix this so they can get back to their comfortable professional dislike of one another.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop (70,045 words, rated E)

It's Potter's fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It's been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco's getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he's falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?

Cut From the Sky by @mallstars (150,287 words, rated E)

"I'm stuck in a time loop, reliving November 2nd. This is the 111th time I've lived through today."

Draco stilled. His moody eyes, the tension in his hands where he gripped onto his umbrella, the careful mask of blankness flickering over his face — everything about him was so difficult and so very dear to Harry.

"Ah," said Draco, "and?"

❤️ As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ❤️

Lots of Love and Happy Reading!

#drarry fic recs #drarry fic rec list #drarry fics #drarry fanfic rec list #drarry #thedrarrylibrarian #the drarry librarian #rec list #fanfic rec list #drarry recs #lots of love and happy reading #harry potter #draco malfoy #harry potter/draco malfoy #draco malfoy/harry potter #harry potter x draco malfoy #draco malfoy x harry potter #harry x draco #draco x harry #harry/draco #draco/harry #timeloop

[tackytigerfic]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💛

Dearest Danni! Thank you so much for the tag. I can't believe you managed to narrow down to five out of your 100 works, and of course as a rarepair queen you have such an impressive range of ships! I meanwhile am such a monoshipper that all my choices are Drarry. I'm basing my choices on a variety of reasons, mainly which ones I think are best written, which ones I would like to read if I hadn't written them, and also which ones I just am fond of for no real reason. I also feel like I did this game before and I suspect my choices haven't changed hugely—I am nothing if not consistent—though for the purposes of this I have chosen to select fics that I feel have a narrative arc rather than including some of my microfics/drabbles which are meant to be fleeting snippets or a scene of Just Vibes.

🚪In the Hallway - I dithered between this one and Hand on the Key (is that cheating?) because they both have ensembles vibes I like, but Hallway won because of the visual of Draco sitting on the sofa with no top on eating a Pot Noodle and dripping the liquid on himself. That's it, that's the reason.

👶The Long Fall - this will be an eternal favourite of mine because it's exactly the mpreg fic I wanted to write. Draco worrying over everything, courting Harry with weird gifts, Petunia's funeral, Harry's loneliness in the aftermath of the new baby's arrival... all these things that feel quite specific to the fic but have a lot of me in there.

🌵Between the Power Lines - umm I like this one because i think it's very cleanly written. Or as clean as I get anyway. I love that they get to put aside their animosity so easily through simply being strangers in a strange land together. I love road trip fics. I like the hint of smut. I like the way there feels like a resolution even though really things are only beginning.

⚔️Our Little Life - this is my most romantic fic, imo. I've always been a sucker for history and I stuck all my favourite periods in here. The medieval armour, the Roman fashions in Ancient Britain, the WW1 scene, the Dorothy Sayers reference (Wimsey's proposal, peak romance!!)... and the messiness of Harry and Draco in the "real" universe of the fic in counterpoint to all this. Though really did I write the whole thing just to have Draco speaking Latin during a blowjob? Maybe.

🚿Modern Love - hit all the notes I wanted it to hit, took on the Draco in the Muggle world trope that I've always loved and wanted to try my hand at, my first proper go at writing OCs, my first time drafting and editing something that felt like a proper longform work. This is very much the fic I wanted to write, and it was also very easy to write, which might be why I'm so fond of it! But I have reread this more than once (not something I normally do) and even though my tastes may change, and my style may change, I am still happy with this fic just as it is and that is a very nice thing to be able to say.

#next step send this ask to people #but in the meantime consider yourself tagged #if you would like to do this #drarry #drarry fic #top five #five favourite fics #rowing recs

[highonincense]

One thing I absolutely despise in drarry fics —and by this I mean a specific subset, not like in general cause there are many amazing fics— is the characterization of harry (and draco), the way he's an absolute fucking doormat!!!! I get it y'all are tryna portray him as a social dimwit, it can be done in a normal way without making him seem like a piece of cardboard! Are we talking about the same dude here?? You don't actually have to completely demolish a character, take away their key traits just to make the other half of the ship look better.

Let me give a pointwise description:

1. Dude stutters after every bloody sentence, like he's so overwhelmed talking to draco "smirking, smooth as butter, sardonic, sleek, godly" Malfoy who keeps insulting him every fucking second. Do you really think that harry would entertain that bullshit, especially in post-war fics!!! Like he'd just take it and not put him in his place?

2. I read this fic long ago and I don't remember the name, but good god it was unbearable. Basically the golden trio apologizes to draco for his tragic life that they were responsible for after the war? Like wtf? Why is there even a need to do that? 😭 That was too much and I stopped midway

3. Again, draco "3 OWLs" Malfoy, some supersmart / second coming of tom riddle, keeps patronizing every action of harry, the amount of times harry's intelligence is insulted? Immediate no from me, like are we still doing the whole "harry dumb mf potter is unobservant, slow, stupid, can't function without some rat hissing in his ear that he's an idiot 24/7"? Don't you think it's lame?

4. Harry has to always put up with his shitty attitude, I am all for character development, I know characters are multi dimensional and complex, and showing draco having a difficult personality is well and good, but it starts to get annoying when there's no real growth in him. I've read fics where he's absolutely despicable until the end which is covered up as him being a dickhead in general and harry "fondly" keeps up with his shit. *gag* canon harry would NEVER

5. I think it genuinely wouldn't make a difference if harry was there or not, I am not kidding or being dramatic, those fics might as well be character × y/n fics

All of this leads me to hate draco's character more! You portray him as this insufferable bastard who has a heart of gold apparently (where?) who has no real growth, shows no humility or regret or even pretends to and you think harry will put up with that?

It would be interesting if he starts out that way, works on himself and grows and changes, that would be more tolerable and interesting!

But no, he's always this annoying guy who hurls insults, keeps mocking harry or his friends every other line, you might argue it's in his character, but aren't those the traits which make him unlikeable? like those aren't cute or quirky? wouldn't it make more sense to show him grow out of it? It's really annoying

And harry, let's not go there, he's a completely new character, might as well be an oc atp, you can't even compare him to canon harry, that's how bad it is! I still haven't completely discussed it cause it's already getting long, but he's this wet bloody blanket and I can't stand it, the gryffs (except Hermione) in general are shown as some bumbling buffoons who can't differentiate between their hand and foot!! And the slytherins are all savvy, masterminds, geniuses... I really don't know whether it's admirable cause it's weird seeing them pushed into these moulds where they can only behave a certain way!

I'm so tired this is still going on like?? Why are their characters such caricatures? All of this sounds like it may have been a thing of past, but I am appalled it's still happening!!!

This is not directed at all drarry fics out there, cause there are some gorgeous fics written by amazing authors who fucking get these characters and make it about them, about their relationship and explore it in a depth and nail their characterizations without making either one of them boring. There are a good number of fics that I actually enjoy cause of the way they write drarry's characters, which makes or breaks the fic imho

#drarry #harry james potter #draco malfoy #harry potter #rant sesh #draco lucius malfoy #anti drarry? #anti drarry #wizard #wizarding world #hjp

[saxamophone]

wip snip

Thanks to @academicdisasterfic for tagging me in their laugh-out-loud-i'm-deceased wip snip (Bottoms x Drarry, swoon).

I'm in the middle of three things right now. There's The Big Thing (wip snip below, you can skip the rest of this paragraph if you want) that I needed a break from. I'm at the dreaded halfway point were plot lines need to start actually making sense, and wanted to clear the cobwebs by writing some fun little side fics. Under 5k. Sexy. Easy. Next thing I know, I'm 10k deep in a Dreville fic about them falling in love and a Drarry hookup piece that somehow has me researching the cult of Apollo, Ezekiel's descriptions of angels, the Green Man, and Beltane rituals. Like, can't everyone just f**k in peace?

Anyway, The Big Thing is a Wolfstar fic ---Aftermath of October 31, 1981, Remus gets Harry and, whoops, Regulus is alive and supposed to help him. They hate each other, but maybe they can get along well enough to break Sirius out of prison. Maybe.

Also f**k Dumbledore.

Opening bit:

“No.” Remus tries to close the door.  “Remus,” he says kindly, and it’s almost more than he can bear.  “Go away,” Remus grits out, pushing the door, and it won’t close. It won’t budge, and Dumbledore isn’t even holding it open on his side of the jamb. He didn’t say a spell either, the fucker, and the door is stuck open, unmoving, and nothing Remus does will change it unless Dumbledore wants it to change.  He realises in this moment that the door is a metaphor for his whole miserable life, stuck where Albus Dumbledore decides, but he can’t address that right now. It’s too much to contemplate after everything else, so he decides the least he can do is close the fucking door.  Remus throws his shoulder into it. He’s always strong, but his strength will increase as the frost moon approaches. His tall, lanky build belies the monster beneath.    “Remus,” Dumbledore says again quietly.  Remus ignores him and throws his shoulder into the door. The fucking door that won’t fucking close. He slams his shoulder into it so hard the frame rattles, grunting at the blow.  “Go away,” he growls. He feels it, the wolf inside. Always lurking but more insistent now. Since everything. “Go away!” Remus shouts and smashes into the door, almost splitting it. It hurts, but it feels good, too.  The damaged door still doesn’t move, and Remus is properly angry now. He’s been numb for days, ever since he found out…ever since…he squeezes his eyes closed and tries to shut out the memory of finding out about James and Lily and Peter. And— “No!” he bellows, and he’s about to give the door one great shove when, suddenly, he’s yanked back as if an invisible rope is attached to his spine. He scrabbles for purchase, trying to grab hold of the hall table or the reception archway. He can’t get a hand on anything before he finds himself deposited on a sagging floral sofa, sitting upright but unable to move, arms pinned to his sides.  Dumbledore glides into the room after him, and Remus can hear the front door close with an offensive little click. He tries to wriggle out of whatever invisible binds he’s in and can’t. His wand is in his back pocket, useless.  He scowls as Dumbledore sits in a chair across from him, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. His blue eyes are red-rimmed behind his half-moon glasses, and he’s wearing a Muggle suit—brown plaid print and a bit shabby, a bit too large on Dumbledore’s thin frame. And that’s when it hits Remus—All of this is true. It’s not some nightmare he’s lived in for the last five days like he keeps hoping.

Five days. He’s been cooped up here in Milton Keynes, waiting for five fucking days. His arrival triggered the mora protocol when he opened the door. The protocol that meant they were compromised and to stay put. Don’t move. The Order will be in touch. And finally, after five days, Frank Longbottom showed up, his big eyes sad, and his voice low. He’d told Remus what had happened, and it didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be real. It was all a big mistake. Someone had made a mistake.  But he’s immobile on an ugly floral sofa, and he knows. It’s all real, and it happened, and it’s still happening, and Albus Dumbledore is wearing a brown plaid Muggle suit, and Remus’s life as he knows it is over. 

Tagging @geesenoises @citrusses @tackytigerfic @arminaa8 @maesterchill @romaine2424 @skeptiquex if you have anything you'd like to share! No pressure!

#drarry #harry potter #draco malfoy #drarry fic #wolfstar

[drarryshipperandsnover]

Hello everyone, I am ellie. I am new to tumblr and HP fandom. I completed the movies and slowly progressing with books (as fast as my law school allows). I am 21+ and I want my partner to be of same.

I ship drarry and I am looking for some drarry role plays. I type semi lit (can't type much due to median nerve compression so my replies tend to be on shorter side) though I am okay with whatever length you want to type.

I can rp on email, tumblr and discord.

I am okay with anything except gore, infidelity among ship, too much angst fight among ship. I am okay with nsfw, though need to discuss about the details beforehand. Since, I am very pro snape and love him so I won't tolerate any Snape bashing in rp.

I prefer to play Draco but I am open to try Harry too.

Since, I am new to rp so please be considerate and if you want to rp, drop a message. You can even like the post and I will text.

If there is any issue from my side, I would prefer to talk and sort it out. I understand that there is real life so reply speed is not a concern but if you are going to be off for more than a month then please try to let me know. Also, if at any point you feel like you want to discontinue rping with me. Just let me know, I will understand. Please just don't ghost me.

Thank you

Request :

I really appreciate all those who are trying to help my post get reach by liking it. But I would request you not to like the post if you are not interested in rp. Since, I already mentioned for people interested in rp to like the post and I will reach out to them. Actually it's very awkward for me to reach out people and then I get to know they wanted to help me. I really appreciate your help but the entire thing turns out to be awkward for my socially anxious self. So, please don't like the post if you aren't interested in rp. I request you. Also, I am sorry if I sound rude or I hurt anyone. That's not my intention.

#drarry #harry potter #draco malfoy #roleplay #new rp #request #drarry rp #draco x harry #Draco Malfoy × Harry Potter

[sassy-cissa]

20 questions for fic writers!

I wasn’t tagged *sad face* but decided to do this anyway. Even if no one reads, I’ll have a record.

Here are mine! (under the cut)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 111 works right now. (mostly fics and some poorly done art)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

768,637

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Harry Potter!! Mostly Drarry and a couple Snape/Hermione

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

We Found Love Right Where We Are (mpreg)

The One Where Draco Loses his Mind and Gains a Boyfriend

There's No Espresso in Azkaban

Into My Heart

Regardless of desire, life hands you who you are

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I really try to, but especially when it's a fest fic I feel like I keep saying the same things over and over. Sometimes I try to go back – but truly I suck at responding.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? There are two: First: All you left me (are the whispers in the wind)  and also Then the Tears Fall  Both are MCD…so yeah

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Except for those two I'm all about the happy ending. I guess the endings I like the best are Every Hour Has Led to This and The White Dragon

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Only once. I took some real shit on a fic I wrote over 10 years ago.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Personally, I think I'm an abysmal smut writer. And it's only if a fic if I feel it works. Outside of a few things, I generally don't add smut for the sake of the rating.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Nope

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

There's No Espresso in Azkaban into Korean - HERE and into German HERE

The Toad's Hollow School into

German: HERE and into Spanish: HERE

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes – a few times. I co-wrote with  @timothysboxers, and a little ficlet with @lettersbyelise and @maesterchilland. I've also done one with oldenuf2nb.  I'm always up for a collab.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Drarry – hands down. Once I found the pairing there was no turning back.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

A couple. One I'm working on (sort of) and the other continues to lie dormant from 2012. If I do ever pick it up again, I'll have to really almost start over. I think my style has changed since then.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I do okay at dialogue and plot. But honestly I'm a much better continuity beta (for everyone but myself)

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Being overly detailed. I must keep telling myself every minute of every day does not have to be accounted for. It's my nit-picky nature that often tires me out and why things go unfinished.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I don't do it much. Lord knows I have enough trouble with English. On one hand it frustrates me, since I don't know what it says and if they add the translation – it distracts me. On the other hand, it's generally not enough for me to hit the back button.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter. First and only!

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Really…I can't pick one. The two I mentioned above for their endings come to mind. Is it cocky to say if I posted it – I actually liked it? But the one I'm most proud of was my Big Bang fic - Every Hour has Led to This.

No tags, but feel free to do it if you're of a mind.

#tag game #writer asks #writer tag game #drarry #drarry fic #sassy_cissa

[kbrick]

What do you think about the Draco haters? Personally I don't get them. I don't get how you can feel hatred for a child who was raised by fucked up people and then had to do awful things that he obviously hated to survive and keep his family safe too. All as a minor. Where has all the empathy gone? It's like they think they're talking about a hardened criminal lol. Why are people like this?

Okay, I'll be honest with you, nonny, I'm of two minds about this.

The thing that I feel in my gut when I see this sentiment out in the wild is irritation and maybe a little flare of anger. Because I love Draco. He's my favorite. I empathize with Draco, with what he went through in canon, and I also associate him with the thousand redemption character arcs I've read about him at this point. Have I argued with people on reddit over whether Draco should have been sentenced to life in Azkaban? Yes, I have. Am I proud of that? No, I am not. Looking back, it kinda makes me feel like an idiot.

I try to remind myself of two things when I feel this way. One, Draco is a character, not a real person, and we're talking about literature, not real life, and so it's really not that serious (please note - this is not usually effective in talking myself down off the ledge, but it ought to be mentioned).

And two, I used to hate (well, maybe strongly dislike) Draco.

I came to the fandom late (as a full-fledged adult!), but in my younger years, I was a big HP fan. I had all the books on a bookshelf in my room, I had a poster, I had pencils with big erasers on the end in the shape of the house mascots. I had my favorite Harry Potter mug (which just recently met an ignoble end on my kitchen floor, RIP favorite mug - and now I can't buy a replacement because I no longer buy HP merch because JKR is such a terrible human being and I refuse to support her...but I digress!).

And let's be honest: Draco Malfoy is a complete asshat in the books. He's the villain. He's petty, he's mean, he's arrogant with nothing at all to back it up. He says horrible things to Hermione, who was my very favorite character back when I read the series. And I was young enough to accept characters at face value back then, so yeah, I kind of hated Draco. I wasn't ranting about him online or anything, but if somebody would have asked me what I thought of him, I'd have probably blown a raspberry and given them a thumbs down.

It wasn't until the later books (Half-Blood Prince, specifically), that I began to neutralize on my view of Draco. Even back then, I felt bad for him in that bathroom scene. But it wasn't until I started reading Drarry (as an adult) that I looked back at Draco as a character and realized what a fucking delight he actually was (not in the sense that he was 'good' or whatever, but he was an excellent foil for Harry and was incredibly entertaining).

And part of this is maturity, I think. As a full-fledged adult, I no longer take characters at face value. I no longer think- oh, this character is being mean to the good guy, therefore they are a bad guy and I hate them. Instead, I think - wow, something is going on with this character, to make them act this way. They're so desperate for attention, or they're so insecure, or they were hurt so badly when xyz happened that they're lashing out. I look for the WHYS in characters. And Draco has a lot of whys, especially in fanon, and so it has become easy to empathize with him and like him.

Another part of it is that I have become a writer, and I appreciate complicated, compelling characters, and I'm no longer interested in Mary Sue good guys who are always noble and do everything right. Because let's be honest: people are not that way. We shouldn't write them that way. That's not truth, and I want to read and write truth.

But for readers who do not value characters beyond the hero, or who have chosen not to look more closely at character whys, Draco is a bad guy. He's not insecure; he's arrogant. It's not hurt feelings; it's a mean streak. And to be frank, I think JKR herself viewed Draco in this way (for the most part). Yes, she gave him some depth towards the end of the books, but I honestly think that was due to pressure from fans who wanted a redemption arc for Draco (and really, it's a half-assed redemption arc at best). I think JKR is a mostly black-and-white thinker, and I think she wrote a mostly black-and-white series. Harry and his friends are good, Draco and his friends are bad. Voldemort is evil. The end.

So I suppose what I'm saying is that I understand why people don't like Draco as a character. I think it suggests a bit of closed-mindedness on their parts, and maybe a lack of empathy, and that they're horribly boring irl (ha, had to get that dig in there). But the truth is that people are allowed to feel how they want to feel about characters. I'm not the interpretation police.

Does that mean I no longer get fired up when somebody on reddit says Draco should've been sentenced to life in Azkaban? Nope, I'm not that mature, come on. Will I continue arguing with them about it? I hope I'm beyond that, but we'll see. Do I still love Draco with all my heart? I do, and so you know what? I'm going to keep writing about him and enjoying him.

That's about all I have to say about that. Which was a LOT, actually. Who knew?

Thanks for the ask, nonny :) It was an interesting one.

#drarry #ask #my answer is way too long #Draco Malfoy #villains #bad guys #character analysis

[theroundbartable]

Who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Feel free if you want to write the reasons or not of why you love them...

Haha XD ships aren't fun if they are canon, are they? xD

To me, anyway. I love getting together stories with loads of pining. And I prefer it if it could possibly align with canon. If a ship turns canon... it kinda ruins the purpse. Because... It's already a thing. It's fixed. I dunno, maybe I'm just not imaginative enough XD

Funnily enough, I'm often right about which ships turn canon XD

1. Merthur (BBC Merlin)

I have to say that, don't I XD

2. Mergwenthur (BBC Merlin)

I ship them in all variations.

3. Klance

A 3 year obsession. XD i'm half glad they didn't become canon and I am soooo frustrated too. Also, I think Allurance wasn't done Justice. It felt very one sided and that makes me sad for that boat. They could have gotten better and they should have.

4. Drarry (Harry Potter)

*Sighs frustratedly* you know? I am fine with them not being canon, but it should have been addressed! It made sense, even if it was unresolved/unrequited, whatever. nothing would have had to change!!!! On the same note: Wolfstar. But that one is a bit out of my interest zone

Gajevy (Fairy tail)

My first real shipping experience. And I loved their story arc. Especially Gajeel grew so much and it's the one time I think a bully actually deserved to be forgiven. He really worked on himself to do right by his friends.

Zosan (One Piece)

I ship this for the shits and giggles XD

Lumity (The owl house)

Luz and Amity are just so cute together and I love them and it's only downside is that it's already canon :( the show moved too quickly. Had to... But still

Ineffable husbands (good omens)

Do I need to say more?

Morgwen

The reason I put this so late is that I can't imagine them having Problems? I dunno. Perfect fit, no fallouts. it's all hearts and flowers and not leading me into a hellhole of pining idiots. Cause they are smart. It's difficult

Venom x Eddie Brock (Venom)

Vor reasons unknown to me... I like it. It's the one ship where allo aces and monsterfuckers Shake hands and it's wild. Love it. XD

This is what I've got so far. At least they are living in my head rent free. I think there is a theme in the characters I ship romantically. I have some pure platonic ones too XD

Thank you for your question anon :)

#bbc merlin #faq #ask #answer

[basicallyahedgehog]

Hi!

This is going to seem random but I promise it’s about your writing!! I’m pretty new to realizing I’m Ace (like very new) and I’m struggling with coming to terms with it, and with being really afraid of being alone my whole life, and like actually really grieving thinking I was just a picky bisexual (until listening to other people talk about attraction and realizing that is not my experience). And just generally having a pretty hard time.

But I just wanted to tell you that your fic ‘A Little Bit of You’ was so good. Like the beginning part of Harry not understanding that he’s flirting but just very casually affectionate is literally my life. (A part of my life that I have found baffling because doesn’t everyone want to hold their friends’ hands or play with their friends’ hair??? How is that flirting???) I literally started crying when I read that, I felt so seen and validated. Also just like the very real fear of never being loved, of being alone forever, of always being simultaneously too much and not enough. It’s like you took my whole entire heart and put it into a fic. And then you handed my fears the hope that for someone, doing life together is enough; making food together, snuggling on the sofa, getting to travel and adventure 🥹🥹😭😭😭

Anyway. Please pardon my rambling. It’s just that I’ve been really afraid and sad lately, and for a couple of minutes it felt like maybe everything will be okay. Thanks for sharing your writing. 💕

Hi Nonnie.

First off, congratulations on discovering this part of yourself! I know it feels huge and scary but I'm so so happy that you know yourself a little bit better now.

I'm so, so, so glad that my fic helped you, even just a little bit. Fanfic - specifically drarry fanfic - is where I first came across asexuality as a concept, let alone realising that I'm ace. So this feels full circle in a really beautiful way. If you haven't already, I'd encourage you to check out the fics linked in these lists. So many of them were instrumental to me discovering, accepting and feeling comfortable in my own aceness, and any I've read more recently always feel like a warm, affirming hug.

Harry in this is fairly heavily based on my own experiences. The amount of times I've been accused of flirting - and also was apparently being flirted with! (Can we normalise physical affection between platonic friends? Please???).

I promise, that someday, everything will be okay. I can't tell you what that is going to look like, but I truly believe that one day you will look back on this time and smile knowing just how far you've come. Whether that future includes a partner or not, you will be happy and have fulfilling relationships. Because being ace does not take away our capacity to love or be loved - it just looks different.

I didn't know I was ace until more than four years into my marriage. I figured out my demiromanticism even later than that. But those two facts about me don't change the fact that I have a husband whom I love - in my own, Rowan way - and who buys me light up keyboards and makes sure I have enough blankets and huffs when I hog the sheets.

Anyway, this has been a ramble of my own! But thank you so so much for reading my little fic, and for reaching out (I will treasure your words forever). If you ever feel comfortable, my DMs are always open (to you, and to everyone else).

But more than anything, Nonnie, I want you to know that you are valid and loved exactly as you are.

#no matter who you are and how you identify you are loved and welcome here #that feeling of seeing yourself in a fic #asexuality #ace pride #acespec #asked and answered #lovely anons

[oflights]

drarry and breakfast!!! or just food in general, mealtimes at home, cooking, going to restaurants, etc 😌 been loving your ideas so far!! thank u

hello!! so sorry for the long wait for this, i overestimated how much brain energy i would have while traveling for work, haha.

breakfast!! food!!!

i do headcanon harry's relationship with food, and very specifically making food, to be super complex. the weasleys managed to reconfigure food as a love language for him, overriding some really formative toxicity (and that's ignoring the failures/inherent grossness of how canon approached making the dursleys into villains; fuck jkr's fatphobia for real). until the weasleys and hogwarts, food was about scarcity vs excess, about serving vs being served, and i think it takes a long time to unspool all of that.

i think he holds having enough food as an ideal to strive for, even when he's food secure. it's hard for him to derive uncomplicated pleasure in preparing food (for himself, for other people) because it always feels indulgent.

and draco simply Cannot Relate. he's a picky eater! he indulges! he can't even fathom the binary harry is struggling to get past. if he cooks for himself (and i don't have a firm headcanon for whether he's good at it or not; i've imagined him as a chef [obvs] to totally helpless) that's about the ability to cater to his own taste and growing past childhood dependencies. if he cooks for other people, it's about a generosity of indulgence, wanting to share his own tastes.

so i think draco helps harry develop tastes, to deepen his appreciation for food while moving on from some of the guilt associated with it.

and i love imagining them working through this together over lovely, lazy breakfasts cooked together. doing it bit by bit on sunday mornings, half-dressed, eating out of the pan, halfway through a plate of food and it occurs to harry that "oh, we should've made some bacon, too" and draco's like "let's make bacon" so they go and do that. getting in each other's way, moving each other out of the way, swatting each other with hand towels and spatulas, "let's make bread" "idk how to make bread" "let's find out how to make bread", not putting the tomatoes on the plate if you don't really like them, just leave them off harry!!! where food is a love language because they're in love; "the world begins at a kitchen table" etc. etc.

#asks #moonmanateee #food #drarry headcanons #oflights headcanons #ask meme #honestly i thought about this soooo much for make this leap #picky eater draco with really finicky tastes and allergies and resentment about food just like barreling into a career of it to fix that #harry opening a restaurant thinking an idealized version of a happy normal life starts and ends around a table eating something good #but not really developing what that means for him #until draco helps him do that! #i love that version of them 🥰

[coline7373]

Thank you to @forloveofcodywan

Three ships: (Just three??!? I can't- well, I can, but - *sigh* alright, but it's under protest!) Codywan, Foxlan, WaxerBoil

First ship: Drarry (I was 18. You can't hold it against me)

Last song: Come and get your love (SW edit, great)

Last movie: The Creator (so good! The end... T_T)

Currently reading: Living Memory, My Fate To Follow (for the 5th or 6th times? Who's counting?)

Currently watching: the moon out of the window telling me it's very late

Currently consuming: fanfics, always

Currently craving: world peace & the end of global warming (I kid you not. Real anxiety. But its not going to happen within my lifetime so, more reasonnably, I would like to finish some of my WIPs, even if they don't look as good as they did in my head.)

No pressure to @orionisboundary @gun-roswell @insertmeaningfulusername @c-r-i-k-a

[dodgerkedavra]

I loved your Erised fic and am now dying to know the magical mystery behind Only for October! My ask is: how on earth are you this prolific - and prolifically good? (I have a Google Drive folder metaphorically stuffed with unfinished fics that did not make it to their intended fests)

*trembling constantly with dark shadows under my eyes* I wasn't given a choice.

I'm just kidding, kinda, LOL. I've been thinking about your questions and I want to answer them in a way that will be, like, satisfying to you, but also truthful? It probably comes as no surprise that I find this easier to do in fiction.

Okay. So. In the spirit of just answering. How do I write as much as I write? The literal answer is probably the same as everyone else's. Just, like, sitting down at the computer and doing it. I feel like the question behind this question is usually more along the lines of how did you come to be a person who could write this much?

And the answer—one of the answers?—is that when I was very young, I started writing stories, and people said I was good at it, and so I kept writing stories, and eventually came to understand that this was my One Singular Gift, and so I doubled down on it, tripled down on it, kept writing. If you want to write a lot, you write even more than that.

A decade ago I was very into running and eventually got to the point where I wanted to run a marathon, and a lot of the prevailing wisdom about running a marathon is that you train to 20 miles and hopefully your training carries you to 26.2. Personally, I think this is why a lot of people hit the wall at 20 miles, so during my time of marathons I would train to 22, 24, 25 miles.

It's kind of the same thing with writing. I've trained beyond this for a long time. Because, you know, it was my One True Thing. The way, the truth, the life. I write so much about Drarry for the love of the game, obviously, and also because I don't have anything else to give. I know there's no requirement for me to give anything in exchange for being here, but for Reasons, I have that requirement for myself. I'm under an interdiction, of course. (Heal Thyself by Astolat joke that turned out more real than I thought)

Also, thank you for saying that my writing is good. I appreciate that so much!! I suspect that it's along the lines of a self-fulfilling prophecy. I can't imagine that I was actually good at writing when I was six, or even when I was sixteen, or even when I was twenty-six, perhaps not even now, but writing was and remains My Gift. And at some point, I realized the Gift (was it a gift, or was it just something people said? Does it matter now?) couldn't carry me forever. I'd have to take the practice seriously. I'll always have to practice. Everything I post on AO3 is me, practicing.

There's this section in Heal Thyself (I love that fic so much) that I think of often:

"The deep intervention course knocked out more than half of the mediwizards who signed on for it. Most of them weren't prepared to practise spells a dozen times over, finding the precise positioning of wand and body to make the one-millimeter's difference between cure and disaster. But Draco found it almost ecstatically satisfying, flying downhill after a long slog up the mountain. He could almost have coasted, but instead he devoted his time to making his castings perfect, making them beautiful. Where before he would have practiced a spell a dozen times over just to get it right, now he tried a dozen deliberate variations, with spell fields all round him, measuring the minutely changed effects." Heal Thyself, Astolat

This is more than you wanted to know, probably, but I'm trying a dozen deliberate variations. Measuring the minutely changed effects. I can't tell how a piece will sing until people react to it. I can't give it away until it's done. I do find it almost ecstatically satisfying sometimes.

Looking back on this, it seems almost embarrassingly long, but I've written it out now, so! Thank you! For reading my stuff, and I'm glad you loved my fic :)

[tackytigerfic]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you so much for the tag @lettersbyelise. loved reading yours here!

How many works do you have on ao3?

63 under my tacky account and I think 2 under my brasstacks account.

2. what's your total ao3 word count?

On my tacky account: 358,302.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only HP so far (plus, inexplicably, one Witcher fic even though i wasn't even really into the show let alone in the fandom). I have an idea for a Steve x Eddie fic (stranger things) and an F1 fic (i don't know the fandom or the real life people at all but I am obsessed with the writing of @boxboxlewis and have, fatally, had An Idea for a galex fic as a result. pray for tacky, i can't afford another hyperfixation, the one i have is bad enough). but they will probably never get written, alas. i barely get my drarry stuff done!

4.. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I never check my stats - i don't have them blocked or anything, it just doesn't occur to me. I also think it's a really unhelpful way of judging the merits of a fic. Fandom is supposed to be fun, and a fic can be great in many different ways for many different people, and none of that can accurately be conveyed by how many hearts people leave. That said, I appreciate every reader i get so much - I never ever imagined people would read my fics so each person who does gets a whole lotta love from me. However for the purposes of this ask i did go into my stats section to have a look and here we go, it might be a surprising one as i suspect Modern Love is probably my most recced:

If It Takes All Night: quick oneshot i wrote for Lock Down Fest, forced bonding, quidditch buddies, friends to lovers.

A Lick and a Promise: My first long fic, a case fic involving an auror/unspeakable team who go undercover as Hogwarts professors to solve a crime at the school. oh and they also happen to be fuckbuddies already.

Modern Love: My own favourite, also my longest fic (so far, mwahaha). Muggle world Draco, depressed Harry learns to love himself and falls in love with Draco along the way.

Through the Window, Clear Skies: 1.4k of love story. so fond of this one as it's the first fic i wrote where i felt like i had finally clicked stylistically. it was the start of me learning to write in my own style rather than trying to emulate the fics i loved to read.

And One to Play: Gosh, i actually do not really remember what this is about. auror partners? Harry loves clothes in this one i remember. And it's about weather magic. I was so proud of this one when i wrote it and really learned a lot at the start of my fic writing journey.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Just like Elise, I would love to but I fell massively behind after Modern Love posted and never got my momentum back. I am currently about 3 years behind though i do try to reply whenever i can. i absolutely treasure comments and i really miss interacting with readers. at the moment it's a choice between writing new stuff and replying to comments. i also never ever mind when an author doesn't reply to my comments so i figure people will allow me the same grace.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Some people might say it's Last Offices as that's MCD, but my own choice would be The Quiver of a Heartstring because of the sheer hopelessness of it. Depends on your particular flavour of angst i think.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics are cheerful, I suppose Modern Love as there are two follow up fics so you get to see them happy in both of those, as well as in the epilogue?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not much that anyone tells me about! Someone did feature one of my fics (ironically, the one with most kudos) on some horrible mean-spirited blog about crap mary-sues, which was probably the most out-and-out horrid thing i've come across. i wasn't upset by it, but i did think it was a surprisingly shitty thing to do about anyone's fics! I also had someone leave me very very long comments on one of my fics asking me to explain why I made Harry so mean, and then went on reddit and posted some long posts about the same thing (naming the fics they had a problem with, including mine). bizarre! i have never had out and out hate comments, thankfully. just the usual WELL ACKSHULLY type "concrit" that really just means "i didn't like how you did this, so i'm going to let you know in detail about it". to which i say, off you fuck, buddy, and learn some self-awareness. and brush up on your grasp of fandom etiquette while you're at it.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes i do, not necessarily all the time and sometimes it's more M or T rated hints. I read fic for the romance and sex is part of that. and i write what i want to read.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

No i don't, though after chats with my resident F1 expert @sweet-s0rr0w I wondered about writing a racing AU where one of them crashes and ends up in a fiery inferno but walks out of it. only they've come back wrong.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of, i would absolutely hate that though.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

earlier fics yes, but now i ask that people not translate my fics. this is because if i need to delete all my works off AO3 at any point, i would prefer to have them all in one place to scrub them. i know it doesn't work like that but it's just one of those irrational worries i have and it gives me the illusion of control!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! Body Electric with @shealwaysreads which is a Drarry bodyswap. And Dreaming Skies with @sweet-s0rr0w which was the Dron dragon-tamer getting together fic of my dreams. love a collab, what a privilege to get to work with such talented people!

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Drarry absolutely 100% no questions asked. I've never had another ship and never will. my brain just isn't made that way. it's a pain but it is what it is.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

None, i have quite a few WIPs but I feel like I could go back to any of them at some point. I'd never say never on a fic tbh. if i started writing it, i had a reason. some WIPs i have from years back are: quidditch fic where Draco buys the team Harry plays for, Master of Death Harry fic where he is reckless after the war and Draco dies due to trying to keep up with him, and Harry has to go get him back... umm political fic about a corrupt Ministry where Dudley has a magical baby and Harry and Draco take the kiddo (and Dudley!) and go on the run. i probably have more that i've forgotten.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Not being disingenuous but it's harder for me to appreciate my strengths as I tend to be too immersed in my own writing to have any distance. I think maybe, going by what people have said, I am able to capture a mood? And i write love in a loving way.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

From my own perspective, my weaknesses are being too slow (it takes me ages to write anything), inability to focus for long, and not being a good plotter.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Yeah, I think that's fine! i'm not sure what this question refers to tbh 🤔😂 I mean, if it works in the story then it works. I have never done it myself other than in Our Little Life which is a multiverse fic where Harry gets visions of multiple other lives with Draco through space and time. In it they speak Middle English, Latin, Irish... i think that's all?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter. i actually wrote an angsty Draco x Ron oneshot YEARS ago (it was called Take This Longing and i went by perfidia back then and i can see the link on the wayback machine but the fic itself is lost sadly.. or actually that might be a good thing) but then I never wrote anything at all ever again until i started writing fic in 2019. i have never been in another fandom and i don't think i ever will. i don't know why i've imprinted so hard on these two idiots but here we are. I have also started writing original work in recent years, again not something i ever imagined doing but it's lovely and satisfying in different ways to the way fic writing is! so i feel very lucky tbh.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Probably Modern Love. It is exactly the fic i wanted it to be, and people who read it seem to get what I wanted to give. and you can't say fairer than that.

Tagging @blamebrampton @boxboxlewis @citrusses @epitomereally @maesterchill @mintawasalreadytaken @porcelainheart3 @shealwaysreads @skeptiquewrites @sweet-s0rr0w @teacup-tai if you fancy it! and anyone who wants to play.

#drarry #drarry fic #drarry writer #writer ask game

[lcdrarry]

15 June | LCDrarry Fic 2/2

You've Got Owl Post

Prompt: "You've Got Mail", 1998, Nora Ephron Prompted by: @ladderofyears Author: Anonymous Word Count: 50,407 words Rating: Mature Warnings: Questionable Use of Canon

Notes: If there has ever been a labor of love, it is this story. When I tell you everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, I am not exaggerating. But from the beginning, I knew I needed to write this story. On more than one occasion I didn't think I would get here but I managed to make it work at the very last second. The list of people I need to thank is long and winding and kind of irrelevant. The one I need to thank above everyone else is our fearless leader. You have been so patient with me two years in a row, and I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am to you. You have created one of my favorite places on the internet with our discord server and without you and the other members of the server I would not have made it. I hope everyone enjoys this story which has had several revisions, whole story ideas scrapped, and an embarrassing lack of sleep as I got it done. I am now going to go sleep for at least 8 months until I start planning to do this all again ;)

Summary: After discovering muggle romantic comedies during winter break, Pansy Parkinson and Luna Lovegood decide to launch an ambitious project called You've Got Owl Post which matches up students through an enchanted notebook so they can send letters to each other without knowing who is at the other end. It is an instant hit. Harry, without his friends knowing, is one of the first to join. And he rapidly finds a kindred soul on the other side of the pages. In real life, however, he is once again plagued by Draco Malfoy. After fighting in class, McGonagall has had enough. So, as punishment and a lesson, she assigns them the running of that years dueling club. Everyone, including Harry and Draco, assumes it will be a disaster. However, sometimes the people you think you know the best are the ones who can surprise you the most. A story of letters, bets, friendship, love, forgiveness, and discovering who you really are.

Read it now on AO3.

Please help promote the fest by sharing your favourite submissions, so more people can enjoy all the amazing new Drarry works of LCDrarry. Thank you!

Creator reveals are on 15 June.

#lcdrarry 2023 #lights camera drarry 2023 #lights camera drarry #lcdrarry #drarry #drarry squad #drarry fic #drarry fic rec #draco malfoy #harry potter #draco x harry #harry x draco #harry potter fanfic #drarry fanfic #enjoy!! :)) #you've got mail 💌 #you've got mail #you've got mail fusion

[batwynn]

are people still into drarry at this point? as far as i know the entire hp fandom basically died when a certain someone spoke her political opinions. anyone still talking about hp gets harassed to oblivion and so many callout posts pop up saying that if you still like the franchise you're supporting terfs. i honestly don't know how to feel, i'd simply deleted all my hp content on my blog because seeing them just makes me uncomfortable in hindsight :/

So, I wasn't planning on replying to this because I didn't want to hurt anyone by sharing it, or by my reply. It's something that calls for some nuance that I worry I won't be able to explore properly. But I had a thought and I wanted to share it. Trigger warning: Mentions of transphobia, JKR, and suicidal thoughts. Note: This has been tagged for black lists so people can avoid it. Apologies for those in the fandom tags.

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So, I'm trans. That's something I'm always pretty open about online, especially as I haven't had much safe space to be open about it in real life. My transition process has been somewhat public, even if I've been pretty quiet about things in the past few years. If you search my blog, you can probably find the posts where I started exploring my gender around 2016-2017ish. They're posted along side Drarry posts, among other fandoms I was in. You will also find that I stopped posting as much Drarry a few years later, with little correlation to what the author was saying or doing at the time because I wasn't on Twitter and hadn't heard the news yet. I drifted fandoms a bit, then I went on Twitter and... yeah.

Now here's where it gets a bit complicated, and personal. A Drarry fanfiction saved my life because it helped convince me that I could transition. That I could be trans and it was okay. A Drarry fanfic told me I wasn't too old, I wasn't wrong, it's not too late, and it's okay to do the things that make you happy even if you spent half your life doing the things that people told you were right but were wrong for you. I'm not dramatizing this in any way. I read this fanfic when I was in a really bad place, when I was figuring out I was trans and in a horrible relationship with a shitty person and I was scared to death. All I could think was that there was no way out for me. I'm not saying this to guilt anyone for not liking Drarry/Harry Potter. I'm not saying it to defend JKR or any of the things she's made, said, or done. I'm not saying it because I'm a traitor to the trans community or that Harry Potter is even that important to me. I'm saying it because a writer out there wrote a Drarry fanfiction with no intention of it being life saving, and yet they did save my life. They just wanted to create something fun, and meaningful, with two characters from some books. Did it have to be Harry Potter? For them, yes. They read those books and saw more to the characters than JKR ever could, and they gave us a story that is so meaningful and transformative that I literally did the thing JKR hates with her entire bitter, little heart. Because of a person in the fandom. Now, I personally feel a disconnect from those books these days. She's really, truly ruined those memories for me in ways I can't even put into words. Worse even, was seeing that there were bigotries in those books that I was ignorant to, as a child. Things I didn't see because I didn't know. And knowing now that it was always there, the hatred and ugliness, makes the original material poison to me. And god, don't get me started on messy fandom spaces. Don't look towards the Interview With a Vampire fandom at all. It's, unfortunately, a large part of being in a group space with people who like a thing. There will be hateful people, there will be Bad people. But there are also NOT those people. There are queer people who still love their fandoms. There are people writing trans Harry Potter fics. There are people cosplaying Draco in a skirt and fuck gender rolls we're vibing here. There's also a massive difference between enjoying a community built by fans, and directly supporting JKR with money and attention. What you do in response to her cruelty is totally valid, however you decide. Deleting the content is completely understandable. Not wanting to see anything Harry Potter related is also valid, especially when so many of us have been seriously hurt by her. Not supporting JKR in views or money is important to supporting trans people. But I can't tell people how to respond, how to behave, or how to experience the fandom. Trauma responses vary by person. Being angry and yet completely embracing the fandom to the point where it belongs to the fans is also a super valid reaction. People are a complex system of experiences and reactions. There is no one set way to respond. There is always room to learn, there is always room to listen. The unfortunate truth, however, is this has happened before with creators who we learn are complete assholes, and will happen again. The best we can do is support one another and regularly tell the people who are out to hurt us to fuck right off.

#Harry Potter #Drarry #JKR #jk rowling #Tw: Transphobia #Tw: Suicidal thoughts #Batwynn Talks #TERFS DO NOT FUCKING INTERACT