#-in time for the fest. go check it out it's called 'heart of a dragon'

[buryam-soul]

Comment Fest - Final Count and Fic List!

IT’S LOVING FIC WRITERS HOURS AND BY HOURS I MEAN DAYS!

Thank you so much to @justleaveacommentfest for this wonderful event, you gave me the courage to do what I always wanted to. My total is: 29 comments! I didn’t have a goal in mind coming in to this, but that’s a big jump from zero!

Also I caved and finally made an AO3 account thanks to this event and I’ve been using it to unleash my adoration of fics onto unsuspecting authors! If you see an Angkasa_Biru in the wild.... That's me! (I didn't know how to bring this up when I commented on my mutuals' fics haha hi guys)

As for the rest of this long post, I’ve been keeping it in my drafts and updating daily. Here are all the fics I commented on in chronological order! Fandoms you can find here are:

Precure (5 fics)

Genshin Impact (10 fics) (Mostly Cyno/Alhaitham, a few of them platonic)

Drawtectives (2 fics)

Aurora (3 fics)

Avatar the Last Airbender (1 series with 9 parts so far).

There’s 2 Genshin smut fics but I label them as NSFW, proceed with caution!

Day 1: Old Fics/New Fics

Total: 3 comments

Because of timezone shenanigans, I was one of the lucky bunch who still had AO3 working for the earlier half of the day! I was planning to unwind after errands later that day with some more fics but then... the site's down. RIP.

Cold Bug by discordiansamba

Happiness Charge Precure | Iona

Old Fic (August 2017)

A sweet and cute Iona sickfic featuring her friends visiting her at different times. It’s a nice warm hug of a fic!

Late Night Revelation by Ereana

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

New Fic (9 July 2023)

Sleepy and soft conversation between the Acting Grand Sage and the General Mahamatra as they work overtime together. I might have squealed at the end of chapter one.

Be Brave! What it Takes to be a Cure by AlmondTofuChan

Hirogaru Sky Precure | Tsubasa & Ageha

New(ish?) Fic (20 June 2023)

Post-episode15 Tsubasa hurt/comfort that reads very much like a canon episode. It’s nice and sweet, focusing on mainly Ageha and Tsubasa, and the characterizations feel on point!

Day 2: (oops no reading)

Total: -

Site down for the rest of the day. RIP

Day 3: <2k Words and AUs

Total: 13 comments

Praise be! AO3 is back up. I went a little insane to compensate for yesterday and possibly maybe to avoid my chores. Whoops.

A speculative analysis of how bad you want me by desertbloom

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

(does not follow today’s theme. but it’s the first thing i saw opening the tag today and it’s nice, of course i commented)

The conceit is simple but interesting - trap these two in a room that can only be unlocked if each tells a lie and the other believes it. The banter that results is an absolute blast, and that ending took me out.

Work in Progress by echoelbo

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

<2k Words (1,135)

Fake dating because Alhaitham wants to get in trouble and be demoted. Comedic with a pinch of sweetness.

kintsugi series by discordian samba

Avatar the Last Airbender | Toph & Zuko

AU (Canon Divergence)

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SERIES OF ALL TIME! A fantastic AU wherein Zuko was banished instead of sent to search for the Avatar, and ended up meeting Toph years earlier and working for her family now. It’s such a fun and good time, the OCs feel very grounded to the setting, the worldbuilding feels like a natural extension of canon, and it oozes with found family energy.

Note: I left 3 comments here today. 2 on each chapter of of earth and fire and 1 on those left behind.

you’re so good at herbal tea, getting enough sleep by arospacecase

Drawtectives | Rosé & Jancy True

<2k Words (533)

Short and sweet written version of Rosé’s memory from S2E9 of her birthday with Jancy. 

Three Drawtectives in a Bed by Shadowmatic

Drawtectives | Grendan Highforge & Gyorik Rogdul & Rosé

<2k Words (654)

Post S1, the trio sharing a bed for the first time. Nice and cute!

Kuru Kururun! by CureKururun

Tropical Rouge Precure | Kururun

<2k Words (100)

Obligatory Kururun shitpost fic; this is the first fic I ever reblogged on tumblr, so I must show some respect. Kururun is love, Kururun is life.

A Flash of Violet by twilightstarr

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

<2k Words (1,281) and AU (Canon Divergence)

AU where the Traveler wasn’t involved in Alhaitham’s Story Quest-- so Cyno comes to the rescue during that last bit of combat. Featuring sexual tension and flirting in an obscure language because they’re nerds (affectionate). Ties in with Te Diligo mentioned below, but it could be read as a standalone, I think!

Baby Mine by Coffeewolf67

Aurora | Falst & Kendal

<2k Words (1,350)

A warm, comforting story about Falst soothing Kendal after a nightmare with a lullaby his mother used to sing.

Love does nothing by Linear_Aztec

Aurora | Erin/Void Dragon, slight Erin/Falst

<2k Words (1,225)

VD and Erin get "married" with Falst as the officiant. It's crack. It's silly. It's amazing and fun.

What the Desert Remembers by ghostrobin

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

AU

An absolutely amazing 17k word experience. It’s a long journey to the desert and a long journey of Alhaitham (and the readers) discovering what Cyno even is and what his goals are.

show me your teeth by spiralpegasus

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

Omegaverse AU | NSFW 

Comfort fic!! The build up is fun, the smut makes me go feral, and the sweetness has my heart in a chokehold. The characterization and worldbuilding intertwining feels very natural-- of course Alhaitham would take a full week off even if his heats usually only last a few days, that’s so like him.

Day 4: Platonic/Rarepair

Total: 5 comments

Hit a snag in the middle of the day because of personal stuff, sadly. BUT NO EXCUSES JUST RESULTS

scenery along that widened road by halcyonine

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno, Alhaitham & Kaveh

AU - Canon Divergence (was going to reread for yesterday but whoops)

The worldbuilding is amazing, intertwining mundane and strange aspects of Sumeru. The fake dating to real feelings pipeline is wonderful, especially written in Alhaitham's POV with his (over)thinking about everything. And the way it plays with canon is such a treat!!

Cortisol rising by Anonymous

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham & Cyno, Alhaitham & Kaveh, Kaveh & Cyno

Platonic

In which Alhaitham is stressed by the Acting Grand Sage position, an argument with Kaveh sends him to sensory overload, and Cyno arrives just in time to help him ground himself. (And no Kaveh is not treated as malicious, they do very well balancing his frustrating side and the understandable reasons why he’s pissed.)

Accismus by Anonymous

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham & Cyno & Tighnari

Platonic

Alhaitham sick fic! As in he's in shambles and is also a difficult patient. But Tighnari persists and Cyno is there to help. The characterization feels on point even when our favorite Scribe is in tears from pain!

Stitch by Stitch by discordiansamba

Happiness Charge Precure | Iona & Phantom

Platonic

Post-canon bond-with-your-former-enemy time!! Featuring Iona teaching Phanphan how to knit. Comedic and sweet!

Last Name Basis by discordiansamba

Happiness Charge Precure | Iona/Seiji

Rarepair

Iona and Seiji continue to call the other by their last names despite the seven months of dating and Hime is having none of it. Hilarity ensues!

Day 5: free space

Total: 7 comments

Because of timezones, the “surprise flavor” has yet to be revealed, so I’m taking this as a free/themeless day! ...uh, but I had the itch to draw today, so it did take a while for me to actually get to reading. Whoops.

I guess I accidentally themed the day around multichapter?

Te Diligo by twilightstarr

Genshin Impact | Alhaitham/Cyno

(NSFW)

Rivals to friends to benefits to queerplatonic partners...!! It starts with Alhaitham flirting to ruin Cyno’s concentration in a spar, it spirals into electro-infused kissing and sexy times in the Grand Sage office. Featuring good boundary-setting, genuine friendship realizations, and a healthy dose of Cyno jokes! Another of my comfort fics, queerplatonic cytham is everything to me

I left 2 comments, on chapters 1 and 2.

Tahraim Adopts a Feral Storm God by Sandpaper on Strings.

Aurora | Tahraim & Tynan, Tahraim & Caliban

(Spoilers for Aurora Chapter 18/Tynan arc aftermath!)

Tahraim’s new project -- character development for Tynan! Very, very fun dynamic and a solid understanding and interpretation of Tahraim’s character.

I left 3 comments, on chapters 1 - 3.

I also left 2 comments, one on each chapter of in which acting and lying are the same thing, really, part of the kintsugi series that I listed on Day 3!

Day 6: Try Something New!

Total: 1 comment

"...what happened?" You may ask. Uh. Drawing. Drawing happened. Just as I thought I wasn't even going to read anything today, Te Diligo updated! So I left a comment on the new chapter (and rambled in the tags of my reblog for good measure). Not on theme, but hey, no excuses just results!

.

In closing: wow leaving comments is fun actually. I was expecting to get through one or two days and then falter but barring the AO3 shutdown, there were no zero-comment days! Looking forward to the next time the comment fest comes around ^^

[miraakulous-cloud-district]

TESFEST DAY 3: STARLIT

So very excited to participate in @tes-summer-fest again this year <3! To me, the "Starlit" prompt just screamed Ralof/Hadvar and I wrote this little something at 3 am, it will be a part of my main fic WYGTYA at some point. If you like my writing, you can check it out! It's a Miraak x ldb fic.

Word count: 2,829, you can also find this fic on AO3 right here!

Characters: Hadvar, Ralof, my ldb Ravonna, Miraak (his real name is Fenrik in WYGTYA)

Warnings: inappropriate language, implied smut, mentions of alcohol

Rating: Teen and up

Summary: Both Ralof and Hadvar find themselves in Riverwood at the same time since Helgen. They fight, they seek solace in a very special place and all the memories start flooding. They used to stargaze here, and Hadvar can only think of how much better those stars look in the reflection of Ralof's eyes. What on Nirn are they doing and when the hell are they going to kiss? Also, there is a Hozier reference in there somewhere :D

Sneak peek: "Hadvar sighs in response, looking at the starlit sky and trying his best to focus on finding the constellations. He used to do this when he was younger. He was so good at finding the constellations and Ralof was so good at inventing new ones. ‘Look at that one over there. Looks like a skeever. I believe it’s my birthsign. It calls to me.’ He would say, making Hadvar holler and snigger so loud that would wake the dogs up and make them start barking for minutes on end. He remembers how one night when they were teenagers, they were stargazing and Ralof suggested one constellation looks like a heart. They were lying on their backs and their shoulders were touching. Ralof was showing him the star alignment, but when he lowered his arm back on the floor, his fingers brushed against his and suddenly, every constellation was heart-shaped. Of course his thoughts run back to Ralof. They always do. It’s always him."

The trees were slowly swaying in the wind. The lanterns around Riverwood and the moons were illuminating enough for Hadvar to enjoy the view. This little watchtower still has no guard, even with the Dragons about. Still, the guards seem to be patrolling the village enough to make the people living in it less dreadful. He sighs, leaning his head on the railing, looking at the stars as a plea, and asking for guidance and forgiveness all at the same time. He didn’t think coming back to Riverwood would hurt this much, and he did not expect to find him here, screaming and almost launching towards him to fight. Gods… what has the war done to them? He feels absolutely terrible. In his mind, Ralof has every right to be angry, and to be honest, he kind of hoped that Ravonna did not intervene between them. He deserves every single bit of his wrath. He almost sent him to his execution. Him. Ralof. His dearest friend and the one that he’s been aching for ever since… he doesn’t even remember, since forever, perhaps. He doesn’t even hear someone climbing up the ladder to join him, he is drowning in guilt.

“Thought I’d find you here.” Ralof’s voice snaps him out of his trance.

“How so?” 

“If I wanted to brood after our fight, this is the place I’d come to as well. The irony is too strong here. You can almost taste it.” Ralof tries to lighten the mood with his tone. He always hated situations that were too serious. Hadvar smiles, remembering that time when they tried to sneak into Bleak Falls Barrow after hearing rumors of a treasure. They were children. Ralof was terrified. His eyebrows were furrowed and his voice was trembling, but he still found the strength to make jokes to make Hadvar feel better. Life in the legion has been hard without him by his side.

“I can leave.” Hadvar huffs. It came off a lot colder than he intended. He shifts to get up, but a firm hand on his shoulder stops him. 

“Wait. Just… wait a damn minute for once in your life and don’t run.” Ralof sounds tired of fighting. 

Hadvar swallows hard. He remembers how he ran away with no warning after Ralof told him that he will join the Stormcloaks. He ran because he was afraid of the heartbreak of seeing Ralof leave. 

“I’m sorry for losing my temper, Hadvar. I don’t want to… I can’t… Ugh!” he runs a frustrated hand through his hair, finding it hard to voice his troubles. He huffs a laugh.

“What?” Hadvar raises a sad eyebrow at him.

“It’s just that… you were always the better one at talking feelings. Should’ve taken a leaf out of your book.”

“You were always braver and better at facing everything. I suppose I should have taken a leaf out of your book, too.” 

“Why didn’t we?” Ralof turns his head to face Hadvar again, making him look at his fidgety hands and further proving his point that the blond is braver. 

Hadvar doesn’t respond right away. He seems deep in his thoughts. Why didn’t they ever learn from each other? To him, it was always with Ralof that he could be himself. Ralof was such a constant in his life, he was there for as long as he remembers, and whenever they were together, it felt like stepping into a fairytale: the colors were brighter, the sun was warmer, the flowers smelled nicer, and the dangers of Skyrim felt more like adventures than perils. No one made him laugh like Ralof. He was just a sad, lost boy who was recently orphaned and had to come here and live with his uncle, and Ralof somehow understood that, and befriended him right away, and he guarded that wounded heart as best he could, always trying to get a smile out of Hadvar. 

After what felt like an eternity of a mix of comfortable silence and excruciating anticipation, Hadvar finds his voice. 

“I suppose we thought we had more time. Ralof, I -” he finally gathers the courage to look at him, “I never thought we would end up like this.  I never even imagined a life without -”

“- Hey. Don’t talk like there is no hope left. Maybe we can…”

“Can we? Can we ever be the same as before if we have opposite views? For Gods’ sake, Ralof, we’re on opposing sides of the war." His voice is weak and sad, and every word feels like a punch to the chest to Ralof, but he fights on, against his own stubbornness and ego. He remembers what Ravonna said. She shook his shoulders and looked straight into his soul, almost shouting ‘You love this man! That much is evident, and I think everyone knows except for him. You have to tell him, you have to let him know because as much as I hate how this sounds, you may never see him again in these troubling times. He’s about to go with us to the border with Cyrodiil. Folks say they keep hearing dragon wings flapping above. But he’s here tonight, and so are you. What were the chances? Maybe fate itself willed it. Ralof, for fuck’s sake do not let this opportunity pass. It took near death experience after near death experience for me to realize that I needed to not take things for granted and tell Fenrik just how much he means to me. And if something were to happen and he never found out, I would have never forgiven myself.’

“Are the opposing sides that different? Hadvar, my time in Windhelm, with Ulfric and Ravonna… it made me think from a different perspective. Everything is insignificant in the grand scheme of things right now. So let’s just… be insignificant together.”

“What happens after, then? After the grand scheme of things gets solved?”

“What if it never gets solved, Hadvar? What if we perish?”

Hadvar sighs in response, looking at the starlit sky and trying his best to focus on finding the constellations. He used to do this when he was younger. He was so good at finding the constellations and Ralof was so good at inventing new ones. ‘Look at that one over there. Looks like a skeever. I believe it’s my birthsign. It calls to me.’ He would say, making Hadvar holler and snigger so loud that would wake the dogs up and make them start barking for minutes on end. He remembers how one night when they were teenagers, they were stargazing and Ralof suggested one constellation looks like a heart. They were lying on their backs and their shoulders were touching. Ralof was showing him the star alignment, but when he lowered his arm back on the floor, his fingers brushed against his and suddenly, every constellation was heart-shaped. Of course his thoughts run back to Ralof. They always do. It’s always him. 

“Do you remember that one time we were here during New Life celebrations?” Ralof speaks again, making Hadvar come back to reality. 

“What are you -”

“Yes or no?” Ralof senses his fear, but Hadvar can’t run away anymore. He needs to be brave tonight, because it may be his last chance to be brave.

“Yes. Yes, I do.” 

“We were drunk and happy and we thought we had our whole life ahead of us.” Ralof begins, trying to be brave himself and just let his thoughts flow into words like a river turning into a waterfall. “I remember drinking so much mead that my heart started driving me like a man possessed. I came up to you and asked you if you wanted to see the stars in our spot. And you agreed. And in that moment I knew that I was going to kiss you.” he stops to laugh, his chuckles calming Hadvar down a bit after all of that. “I never climbed this damned ladder faster. And I was drunk, and you were drunk, but the moment I kissed you, I was the most sober I’d ever been. Even sob… sober-er?” he tilts his head for a second.

“More sober.”

“Right. More sober. I was more sober than when I was actually sober. Did that make sense? It all sounded better in my head…” 

“It makes sense.” Hadvar says after a moment. “I felt the same.” and that sentence makes Ralof’s eyebrows rise comically high. 

“You felt the same.” he says, and it sounds both like a question and a revelation at the same time.

“Of course I did. I kissed back, you know.”

“Of course I know! I remember it as if it happened mere seconds ago.” 

Time seems to stop. The wind isn’t blowing anymore, and the birds stopped singing, as if to let them talk their truths uninterrupted. The stars seem to shine brighter, but not as bright as their reflection in Ralof’s blue eyes. Hadvar was always weak for those eyes. And now those eyes are big and filled with hope that is contagious. What if they both still feel the same. What if this could actually work out for them? 

“Ralof… why are you telling me this?”

“Because I never said anything after that night. Because I thought you were drunk and you wouldn’t remember. Because you never said anything either. Because you left to join the legion and I never got to tell you… Because I didn’t want to ruin what we had. But what we had is already ruined, isn’t it?” he says, his voice is hoarse and sorrowful, and his eyes almost lost all hope, as if he sent it all to Hadvar. He lost his bravery, but Hadvar is willing to be brave enough for both of them now.

“I left because I could never bear to tell you that I’m leaving and see your face. I left because I was afraid of my feelings. I… I never wanted to ruin what we had, and that’s why I acted as if that kiss never happened. Friends to lovers… That stuff only works in books, but this is real life. The truth is that I’ve pined and ached for you for as long as I remember.” Hadvar chuckles at how easy it is to just say it. “I don’t even remember a time when I didn’t love you. It’s always been you. I think I loved you even before I met you, and I know that I couldn’t utter it when you needed it shouted, and for that I am sorry, but I am willing to sing like a bird about it now.” He takes Ralof’s face in both of his hands and holds it so gingerly it hurts. 

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to start singing.” Ralof tries to conceal the emotional baggage in his voice as best he can.

“I’m sure you’d find some ways to shut me up-” but he barely gets to finish his sentence because Ralof’s lips crashed into his. His lips were chapped, but the kiss was so soft.

“I love you, you beautiful, kind, loud, obnoxious man. I will always love you.” Hadvar barely breaks the kiss to utter, bumping their noses together.

“Well, my plan was to say it first, and how can I even compete with that?” He smiles into the kiss. He could get lost in him forever. His arms wrap around his back, pulling him closer, closer, but even the closest isn’t close enough. 

“You’ve shown me that you love me enough, Ralof. I was just too blind to see it.”

“Well I’m glad you finally came to your senses.” He says between kisses. He should probably stop and look at Hadvar properly and try to articulate just how much he adores him, but he is unable to stop kissing him. So much time was lost pining when they could have done this instead. Damn the war, damn the village, damn all the Gods, he only cares for him in this moment. “But really, I love you, too, Hadvar. More than anything. More than words.” he should be more poetic. He wants to be more poetic. He’d hoped that in the time spent with Ravonna, maybe some of her bard-ness got to him, but Hadvar’s hands are in his hair, and he is practically climbing on him, and all those constellations that they were looking at long ago seem to be in Ralof’s stomach, dancing around to the tune of their heartbeats.

“Ralof.” Hadvar whispers, grinding his hips and pulling at Ralof’s tunic. He eagerly throws his hands in the air, trying to get it off as soon as possible. But it proves to be a more challenging move than anticipated. The watchtower used to be bigger, he thinks. After some struggling, they manage to take his tunic off, but he hits his head on the railing in the process, making them both laugh against each other. He sits up, not letting Hadvar get a good look at the scars on his chest. He is quick to return to kissing him. He slides his hands under Hadvar’s tunic, sending shivers up his spine, but the tunic refuses to cooperate due to their crammed together position. 

“You’re gonna have to sit up for a bit.'' Ralof says against Hadvar’s neck, making him groan in frustration because he stopped kissing him. But he complies, trying to get up so that Ralof can take his tunic off, but he hits his head even harder, falling on Ralof in the most embarrassing way. His face is now on the floor, and he is pretty sure that his right leg is not moving without additional help because it somehow got stuck between the railing and the wall. 

Despite everything, they both can’t help but laugh out loud. Ralof helps him get out of that position and now they’re facing each other again, wiping away their laugh-tears. 

“You know, these might help us out, if you wish to get out of here.”

“We can't go back to your place! I will never be able to look at Gerdur in the eyes again! And my place has no private rooms-”

“- Ravonna gave me the keys to her room at the Inn.” Ralof grins.

“Why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Hadvar protests.

“I didn’t know we’d get to this!”

“You still took the key!”

“A man can hope!” he carefully throws his arms in the air in defense. As careful as he was, he still hits his elbow on the railing. “Gods, when did this place shrink…”

“Place didn’t shrink. You just got bigger.” Hadvar raises a mischievous eyebrow, his voice full of innuendo, making Ralof’s face grow as red as Bjorn’s tomatoes on a summer��s day. The sudden rush to the room is imminent, and as fast as Ralof climbed this ladder on that night on New Life, he climbs out of it even faster this time, giggling and not giving a care in the world for the fact that he left his tunic in the watchtower or what people may say when they see them rushing into the Sleeping Giant Inn and shutting the room door behind them. Hell, most of the locals probably made bets on this. They all know. They must’ve figured it out by now. 

The doors to the inn open and the Nords are rushing in with red faces, swollen lips and smiling faces. Ravonna and Fenrik are sitting at the front of the inn, chatting with the innkeeper and drinking mead. They both jerk their heads towards the door in unison. She raises her eyebrows in surprise at a shirtless Ralof, rushing towards her with the speed of wind. 

“Everything’s worked in your favor, I see.” she is smug and happy with herself, making Fenrik chuckle. “You’re welco-” but she is interrupted by Ralof grabbing her face and smushing his face against hers. The kiss is brief and raw, and when Ralof pulls away, Ravonna is stunned beyond words.

“Thank you. You’re an absolute saint, Dragonborn. I am forever in your debt.” He bows, and drags Hadvar to their room, shutting the door behind them with what seemed like their bodies slammed against it. 

Fenrik is too busy laughing. 

“What the fuck just happened?” She asks, still stunned, yet chucking.

“I believe you just witnessed some authentic Nord affection first-hand.” He laughs. “Ah, I’ve not seen this since Atmora, when me and my sailor friends used to throw parties on the ship.”

“You mean to tell me that you did this all the time?”

“Of course. I loved my friends! And sometimes that love was much beyond words.”

“Nords…” She shakes her head.

“You’re a Nord, too!”

“Shut up.”

“Is he a better kisser than me though?” he playfully leans closer to her.

“By the Gods! This conversation is over!” she gasps, playfully punching his shoulder and ordering another round of meads.

[bluestringpudding]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you @silently--here and @uncannycerulean for the tags!

How many works do you have on AO3?

19 (+ 1 that's waiting to be revealed for a fest)

What's your total AO3 word count?

329,661 😳

What fandoms do you write for?

Just Harry Potter. Maybe I should diversify?

What are your top 5 fics by Kudos?

Live like common people Dramione/Draco pretending to be a muggle (88,794 words)

How did we get here? The sequel to the above, aka Draco wishing he could still just pretend he was a muggle. (153,536 words)

Dragons Only The Draco/Charlie drabble (289 words)

A Song of Ice and Fire and Awkward Ex Boyfriends The other Dramione, this time with dragons. 🐉(20,272 words)

Just a Minerva in time The MinMione time travel one (6,460 words)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! Unless you're an absolute arsehole, and even then, I would rather reply (but only if I can come up with an appropriate retort). Why? Because I love the interaction. Getting a comment, no matter how small, will always make my day. So, it feels right to at least say thanks. Also, I met one of my now good friends through us chatting in our fics' comments. So who knows what might come of it.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmm, probably One Last Cup.

What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I've not written the ending yet, but it's going to be How Did We Get Here? If only because I have become waaayyy too attached to all of the characters to give them anything but.

Do you get hate on fics?

It's not quite hate, and I know it could be worse, but How Did we get here? garners some pretty strong reactions. They're a downer.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I've only published very mild smut, but I have written more explicit stuff since, and some of it is in the next chapter I'm publishing, and I'm scared.

Do you write crossovers?

No, I struggle enough with one fandom. Huge respect to the people who manage it

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nah. They're not good enough for that.

Have you ever co-written a fic?

Yes! Three actually. Idle in Kangaroo Court W1, for the mixed up writer fest. We ran out of steam, so it's unfinished, but I keep promising myself I'm going to finish it one day. Then two more with some friends, one short one for the rare pairs fest, that will be revealed soonish. Then one long fic that 3 of us a writing, which is err... in progress.

What's your all time favourite ship?

Call me a basic bitch, but I will always be such a sucker for Dramione.

What's a WIP you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I have a really unhealthy stubborn streak that won't let me leave things unfinished, so hopefully none. Though Idle in Kangaroo Court is most at risk, because its been so long (and I feel I have to reach out to my co-author to check they don't mind, and my social anxiety is one of the few things that trumps my stubbornness).

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue. I keep thinking I should try writing something as a script.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions and flowery language. I have to work hard at imagining visuals, so a lot of the time I don't. And I'm too literal to do well with metaphors.

Thoughts in writing dialogue in another language?

I've never really had any before. I guess I don't mind it in small amounts, if the meaning can be inferred from context or reactions. It's annoying if you miss something by not understanding what it means.

First Fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter

Favourite fic you've written?

Oh god, that's like asking me to chose between my children! Live Like Common People will always have a special place in my heart, as it was my first and the characters will forever live rent free in my head.

But also, I'm most proud of Tattletail, because I think it is technically my best piece of writing.

Tagging anyone who wants to play, as I suspect I'm one of the last of my mutuals to get round to this.

[hd-cluefest]

H/D Clue Fest Masterlist

Cluefest Headquarters are finally unveiling the investigators of our cases. But before we do that, we want to thank each and every one of you that contributed to making this fest such a huge success, be it as a writer, podficcer, reader, listener, or reblogger and reccer. You wrote the most amazing fics, brought fics to life with your voice, and gave our creators lots of love with kudos, comments etc.  Fair warning: This post will be very long because we couldn’t control ourselves and made reveal banners. We would say we’re sorry, but we must not tell lies.

0430, T, 8.7k

Author: daughter_of_nemesis/@daughter-of-nemesis 

Harry disappears at exactly 04:30 in the morning. Hermione and Ron intend to figure out why. And Pansy's certain has something to do with Draco.

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A Hogwarts Detective Mystery, E, 19.3k

Author: ActorPotter/@actorpotter 

Harry returns to Hogwarts for his Eighth Year with Ron and Hermione after defending Draco Malfoy at his trial over the summer. Malfoy has returned too...but he's acting incredibly suspicious. So, naturally, Harry decides to stalk-er-follow him when he leaves the Eighth Year Common Room after hours one evening. It turns out that Malfoy has noticed something is amiss at Hogwarts, and he and Harry must work together to solve a mystery of disappearing portraits, randomly changing house colours on uniforms, and the Gryffindor Common Room suddenly appearing in the dungeons. What is happening to the castle? Will self-appointed detectives Harry and Draco discover what secrets are lying within the walls of Hogwarts...and their hearts?

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A House on Fire, E, 8.4k

Author: p1013/@p1013

For the last five years, Auror Draco Malfoy has walked into his office with hardly a glance at the illusioned window taking up the back wall. It looks out over an imagined London, a perfectly bright and brilliant view of the city that hides the smog and rain and dirt that clings to the city like a patina of time that can never be worn away. It's always a perfect summer's day with soft, white clouds that float through the painfully bright blue sky like a dream. He likes to imagine the gentle breeze that ripples the surface of the Thames brushing across his skin, since he'll never be able to actually feel it. After all, his office is located on the second floor and is, therefore, underground.

Or at least that's what he did before the seventh of October, 2009.

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A Little Bird Told Me, M, 18.6k

Author: Cibee/@cibeewastaken

Harry and his partner are called to investigate a murder that occurred at an exclusive getaway hosted by Muggle patrician Robert Morton in his own house. The surviving six people are now both witnesses and suspects. There is just one problem for Harry: Draco Malfoy is one of them.

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a meeting of minds, M, 8.2k

Author: saltwatergarden

When Harry Potter starts hearing someone else's thoughts for several minutes a day, at first he chalks it up to his own bad luck and he tries to ignore it. But the longer it goes on, the less Harry can ignore it. Whoever it is, the person whose thoughts he's hearing needs help. Harry finds himself indignant at the mistreatment of the man taking up space in his head, and feels a sense of closeness to him that he cannot explain.

How can he find out whose thoughts he's hearing? And what exactly will he do when he finds him?

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Cruel River, T, 67.7k 

Author: eleventy7/@tinyhistory

Draco inherits a castle deep in the Scottish highlands, and discovers it’s haunted by more than just ghosts.

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Dear Stranger, T, 22.7k

Author: iero0/@iero0

The one thing more pointless than falling in love with an anonymous wizard over a correspondence is falling in love with Harry Potter when you’re Draco Malfoy. 

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Draco Malfoy and the Case of the Smuggled Gossip, T, 6.9k

Author: A_Professional_Protagonist/@aprofessionalprotagonist

It's eighth year and someone is selling gossip about Harry Potter and his friends to the new trashy wizarding tabloid. Can Draco discover how the gossip is getting smuggled out of the castle? Will he and Harry grow closer in the process? Will there be kissing? (Spoilers: yes.)  

  -----

For Now, 6.7k, T

Author: Samunderthelights/@samunderthelights

At first when Harry gets sent a mysterious notebook, he thinks it's a gift. But when he starts to write in it, he finds that someone can see what he writes, and the stranger is writing back to him.

Over time he finds himself opening up to the mysterious stranger, but how is he supposed to fully trust him if the stranger won't even tell him his name?

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He makes saints out of sinners, M, 32.8k

Author: miafancies/@miafancies

Harry grows with the turn of the tide. Draco contends with his ghosts.

This is a chronicle of inevitability.

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It might take an army, it might just be me, M, 15.5k

Author: slytherinnbitch/@slytherinnbitch

Five years after the war, Auror Potter goes out on a seemingly routine mission to check up on some pardoned criminals. He doesn’t come back. Immediate suspicions are cast on Draco Malfoy, one of the charges he was to be visiting. But unbeknownst to everyone, the two of them have been in a secret relationship for over six months, and Draco is beside himself with worry and so is Hermione and Ron. Together they try to get their best friend back. But there are surprises on their ways which none of them even expects of.

Can they get their best friend back or is he gone forever?

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Long story short, G, 4.6k

Author: time_streams/@time-streams

Someone's written about Harry's secret raspberry jam recipe. Also, they write fanfiction about him. Obviously, he using his investigative prowess to find them.

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Love's Sake, Evermore, E, 9.6k

Author: wanderingeyre

Someone is doing nice things for Draco and that someone seems to know an awful lot about his habits and favorite things. Draco can't imagine why anyone would do these things for him because he still thinks he has something to prove. Some days he thinks he’s going to spend his entire life spackling over the mistakes of his youth and the sins of his family.

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Memory Lane, T, 9.7k

Author: mortenavida/@mortenavida

Draco Malfoy has been happily living in the Muggle world for nearly a decade, far away from any Wizarding responsibilities they might try to enforce on him. He planned on leaving that world forever, save for making sure his son received a proper education, but things didn’t exactly go to plan. On his doorstep, one night, Harry Potter showed up. Except Harry Potter was supposed to be dead for the last seven years.

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Mine O'Clock, T, 1.2k

Author: PhenomenalAsterisk/@phenomenalasterisk 

Harry Potter is missing and Ron and Hermione are going spare.

How can Draco enjoy his lazy weekend with their nonsense cluttering up his front steps?

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[podfic] Potterotica, E, 20min

Podficcer: EvAEleanor/@eva-eleanore

original fic: Potterotica by Elle Gray/@diligent-thunder

The first story, and you could barely call it that, had appeared in the communal bathroom overnight. It was stuck to the mirror, one above each sink, like it was expected people might casually read it while brushing their teeth.

Except, there was nothing casual about reading explicit erotica in a communal bathroom while shoving a lubricated brush in and out of your mouth.Blaise had been the first to find it, or rather, to gleefully admit that he had. He’d burst into the common room in his pants to declare, 'There’s fucking porn in the bathroom!' Someone's writing smut and signing it with Harry's name. Hermione isn't buying it, and she has a plan to expose the true author. She also has her hand in her pants in a wardrobe.

A (ridiculous) response to AO3s (valid) new co-creator rules.

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Repairing his world, M, 34.8k

Author: AhaMarimbas/@mars-bar81

15 years after his father was arrested, Scorpius uncovers his case file at work. Desperate for answers on why his family was torn apart all those years ago, Scorpius looks into what happened. But is he ready for how the new evidence will change his life all over again?

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Reverie in Green, T, 51.7k

Author: dynazty/@dynazty

Draco just wants to get away; Harry just wants his dog back.

There's a small wooden bridge in the middle, somewhere, curved over a stream that never stops flowing. All they have to do is cross it.

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Secret Admirer, E, 12.3k

Author: Cassiopeias_shadow

Fresh out of training, Harry discovers that life as an Auror isn’t at all what he’d imagined - it’s much better actually, and there are stickers. As he settles into the team, a case lands quite literally on his doorstep... who keeps sending the Knight Bus to his house?

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Sleight of Hand, E, 15k

Author: TheStarryKnight/@the-starryknight

It’s another one of these horrid Ministry affairs, and the only interesting thing is twinkling from Draco Malfoy’s finger. Can you really blame Harry for being fascinated by the gorgeous emerald ring and those long, elegant hands, especially when he’s certain Malfoy is up to something?

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[podfic] The Lion, The Dragon, and the Broom Cupboard, E, 1h45min

Podficcer: laughingd0g/@jovialobservationanchor

original fic: The Lion, The Dragon, and the Broom Cupboard by tasteofshapes/@tasteofshapes

Draco thinks he’s hallucinating the first time when he opens the door to the office pantry and finds Potter there instead, looming out of the shadows of what appears to be a cupboard like some deformed gargoyle. Things don’t go much better after that.

Or, three broom cupboards, two times they get it on, and one love story.

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The Mysterious Case of the Missing Yoghurt, E, 24.5k

Author: manixzen/@manixzen

Newly-hired Flying Professor Harry Potter is happy to return to Hogwarts for a fresh start after several failed careers, but nothing is going as planned. His classes are a mess, he has to find a way to work with Draco Malfoy (annoying git extraordinaire) and now, in an act of villainy and depravity, someone keeps stealing his yoghurt.

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Through the Blur, E, 27.7k

Author: anachronic_mai/@danbrokethesoundbarrier

Sleep doesn't come easy to Harry. Despite taking regular doses of Dreamless Sleep for years, he hasn't managed to get rid of the nightmares. Things can't get any worse for him when Potions Master Draco Malfoy comes to him for help after mysterious attacks to his apothecary.

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[podfic] to heal a fracture (to bind a life), M, 33min

Podficcer: bluedreaming/@porcelainsalt

original fic: to heal a fracture (to bind a life) by glittering_git/ @glittering-git; meandminniemcg/@meandminniemcg

Who you gonna call? Harry has become one of the foremost Spiritual Exterminators in Britain. Draco has a spirit that needs extermination. But what seems like a simple problem ends up becoming far more complicated when the spirit is identified. The secrets that are exposed and the history that is uncovered leads both Harry and Draco into uncharted territory.

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To Live & Die in LA, E, 28.8k

Author: fwooshy/@fw00shy

Someone is blackmailing Pansy Parkinson. Pansy's father hires Harry Potter, P.I., to get to the bottom of the scam. But how is Harry's errant ex-boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, involved? And why did Draco run to Los Angeles in the first place?

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Two Hearts Divided, T, 18.6k

Author: iero0/@iero0​; Ladderofyears/@ladderofyears

Draco Malfoy, the celebrated Ghost Clearance Expert is in Germany, trying to solve the tricky little matter of a stubborn ghost called Clara von Kellern. Exasperated after trying every spell he knows, Draco sends an owl to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in London, requesting their urgent help.

Little does Draco know that the clerk who willingly grasps his letter is Harry Potter.

Injured in action, Harry enjoys a quiet, deskbound existence and sees Draco’s letters as a bit of excitement to brighten up his dull days. Harry has no idea that investigating Clara’s life, and that of her beau (and potential murderer) Ernst Wernet will lead to the beginnings of a love affair all of his own.

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Violent Delights, E, 20.4k

Author: primaveracerezos/@primavera-cerezos 

Draco Malfoy's life should be going very well. He's engaged to a wonderful man and in line for the Head Auror job. He's been made lead investigator on a serial murder case, trying to figure out who is killing off the scum of the wizarding world, one by one. So what if he's kind of miserable? Things always get better.

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Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?, E, 15.4k

Author: alittlewicked/@undersummerstars 

As sad as it was for a family to come to this point: no one would put it past the others to be able to raise their hand and wand against a cousin, an aunt or even a son.

Merlin knows, it had been happening often enough in the House of Black.

So that left the attendees with one question.

Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?

*

Harry & Draco are Walburga Black's guests at Number 12 Grimmauld Place to find the one, true heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. What had the potential to go terribly wrong, went one step further and culminated in a dead body and twelve suspects.

-----

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Alpha/Beta/Omega

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 The Songbirds of Avebury Manor by Tessa Crowley (tessacrowley) Rated:�� Explicit Words:  18237 Tags: Omega Verse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alpha Harry Potter, Class Differences, Soulmates, Sexual Tension, Mating Cycles/In Heat, First Time, Knotting, Implied Mpreg, Victorian Attitudes, Well sort of Victorian attitudes, Like Victorian attitudes except A/B/O, It makes sense in context I swear Summary:  Harry Potter presents as alpha at fifteen, and it is supposed to change his life for the better. Instead, it leads him to a beautiful noble omega he cannot have, a political plot he cannot escape, and a threat on his life. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Dissident by Constance1 Rated:  Explicit Words:  182162 Tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Creature Fic, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, nundu, Angst, Romance, Dubious Consent, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Violence, Knotting, dark at times, but not really, Some fluffy moments too, Mpreg, Falling In Love, Omega Harry, Alpha Draco Malfoy, Drama, Claustrophobia, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Protective Draco Malfoy, Animagus, Christmas Summary:  In a world of Alphas and Omegas, Harry is surprised to discover that he is a rare male Omega. He assumes his pull towards Draco Malfoy is because the Slytherin is an Alpha, but there is more at play here than even Harry knows. My own twist on the Alpha/Omega-verse. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Work to be done by PollyWeasley Rated:  General Words:  1145 Tags: 2 years later, Slice of Life, alpha council Summary:  Harry has to be away from his family to help other family, but his heart is still with his loved ones. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Embers by shiftylinguini Rated:  Explicit Words:  41216 Tags: Post-Hogwarts, First Time, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Draco Malfoy, Omega Harry Potter, Werewolves, Heat Companion Harry Potter, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Masturbation, Knotting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Scent Marking, Scent Kink, Come Marking, Dirty Talk, sexual negotiation, H/D Career Fair 2017 Summary:  Werewolf Alphas aren't meant to be alone, or to suppress their ruts indefinitely like Draco has been since he was bitten eight years ago. He needs company, companionship, to knot ― he needs an Omega Heat Companion. At least, that’s what the Healers say, and even Draco can admit contacting the person they’ve referred him to might be nice. Of course it turns out to be bloody Potter. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Broken Heart (It Kens Nae Second Spring) by grahamhannah53 Rated:  Explicit Words:  18220 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, omega!Draco, alpha!Harry, Auror Harry Potter, Undercover Missions, Smut, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anal Sex, Rimming, Knotting, abnormal rut behavior, we hate the dursleys, Angst with a Happy Ending, except the happy ending is in the next part of the series Summary:  Harry Potter is an Auror, just like he'd always wanted to be... except no one will give him a mission. When he finally gets one (with Draco Malfoy's name on it), he almost wishes he hadn't. Malfoy is everything Harry hadn't expected him to be, and out of the shambles of Harry's common sense arises a friendship that threatens to be more. Can Harry keep his mission secret from Malfoy? And even if he can do that, is it even possible for him to keep his hands off of Malfoy when he offers to help Harry through a rut after learning that Harry is exceptionally aggressive and violent during them? +++++ I have already completed this fic, I will be posting once, maybe twice weekly, depending on how well-received it is! I am also working on the second part, and have it half-way written. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Second Spring by grahamhannah53 Rated:  Explicit Words:  19629 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, alpha!Harry, omega!Draco, Mates, Getting Back Together, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anal Sex, Rimming, Light Bondage, BAMF Draco Malfoy, BAMF Harry Potter, Implied Mpreg, Making Up, Unspeakable Draco Malfoy, Head Auror Harry Potter Summary:  Years after their disastrous breakup, Draco Malfoy comes back from France with a much sought-after skill set and a brilliant resume-- one that even Harry Potter could envy. Harry resolutely decides that staying away from Draco is the best option, forcing himself to resist the almost magnetic pull to his mate in favor of carrying on with life as normal... but when Draco ends up in his interrigation room in the middle of his heat, things get... dicey. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Puppy Breath and Money by GeorgeOaks Rated:  Explicit Words:  18802 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Harry Potter, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Please Don't Hate Me, Abused Draco Malfoy, nothing graphic happens, Healing, A healing fic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort, Omega Hurt, Tags May Change, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Draco Maloy is conditioned, Allusions to rape and being controlled, Protective Harry Potter, Respectful Harry Potter, going into heat, It's not as dark as it sounds?, he gets better and starts calling people names again, Dobby (Harry Potter) Lives, Fred Weasley Lives Summary:  Harry Potter had spent the last three years terrified for Draco Malfoy. Everyone knew what it meant when Malfoy didn't return to Hogwarts for his fifth year. Harry had done a spectacular job at denying it at first, of course. Tried convincing himself that it was just because Voldemort was back. That the Malfoys probably just ran off with their Dark Lord, or, what he had hoped most, had run away from him. It wasn't until Hermione gave him that look that said that if he didn't pull his head out of his arse soon, he was going to be absolutely hit upside the head, that he had to accept it. Malfoy hadn't returned to school because Draco Malfoy had presented Omega. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Late Presentation by SouthronWildling Rated:  Explicit Words:  10661 Tags: AU Canon Divergence, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Severus Snape Lives, PWP, First Times, light dub-con due to a/b/o dynamics Summary:  Draco Malfoy presents as an omega during his Hogwarts Eighth Year. Shameless PWP, with a little humor, a little fluff, and a little of Draco being bitchy. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Malfoy's Bitch by dragontara Rated:  Explicit Words:  6668 Tags: Creature Fic, dub-con, Graphic Sex, Knotting, Alpha/Omega, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Top Draco, translation in Chinese available Summary:  Bitten by a werewolf doesn't always mean that you'll transform into a werewolf but it definitely increases your animalistic instincts and behaviour. Harry will learn that at first hand. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Heat of the Heart by carpemermaid Rated:  Explicit Words:  6433 Tags: Mildly Dubious Consent, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alpha Harry Potter, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Auror Partners, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Draco Malfoy, Werewolf Draco Malfoy, Light Dom/sub, Bottom Draco, Top Harry Potter, Seduction, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Masturbation, Fingerfucking, Blow Jobs, Rough Sex, Marathon Sex, Stubble Burn, Accidental Marriage, Accidental Bonding, Love Bites, Cuddling & Snuggling, Romance, Dirty Talk, Scenting, hung harry Summary:  Draco was recently bitten by a werewolf in the line of duty as an Auror. He'd been dealing with it as best he could, but then his first heat came on hot and fast in the middle of filling out reports with his Auror partner, Harry Potter. Luckily for him, Potter has a knack for saving his arse. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Tuxedo Angel by ryslora Rated:  Explicit Words:  25497 Tags: Mildly Dubious Consent, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dark Magic, Mpreg, Crossdressing, Genderbending, HP: EWE, Case Fic, Community: hd_holidays, Torch Singer, Singing, Harry Thinks Malfoy Is Up To Something, Bonding, Cursed Bond, Old Magic, Living Together Summary:  Harry and Neville are looking for the infamous Dragon Lily, a Dark witch active throughout Europe and Asia. Instead, they find the Tuxedo Angel, a beautiful witch performing in Rome. Harry quickly discovers that the Angel is not what she seems, and fights his attraction to her, while both he and the Angel are drawn into a web created by ancient magic that pulls them together, whether they are ready for it or not. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Rise Above the Moon by Queenie_Mab Rated:  Explicit Words:  15930 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Verse, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Pack Feels, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Knotting, Explicit Sexual Content, Illustrated, Bottom Draco, Bottom Harry, Topping from the Bottom, Switching Summary:  It's not easy to make a living when your past misdeeds colour your life, but when the saviour of the wizarding world offers a possible way out, Draco Malfoy isn't stupid enough to let the opportunity pass. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Turn, Drop, Fall by Tessa Crowley (tessacrowley) Rated:  Explicit Words:  29056 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alpha Harry Potter, Mildly Dubious Consent, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Arranged Marriage, Infidelity?, Brief scenes of heterosexuality, (sorry) Summary:  In his father's world of staunch traditions and strict gender dynamics, presenting as an omega is the worst thing that could happen to Draco, although accidentally bonding to Harry Potter and being forced into a marriage with Antonin Dolohov both come in close second. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Mine To Own, Ours To Keep by bumble_Bree Rated:  Explicit Words:  69033 Tags: Alternate Universe, Alpha Harry, Omega Draco, Bottom Draco, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Licking, beastiality, Wolves, alpha/beta/omega, Smut, Porn, Rough Sex, Mpreg, Knotting, Fluff, Romance, Heat Cycles, Miscarriage, Younger Draco, Delicate Draco, Powerful Harry, Self-Lubrication, facesitting, Love, Felching, Child Birth (non-graphic), Lactation, Male Lactation, Dry Orgasming, Oral Sex, Lactation Kink, Fisting, Size Difference, Smaller Draco, Larger Harry Summary:  When Draco is bought at a slave market, he fully expects a difficult road ahead of him. What he does NOT expect is to find himself in a world unlike any he could have expected - a world where the feared and respected Harry Potter is his Alpha, his one true soulmate. Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K.Rowling and Bloomsbury and I seek no profit from this work. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 What Happened to Draco Malfoy by ghostlynimbus Rated:  Explicit Words:  43053 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alpha Harry, Omega Draco Malfoy, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Healing, Auror Ron Weasley, Sex Trafficked Draco Malfoy, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Unreliable Narrator, POV Alternating, Mpreg, Pregnancy, Pregnant Draco Malfoy, gratuitous use of wandless magic, medical/hospital scenes, Knotting, Overstimulation, Hung Harry Potter, Praise Kink, maybe? a little, Dubious Consent, kind of, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Angst, Rimming Summary:  Draco Malfoy has been missing since the end of the war. Harry has moved on, mostly. But when, years later, Draco is found in an auror raid of an illegal omega trafficking ring both their lives are changed. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 in heat by M0stlyVoid Rated:  Explicit Words:  4196 Tags: Past Rape/Non-con, Minor Character Death, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alpha Harry Potter, Masturbation, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Hung Harry Potter, Knotting Summary:  Draco’s been getting by just fine despite his unfortunate little genetic gift. Until Potter decides to barge in and muck everything up, that is. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Let Out the Beast by acupforslytherin Rated:  Explicit Words:  9649 Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Knotting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Scent Kink, Explicit Consent, Self-Lubrication, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Professor Harry Potter, Professor Draco Malfoy, Alpha Draco Malfoy, Omega Harry Potter, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  In the wizarding world where alphas are looked down upon for their lack of control and unseemly aggression, it is generally accepted that they are not allowed to work in places like schools and hospitals where their nature could risk the people there. When Draco Malfoy suddenly shows up at Hogwarts smelling strongly like an alpha, Harry is beyond baffled. The fact that no one else seems to catch his scent only adds to his confusion. But, of course, the most puzzling part is how Harry’s body reacts to that scent. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 This Is How by bixgirl1 Rated:  Explicit Words:  6508 Tags: Friends to Lovers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Harry Potter, Omega Draco Malfoy, Scenting, Claim Biting, switch POV, Partial Second Person POV, Falling In Love, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Rimming, Oral Sex, Knotting Summary:  Omegas are long gone, or so everyone thinks. This is not how things were supposed to go. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Silver Moon by JBankai89 Rated:  Explicit Words:  58199 Tags: Werewolves, Werewolf Harry, Alpha Harry, Top Harry, Bottom Draco, Slightly Dark Harry, questionable morals, Slow Burn, Enemies to Lovers, dubcon, Fluffy Ending, Violence, Mild Blood and Gore, Drama, Soulmate elements, Harry raises Teddy Summary:  Five years after the war, peace has fallen upon the wizarding world. Draco Malfoy has begun to find peace in the strangest of places, and now as a junior Potions Master after a mere four years, he finds his mind quieted from the horrors that scar his world in the deep and dark of the forests, where he goes to collect ingredients his master requires. Unfortunately, one trek into the woods brings him close to werewolf territory, too close, in fact, and he finds himself captured. He expected to be devoured by these brigands, but the truth of his fate turns out to be far more confusing and terrifying than he ever imagined. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 you killed me on the moon by epsilonargus Rated:  Explicit Words:  4906 Tags: Alpha Draco Malfoy, Omega Harry Potter, King Harry Potter, Top Draco Malfoy, Identity Reveal, True Mates, Attraction, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Captive Prince Fusion, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  ‘You barely know me. We do not know each other.’ ‘Beyond this overwhelming need to submit to you, completely and utterly?’ Potter raises his eyebrows, stretching his scar. ‘Beyond this bone-deep awareness that you are made for me, and I for you? That our destiny was written in the stars, in the very foundation of our known world?’ An A/B/O Royalty!AU wherein a desperate Slytherin prince faces a proposal from the conquering Gryffindor king. ❤️ Read on AO3

[be11atrixthestrange]

Waking Up In Vegas Chapter 12

After a night of debauchery, Ron and Hermione wake up in Vegas... married.

Muggle!AU. Romcom!Romione. Slow burning, smutty, angst-fest.

Rated M for reasons.

Ao3 | FFN

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[Hermione]

It takes all of Hermione's effort to maintain focus. Her wandering mind threatens to suck her in like quicksand, taunting her with the recent memory of her perfect morning in bed with Ron. She can still feel Ron's legs tangled up with hers, swimming together in the luxurious satin sheets. The way his hands explored her body, tracing every curve with both firm confidence and tenderness, leaving a trail of goosebumps that reappear now. The faint smell of his cologne clings to her skin, leftover from when he pinned her to the bed, and remembering the taste of spearmint and coffee as he kissed her makes her mouth water. She wants more.

Ron's casual demeanor of the present moment isn't helping. She watches him down the line, deep in conversation with Seamus and Dean. His whole face lights up as he laughs at a joke Seamus just told. When he speaks, he uses his entire body; his eyes glow with enthusiasm, and his hands punctuate his every word. Unlike Hermione, he doesn't seem acutely aware of what he's doing with his arms, how he's standing, or whether he looks natural. He makes looking normal seem so easy.

Be cool, Hermione.

Any hope of emulating his calm confidence shatters when he catches her eye and winks. Her cheeks burn, her heart drums against her chest, and butterflies erupt in her stomach.

Or not.

The group is waiting patiently for their turn to enter The Slug Club, which can only be defined as a combination of a nightclub, theme park, and a casino. Hermione and Ron landed on this location for Harry and Ginny's joint hen and stag party for its all-in-one benefits. Less time wasted traveling between multiple venues means more time to kick back and relax, while eliminating the risk of losing someone during transitions.

Ginny jolts Hermione back to the present when she sidles up next to her and flings an arm around her shoulder. "So, where'd you sleep last night?"

Panic sets in as Hermione glances at her friend — Ginny's wearing a smug, knowing expression. She decides to play dumb. "What do you mean, Ginny?"

"C'mon, you weren't in your room. I came by to check on you! Did you spend the night with that guy from the bar?" Her eyebrows raise suggestively as she awaits an answer.

Hermione isn't sure how to respond. She's not keen on Ginny knowing about her and Ron yet, but she's even less keen on lying and saying she was with Cormac what's-his-name, but she'd have to pick one…

"Um—" she stalls, before someone interrupts her.

"She was with me." Lavender appears on Hermione's other side and smiles at Ginny. "Turns out that guy from the bar was the worst, so we went to my room so he wouldn't know where she was sleeping."

Hermione releases an audible sigh of relief, which Ginny mistakes as disgust.

"Ugh, I hate men," she says. "Except Harry, of course."

"Yeah. Men are the worst," says Lavender, and Hermione watches her gaze shift momentarily toward Ron and the boys.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," says Ginny. "All you wanted was a fun night out, and for some bloke to try and take advantage of you? I should have stuck by your side."

Feeling guilty, Hermione waves off her condolences — she had a great night last night, and wishes she didn't have to lie to Ginny. But alas, 'I shagged your brother!' isn't what most brides want to hear from a bridesmaid at their hen party.

The doors to The Slug Club open, and the bouncer waves them through, which absolves Hermione of the need to change the subject. Perfect timing.

Ginny skips toward the door to meet up with Harry, and Hermione turns to Lavender.

"Thanks for covering for me. I appreciate it."

Lavender nods but doesn't smile. "No problem. And for the record, I don't want details."

"Wasn't going to offer any," she returns, glancing at Lavender to discover she's watching the doorway, where Ron is passing through. He's still laughing and joking with the boys, and his eyes are bright and elated.

Looking back at Lavender brings a pang of sympathy. It's obvious by her expression that her mind is working a mile-a-minute to process the bittersweet emotion of seeing him so happy. Ron's laughter is contagious enough to bring a smile to Lavender's face, but it doesn't reflect in her eyes. Maybe it would if it had been her, not Hermione, that made Ron feel that way.

"Are you okay?" asks Hermione, even though she already knows the answer.

"Yes," says Lavender, meeting Hermione's gaze. They share a look of understanding, silently agreeing not to call out her lie. "Just don't hurt him."

Hermione looks back to Ron, catching his smiling face once more before he disappears into The Slug Club. She knows that neither of them can promise not to hurt the other, but something in her gut tells her that won't be the case.

Passing through the doors feels like entering a different world entirely. The venue appears much bigger on the inside than the outside suggested. She scans the room, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activities within reach. On one end, there's a dance floor, a glistening swimming pool, and a casino guarded by a fake willow tree. On the other end, there's a karaoke bar, a series of thrill rides that shouldn't fit inside the space and an elaborate miniature golf course made to look like a hedge maze. On closer inspection, it appears that each obstacle is guarded by a mythical creature — partiers laugh and point their clubs at talking sphinxes, dragons, and merpeople.

"Hey beautiful," Ron whispers in her ear, and his sudden appearance causes Hermione to jump.

"Hey," she croaks back; her voice catches in her throat, but the familiarity of his cologne soothes her rising heart rate. "I should start the tab."

"You're cute when you're flustered," he says, smirking.

Her cheeks heat up, and Ron chuckles with amusement. Hermione glances around to check if they've caught the attention of anyone in their party, but it seems like the grandiosity of The Slug Club is the perfect distraction. They've decided to keep the details of their relationship quiet for now, so as to not draw focus away from Harry and Ginny, but the way Hermione's body reacts to everything Ron says or does today might prove that difficult.

"Yes. The tab," says Hermione, feeling the weight of her wallet in her purse. She'd agreed to cover the bar tab for Ginny's party, but that doesn't mean she's ready to hand over her credit card to a stranger tending the bar, and let the coins fall where they may. She feels a little better when she lays her eyes on a familiar face at the bar. "Rosmerta?"

The blonde bartender smiles at Hermione. "Hey there!"

"You work here too?"

"Yes ma'am," she says, "and, please tell me you ditched that asshat from last night."

Hermione laughs, thankful that Rosmerta doesn't harbor any hard feelings toward her based on Cormac's behavior the night before. "Don't worry, he's long gone."

"Good. Ginger's better looking anyway."

"I agree," says Hermione, chancing a look at Ron. His ears turn pink, and Hermione hopes she hasn't embarrassed him.

"Would you two like something to drink?" asks Rosmerta.

"Actually, I'd like to start a tab," says Hermione.

"Under what name?"

"Harry and Ginny. It's for their entire wedding party," she says, wincing as she hands over her credit card.

"That's very generous of you," says Rosmerta. Tugging Hermione's card from her resisting fingers requires a little extra force.

Observing the interaction, Ron fishes into his pocket for his wallet.

"Can you split the tabs over two cards?" he asks, sliding his credit card across the bar to Rosmerta.

Hermione turns to him to protest. "You don't have to—"

"I want to!" he interrupts.

"I budgeted for this night," says Hermione.

"And have you seen how much these boys can drink? Let me split it with you."

The look in his eye tells Hermione there's no point in arguing with him, and she doesn't want to insult his pride. "Fine."

"Thank you, Rosmerta," says Ron.

"You're very welcome, handsome!"

Ron flushes at her comment but immediately directs his attention back to Hermione, flashing his adorably lopsided smile. Hearing another woman call him handsome, even non-threateningly, makes Hermione want to sidle up next to him and reach for his hand, something that would show the world he's hers. The fact that they agreed not to engage in any public displays of affection makes it all the more tempting.

Unfortunately, Ron and Hermione have also agreed to refrain from drinking tonight. It makes sense to have a few people thinking clearly in the group, just in case things get out of hand.

"Well, Hermione," asks Ron. "What should we do?"

Their friends seem to be drawn into the miniature golf course, and Harry, holding two clubs, waves them over.

"I guess that settles it," says Ron,

The walk toward the miniature golf course feels a mile long, especially in front of their friends. She knows that apart from Lavender, everyone's oblivious to their relationship, but their watchful eyes still feel like scrutiny. Once again, Hermione wonders how much distance there should be between two platonic friends walking together. The distracted chatter grows louder as they approach, which quiets her worries, and by the time they join, the group has already begun a round of golf, and is no longer paying them any attention.

"I bet you a drink that I can get a hole in one," says Ron, reaching for two putters. He hands one to her and casually bumps his shoulder against hers, sending a tingle down her spine. His confidence makes her nervous. Is she always this awkward?

"Didn't you want to stay sober tonight?" asks Hermione, silently hoping that he backtracks on their agreement. She could use the calming effect of a cocktail right now.

"Yep. But the drink can be any night."

"Deal," she says, taking the golf club from his extended hand, and knowing full well she'll probably be buying him, and herself, a drink later.

They follow behind the rest of the party, taking turns putting for the first few obstacles. Neither of them are any good, and they only get progressively worse as they continue further into the course. Someone's always heading back to the bar to replenish everyone's, save for Ron and Hermione's, drinks, and after a while, Hermione's too caught up watching everyone loosen up to think about the running tab.

Ron and Hermione continue to keep a safe distance apart, but as everyone else continues to drink, she questions how necessary it is. Harry and Ginny only have eyes for each other; Dean, Neville, and Seamus are in their own world, and Luna, Demelza and Lavender are quickly becoming too tipsy to pay any mind to Ron and Hermione, opting instead to try and attract the attention of a nearby group of men.

Everyone is equally terrible at miniature golf, but as time passes, and blood alcohol levels climb, Ron and Hermione start to look pretty good by comparison. The drunker everyone gets, the more affectionate they become, celebrating completed obstacles with high-fives, which turn into hugs, and then to kisses on cheeks. When Ginny jumps on Harry's back, Lavender and Demelza lock their arms around each other, and Dean picks up Seamus to carry him to the next hole, Hermione considers inching closer to Ron. No one would even notice, would they?

Hermione hits her next golf ball way off course, and it plunks down into a moat. Ron laughs.

"Wow, you're really terrible at this. Have you ever played before?"

She scoffs at him with mock indignation. "Hey!" she says, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "But no, I can't say I play much miniature golf."

"I guess I should show you how to swing," he says, taking a step closer to her. She scans for anyone's eyes on them.

"That's not really necessary," she says, and Ron grins at the suggestive tone of her voice.

"It's definitely not necessary."

She places another golf ball in the lane, and Ron positions himself behind her. He wraps his arms around her sides and grips her hands over the club. His hips press against her backside, and his body's instantaneous reaction suggests that keeping his distance from her is just as difficult for him too.

"So much for keeping our hands off each other," she whispers to him.

"No one's watching right now," he whispers back. "Plus, I'm just showing you how to hold a club. This is perfectly innocent."

Hermione presses her hips back against him, and he groans. Perfectly innocent.

"Is this right?" she asks.

"Fuck, yeah, it is."

Hermione can't help but laugh as Ron guides her club into a swing, then reluctantly pushes herself away from him. The longer they stay pressed together like that, the more likely they are to draw attention to themselves. He looks pained at first, but his expression turns smug when her golf ball sinks into the center hole on the first putt.

"Ha! You owe me a drink," he says.

"What are you talking about? That was my hit!" she argues back. "You owe me one."

"Okay," he says, smiling. "It's a win for me either way."

They lock eyes, and Hermione is tempted to give in and kiss him. His face is so close to hers, and would anyone really notice a short and sweet kiss?

Someone behind them clears their throat, and Hermione stiffens, only relaxing when she turns to see a couple she doesn't know. "Are you two almost done?"

"Erm, yeah. We are," says Ron hurriedly. "Sorry 'bout that." His face shines red, and they rush to clear the course.

Their friends seem to have disappeared, which nearly sends Hermione into a panic, but one glance around the club reveals they've just dispersed to their own activities. Seamus and Dean are now at the bar, Luna and Neville are off in a corner admiring an indoor garden, Ginny is cheering Harry on at one of the slot machines outside the casino, and Lavender and Demelza have taken to the stage for karaoke. Hermione smiles as the girls dance along to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' — Lavender's enjoyment looks genuine, and it eases some of her dormant guilt for being with Ron.

Lavender and Demelza's voices grow quieter as Ron and Hermione approach the other side of the club, where the lights are darker, and a thick crowd is growing on a dance floor, bouncing to the music produced by an eccentrically-dressed DJ.

"Come and dance?" asks Ron, raising an eyebrow at her.

"In front of everyone? Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asks, but reaches for his outstretched hand anyway.

"The best idea," he says, tugging her toward the middle of the dance floor, where they'll be obscured from view. "It's just a dance. It's not like I'm asking for a snog." His voice lowers as he pulls her body close to his, and Hermione senses a touch of irony in his response. In a way, it sounds like he is asking for a snog.

"So as long as we don't snog, this is perfectly innocent?" To test the waters, she shifts closer, letting her lips brush against his neck as she speaks. His resulting shiver makes her smile.

"No, I guess not," he says. "But only because I won't be able to keep my hands off of you." As if to prove his point, his hands shift to her lower back, dangerously close to non-innocent territory.

"You're insatiable."

"I know."

Even though the music is quick and upbeat, Ron and Hermione remain intertwined on the dance floor, swaying slowly, almost daring each other not to kiss. Hermione's earlier anxiety about interacting with Ron while sober seems so far away — being with him feels natural, as if they've been together forever. It doesn't make sense; her feelings are too advanced, considering she barely knows him.

She thinks back to her very first sober interaction with him. She had just broken up with Viktor a few months prior, and her self-confidence was at an all-time low. When they met for coffee back in England to go over logistics for this trip, her immediate reaction was to push him away, and it was no surprise that she left with a negative impression. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way. That day, Hermione watched everything he did and picked apart everything he said, attempting to convince herself that he was insufferable because then it wouldn't matter if he thought the same thing about her.

From the beginning, she tried to sabotage this. It makes sense — in relationships, she has to weigh the benefit of even trying. She hates failing, and love isn't like academia, which comes easily to Hermione. If she needs better exam scores, she can work harder, practice more, and simply try again. But personal pursuits are different. She learned the hard way that second chances are rare, and first impressions are everything. People are unpredictable, and failure is personal. It's not like studying harder will make someone love her.

Maybe that's why she looks for the worst in people — because that's what she decides to show them first. If she doesn't try to attract a man, it won't hurt when she winds up alone. She can blame it on her lack of effort, rather than her personality, her looks, or anything else on her laundry list of personal shortcomings.

Just as tears sting her eyes, Ron's arms wrap more tightly around her body, and his lips press against her forehead. His embrace feels secure, protective, even loving. Her heart fills for him, and she's finally fully aware of how deep her emotions run. Somewhere in the mess of the last few days, her defenses melted away, and she fell hard for this man. Despite her efforts to push him away, she wound up married to him.

She's always had a lot of questions about love; how long does it take? What does it look like? Is it a noun or a verb, something she's supposed to feel, or just do? Maybe it's more simple than that. At the moment, all she knows is that if things fell apart now, she'd be devastated, and she'd kick herself for not trying harder. She can't imagine not trying at all.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks.

She winces at his question.

Ron pulls away to turn her face toward his. A look of concern crosses his eyes as he wipes a loose tear from her cheek. "Are you okay?"

Hermione nods and averts her eyes.

"I don't believe you," he says. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" His voice is calm and unwavering.

"Yeah, I know." Her grip around his neck loosens so her arms hang comfortably. She wants to see his full face.

"So, what's on your mind?" he asks, raising an eyebrow, "Wifey?"

And there it is again — a swarm of butterflies unleash in her stomach at his playful words, his goofy smile, and the genuine tender expression on his face.

Hermione's always been the analytical type, never doing anything without thinking through the consequences, or giving emotions more mind than logic. But this week has offered a reprieve from her cautious, methodical side. It would be easy to convince herself that Vegas-Hermione isn't really her, but that wouldn't feel honest. In Vegas, she's more honest than she's ever been.

She meets Ron's curious gaze with confidence. London-Hermione would probably run away right now, not daring to speak what's on her mind, instead choosing to sabotage it all. But, London-Hermione probably isn't qualified to give relationship advice.

And deep down, she knows how she feels about this man, even though the truth is completely insane. But so is marrying someone she just met, and that ship has already sailed. Now she has an opportunity to let him in fully; if she wants to.

Her heart is telling her to take a giant leap and go for it, but her mind…

Well, her mind is still in London.

"I'm probably mental for saying this," she begins, her voice soft and careful, "but I think I'm falling in love with you."

As soon as the words slip out, her heart starts pounding in her chest. She averts her eyes, unwilling to watch his reaction to her admission.

He doesn't respond right away, and every second that passes cuts like a dagger to her heart. What a stupid thing to say, she thinks, panicking. They've barely been together for twenty-four hours, and she's probably freaked him out.

Ron squeezes her arm, encouraging her to look him in the eye. She meets his ocean eyes with trepidation, and isn't sure how to feel when his ears are fiery red, and his expression is one of pure shock. He looks like a frozen computer, unable to process her confession.

Fuck. Her palms break out in sweat, her eyes well with tears, and her stomach sinks. She should have kept her mouth shut.

But then he beams at her. "Well, Hermione, you might be falling in love, but I jumped. Flung myself off that cliff. So, I guess that makes us both mental."

She has no words, but relief sweeps over her body, and she blinks the tears from her eyes. Ron pulls her into another embrace, and her head fits perfectly into the crook of his neck. He rests his chin on the top of her head, and for the next few moments, they're the only people in the room.

Did they really just say that to each other?

"Are you serious?" she asks, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Yes. I'm serious."

She smiles from both elation, and the fact that they're definitely, completely mental. Who brings up love so soon? It's Barmy. Insane. Crazy.

But it's also Las Vegas, and if there's something Hermione's learned from her time in this town, it's that life is better with a little bit of crazy.

[tonystarkbingo]

3 Prompt Summaries Game

reunions, masks, body worship - suggested by @polizwrites

@polizwrites - Now that Rhodey was full time military, Tony hadn’t seen him  in months.  They  made plans to meet up in Key West  during Fantasy Fest  —  wearing masks (and very little else), they could finally indulge  their own fantasy of being a couple in public.

@psychiccatpanda - Rhodey took the kids trick-or-treating on his own because Tony had been called away on business again.  When they get back, Tony's home and has set the place up for a Halloween party for the kids and their friends. When the kids' friends go home and the lights go down, Rhodey takes his time welcoming his husband home.

@somesortofitalianroast - It was 5 years since Steve Rogers had last seen Bucky Barnes, when Barnes left in the middle of the night after they had sex for the first time, leaving the country the next day for a lucrative job, and Steve heartbroken. It had been several years since Steve had thought of Barnes, though he’d recognize the man anywhere, even behind a domino mask at a masquerade ball. Just seeing Barnes made his blood boil, and he wanted to charge across the ballroom, slap the man silly, and then worship every inch of the man’s body. Too bad he was at the ball with clients and there was no way he could do that without losing a very important contract.

@darthbloodorange - (ShrunkyClunks) - He waits in the shadows of an old warehouse, a mask obscuring his identity. No one could know he was here; not only would his reputation be tarnished, but that of the Avengers as their leader. But there was something about the dark assassin that drew him in. Barnes treated him like no other in this world. Treasured him, possessed him, worshipped him. Not like a hero as the world did, but as a man and lover.

Keep reading for lots more!

cookies, mermaid, dancing - suggested by @somesortofitalianroast

@somesortofitalianroast - Darcy didn’t bake for the Avengers all the time, and she never made her mermaid cookies, since they were complicated and she needed to pay attention to the details when icing them with fancy icing. So it was a big deal when she made them, the sort of thing that made you want to dance in the kitchen.

@gavilansblog - Luca AU where Tony introduces mer-people Steve and Bucky to cookies and dancing

@deehellcat - Morgan's eighth birthday party featured a mermaid theme, cookies with sparkly decorations, and dancing.

@psychiccatpanda - Bucky Barnes never dreamed he'd ever be put in charge of kids.  Who'd want the Winter Soldier for a babysitter?  But this little girl - Tony Stark's little girl - stared up at him, waiting for a reply.

He was pretty sure the last time he'd been this nervous was when he came back to the States after Wakanda.  "Yeah, we can do that.  Sounds like fun."

Which was how he found himself not-quite elbows deep in blue-green frosting for the ocean reef cookies they had baked (that he had baked) while Morgan spun around the kitchen dancing in her mermaid costume.

@lbibliophile-mcu - Tony looks at the tray of raw cookies in dismay. Whoever had designed the mermaid cookie cutter clearly had no concept of the baking skill of the average parent. 

He had managed to press out all the pictures without causing more damage than the occasional lost arm or misshapen head (and a couple of 'defective' cookies are always required for taste-testing straight out of the oven). But the process of transferring the cookies from the bench to the tray had caused the raw dough to stretch and fold and tear; leaving figures better described as some sort of vaguely-humanoid aquatic eldritch horror... 

Impatient, Morgan clambers onto her stool and gasps in delight. "Look, Daddy! The mermaids are dancing!"

@darthbloodorange - (Thundershield) - Thor set out on his boat to the middle of the lake. A smile on his face and a song on his lips. People feared the lake and the creatures that dwelled within. He didn't see why. Peering over the edge of the boat, he watched the mermaids dance. His eyes drawn to one in particular; the blond with the silvery-blue tail. He unwraps the cookies and sets them on the edge of his boat, hoping to draw the merman close again.

picnic, dragon, promises - suggested by @psychiccatpanda

@deehellcat - Steve and Bucky slip away from the village every chance they get to spend time together. Their favorite place to picnic is perilously close to a rumored dragon's lair, but they dare it for its beauty. imagine their surprise when one night as they stargaze and promise forever to each other, a dark shadow flies overhead then lands nearby. It's the legendary dragon, who greets them and offers to witness their solemn vows. (spoiler alert, the dragon is Tony, and I'm not sure what his relationship to them would end up being.)

@psychiccatpanda - Tony hated picnics.  He'd been on so many for photo shoots with his mom and Howard, then for Stark Industries, and the occasional summer charity event.  Picnics sucked.  There was either too much sun or not enough, not to mention bugs, screaming kids, or other couples making out. 

"You promised, Tony," the love of his life reminded him.  "And I got you a surprise." The surprise was a kite in the shape of a dragon. Suddenly, the day was looking better.

@somesortofitalianroast - Steve was walking to a picnic on the beach when he found a baby dragon, abandoned on the side of the road. He picked it up, intending to take it to the local fantasy animal shelter, but as soon as he touched it, he knew he would never be able to let it go. Which is why he was standing on the dunes, murmuring promises to the dragon in his arms.

@rebelmeg -  pepper sighed.  "tony, you promised you were gonna stop doing that." pointedly looking away from her, the red and gold dragon roughly the size of a large dog pointedly opened his mouth, and stuffed the donut hooked on his claw inside.  puffs of smoke emitted from his nostrils and he chuckled in a rough, growly way when a sandwich in a baggie smacked him in the back of the head. 

"we're never going on a picnic when you're shifted again, this is ridiculous."

@darthbloodorange - (Stucky, Fantasy AU) - Steve walks up to the den of the dragon; his once best friend and lover. Baskets of meat in hand, and his heart weighted heavily in his chest. He'd kept his promise for over 70 years, and he wasn't about to break it now. "Bucky, it's me. I know you remember me. You're in there somewhere, I feel it," he says in his elvish tongue. Within the den comes a mighty roar, seeming to shake the very core of the mountain. But Steve is not dissuaded.

bread, defenestration, jingle - suggested by @rebelmeg

@rebelmeg - standing at the window and very calmly eating her sandwich, natasha watched as clint climbed out of the bushes underneath and went streaking for the street, where an ice cream truck was driving past.  the second he'd heard the jingly song, the idiot had flung his own sandwich in the air and literally dove out the window.  wondering if he'd realize he didn't have any money on him, nat smirked.

@psychiccatpanda - (WinterIronHawk implied) To be fair, Clint had not thought about 'costume integrity' or the fact that the Christmas elf pajamas did not count for much in the way of bodily protection.  On the other hand, though, he'd just been planning on eating as much of the freshly baked panettone bread as Bucky let him get away with while they waited for Tony to get home.  Getting thrown through the  window of Tony's Malibu house by some Hydra experiment had not been on his radar at all. (Not Bucky - to be completely clear, he was cute and Clint didn't think mean things about people who baked him a nigh-endless quantity of sweets.)  At least he managed to keep the hat with its little bell that jingled cheerfully as Clint sailed through the air.

@darthbloodorange - Stony (probably a 5+1 fic) - Tony frowns as the familiar jingle of his phone drew him away from kneading his sourdough. He groans when he sees who it was that was calling. He nearly doesn't answer, but Barnes almost never calls, so curiosity gets the better of him. "Stark," the man greets, voice as gruff as ever. "What do you want?" he grumbles. "Arm's acting up again. Accidently threw your husband out a window. He's hanging on about the 26th floor? Thought you should know." "Damn it!" Tony cries, armour assembling around him quickly. He wishes this was the first time Barnes' arm had thrown an Avenger out the window... but it wasn't.

@lbibliophile-mcu - Tony likes bread as much as the next guy, but he is this close to swearing off the stuff entirely. He tenses as Clint moves behind him, his humming looping into yet another round of the jingle for the local bakery. He snaps. "Clint! If I hear another note I swear I will throw you out this window! And not send the suit after you." Clint grins, opens his mouth and... shuts it again. Silent.

Werewolves, Gardening, Hurt/Comfort - suggested by @darthbloodorange​

@somesortofitalianroast - (preserum!steve/werewolf!bucky) When he moved into the house, Steve was looking forward to growing a garden, with a large vegetable patch, all the herbs, and some flowers for the colors. He wasn’t expecting to get overheated. He certainly wasn’t expecting the werewolf to bound out of the woods to take care of him. He’d think he imagined the entire thing, except the werewolf stuck around. Still taking care of him.

@tehroserose - Steve and Tony had retreated into the woods. Obadiah had taken over Tony's birthright, and Hydra had encroached on Steve's home of Brooklyn. They met there, and lived off their wits. Tony did most of the smithing for the various exiles, while Steve gardened vegetables that were rare and valuable. They were content, and while they wished they could save their homelands, there was no real hope of doing so. No hope until one night, when Steve was doing one last check of the garden before going to sleep, he found a big, bleeding wolf.

@rebelmeg - "right here, honey," pepper pointed to a spot in the dirt, and tony padded over, pawing at the spot a few times before starting to dig.  "yep, that's enough." she stopped him when the hole was deep enough, then held out a hand for the flower morgan had cupped in her hands, cradling the ball of roots and dirt with care.  "see, now it's perfect!  you wanna take a ride on daddy now, morgan?  i  think he's getting bored with gardening."

"yeah!"  morgan jumped up with a shout, and scrambled up onto the werewolf's back with no problems.  "go, daddy, go!" with a woof, tony took off at a run, morgan holding tight to his fur as she giggled, and pepper smiled as she watched them.  tony hated going through a transformation during the full moon, the pain of it pretty extreme, but they'd found a lot of ways to make up for it.

@psychiccatpanda - Tony had avoided Barnes since Steve had brought him to the compound.  The werewolf had done the same.  Howard hadn't had anything good to say about weres in general, but everyone knew wolves were the worst.  It was part of the reason that part of the Avengers had been politely asked to leave Wakanda.  Opening the door to his patio, Tony caught the shine of eyes and Barnes scrambled back from what he'd been doing.  Tony scanned the patio and only saw a trowel, some loose dirt, and a flat of plants - wolfsbane. "Doesn't that stuff give you blisters or something?" Tony asked, knowing that it was probably true.  "How about you come in and wash your hands and tell me what you're up to."

@darthbloodorange - (Ults Stony) - After Steve is infected with Lycanthropy, Tony took him to one of his parents' houses out in the country. Everyone expected Steve would get over it, given time, as he did with the vampirism. But the lycanthropy sticks, appearing to have fused with the serum. While SHIELD's scientists look into a cure, Tony stays with Steve. Growing bored of the overly-manicured, emptiness that was the green fields surrounding the country house, Steve takes up gardening as his current mission. Tony watches, completely enthralled, as Steve slowly transforms the area around the house.

letter, basket, book - suggested by @rebelmeg

@jamesbuckystark - Someone left a basket on Tony's doorstep containing a book, a map, and a magnifying glass. Inside the book was a letter dated 1942. He's curious to find out what this means

@tehroserose - Morgan put down the letter. It was the last one. Her father had written her one for every birthday and potential special occasion. This one was for when she became a mother. She couldn't have them hidden away, they were on a basket on her dresser in her room, but that didn't make them any less bittersweet. He left her behind. To save the world, but he had left her. 

 She went to sit in the rocking chair next to her child's crib and began to read the children's story her mother had allowed all those years ago. "Iron Man and the End of Thanos". Any children she had would know their grandfather.

@somesortofitalianroast - When Bucky decided to become a librarian, he thought it would give him access to all the books all the time, in exchange for maybe some shelving. He didn’t realize how much work went into collections development and management, nor how much time was spent looking books up for patrons on their own system when asked if the library had a particular book. Boring and frustrating. He just had to stick it out until he paid off the worst of his student loans. Until the day the letter arrived on his desk, sitting next to a gift basket from a local fancy food store. A letter letting him know that the gift basket was from his secret admirer.

@jacarandabanyan - After waking from the ice, Steve took to reading voraciously to catch up on what he'd missed. Despite Tony's offers, he never did come around to a screen reader, though, and instead opted to keep a pile of books on his bedside table. When the pile of books got too big, he had a whicker basket to put the overflow in. 

 Tony feels like the two of them can't have a conversation outside the heat of battle without devolving into arguments and personal attacks, so he takes to slipping notes into Steve's books. Over time, the notes get longer and longer, until it would be more proper to call them letters than notes.

@rebelmeg - tiny!tony is digging through a basket of new books the jarvises got him, a mix of kids books and textbooks and novels.  as he digs, one of the books falls open, and out falls an envelope.  the letter inside seems to be written in code... but he's also pretty sure that's his mama's handwriting.  a grin spreading across his face, he sits down next to the basket and starts working out the code.

@darthbloodorange - (Stucky? Witch/Fantasy AU?) - Steve sits in his chair by the window and opens his favourite book. With careful hands, he pulls out the letter from his mother, which he'd been using as a bookmark, and carries on where he'd left off. Library, his familiar, jumps from her basket into his lap and curls up, butting her head against his hands. Despite the warmth and happiness he felt here, it wasn't complete. A part will always be missing until Bucky returns.

@psychiccatpanda - Whoever had suggested they stay at this rickety, 'quaint' seaside hotel had apparently never seen any island murder movies ever, Tony thought with disgust.  The wood floors creaked and the building made weird noises at night.  Combined with the crashing waves, it was not what Tony called relaxing.  Somebody knocked and Tony assumed it was the room service snack he'd ordered.  Instead, he found a basket with a book tucked inside.  Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

"That's not ominous," Tony muttered to himself, flipping through the pages. Then he saw the letter tucked inside.

[hd-wireless]

🎶 H/D WIRELESS FEST - ANONYMOUS MASTERLIST 🎶

Welcome to our H/D Wireless Anon Set List Masterlist!

With this we want to say THANK YOU to all the creators, readers, and lovers of H/D Wireless! We're overwhelmed by your creativity and support for everyone! We had a mind blowing year with:

33 Days, 50 Fics, 8 Artworks, 6 Art and fic combos 64 WORKS IN TOTAL!

AND 740,337 WORDS! CAN YOU BELIEEEEVE?

Which makes this the largest H/D Wireless Fest EVER! We are just blown away by all the musically inspired creations people have made this year.

Take this week to catch up on the creations, listen to the playlists, and just generally dance around your living room to your hearts content!

🎙️ Check out the Playlists:

Youtube

Spotify

🎶 H/D Wireless Art 🎶

📻 Stuck on the Bridge Between Us (G) 

🎵 Song prompt: Talk Me Down by Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: finding the courage within themselves to be vulnerable, so they can stop hurting the other and start loving each other as they so deeply want and need to

📻  So Let's Dance, Take a Chance, Understand Me (T) 

🎵 Song prompt: T.Rex, Get It On

🎵 Summary: The War is over and everything has changed.

After a few of years of travelling around the world, Harry decided to move to Muggle London, looking for peace and a place where the scar on his forehead doesn’t have a meaning. His new flat is in a perfectly normal neighbourhood close to the centre, quiet during the day but full of students at night. He really likes the small bar down the road, a place that serves cheap, awful drinks and plays good old classics. It’s always crammed with people talking, laughing or dancing along with the riff of electric guitars. From the first time he crossed the threshold, Harry thought it was perfect, the right mix of noise and warmth to be alone without feeling alone. Just what he needed. He couldn’t imagine that someone else was there for the very same reason, looking for a place where the Dark Mark was only a tattoo. Blame it on the alcohol, on the music or whatever you want, but when Harry’s eyes landed on Draco’s slim figure, swaying on the dancefloor, something warm and inexplicable possessed him. 

📻  The Pass (T) 

🎵 Song prompt: Prompt 98: The Pass, by Rush

🎵 Summary: Draco, lost in darkness, seeks a guiding light.

📻  If you knew… (T) 

🎵 Song prompt: Young Folks from Peter Bjorn and John

🎵 Summary: The war had left scars on all of them. Some were obvious. Some only if they looked closely. But the worst ones were those they couldn't see. Those that were hidden inside.

📻  an ode to the boy i love (G) 

🎵 Song prompt: Animal - Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: an evocation of vulnerability, trust and tenderness

📻  Home Sweet Home (G)

🎵Song prompt: Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

🎵 Summary: In the middle of a Zombie apocalypse Harry made it his main goal to find a safe home for Draco and himself.

📻  Turn back time (T)  

🎵 Song prompt: If I Could Turn Back Time - Cher

🎵 Summary: Draco's had a rough few years, if that's what you call falling in with a bad lot, attempted murder and a close brush with death. Now facing the weight of his misdeeds, Draco tries to pinpoint when it all went wrong.

📻  Time to Get Out (T)  

🎵 Song prompt: My House - PVRIS

🎵 Summary: A few years post-war, Pansy convinces Draco to go on a night out at a muggle club. They run into some familiar faces.

🎶 H/D Wireless Art and Fic 🎶

📻  A Different Kind of Meaning (E, 17k)

🎵 Song prompt: Outnumbered - Dermot Kennedy

🎵 Summary: The ceiling doesn't hold any answers, but there are cobwebs scattered across the corners with shadows tangled in their threads. The rug against his back is rough and scratchy, threadbare and devoid of colours other than various shades of brown. Harry takes it all in, absorbs the dingy and depressed state of his home. There's a pointed moment of decision, a note about to be played, a silence about to end, and then he rolls to his feet and sets to cleaning.

It's the first constructive thing he's done in years. 

📻  Keep Holding On (M, 33k)

🎵 Song prompt: Welshly Arms - Sanctuary

🎵 Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry and Draco both fall into their own battles with their mental states. Draco is sent to Azkaban, and Harry turns to drinking, hoping to forget.

Months later, Harry visits St Mungo’s new ward on request of a friend, only to find Draco in a deep vegetative state.

Not willing to give him up, Harry stays by his side, while simultaneously dealing with the Ministry's newest grand idea to make everything worse.

Making new alleys, and losing old ones on the way, would hopefully be worth it in the end.

📻 Fic : Modern Love (E, 61k)

📻 Art : Our Love Song (G)

🎵 Song prompt: Modern Love by David Bowie

🎵 Fic summary: Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

And it really doesn’t seem fair that Draco Malfoy is back in Harry’s life, all of a sudden, and even though he’s wandless, and living with Muggles, and making his mother cry with his lifestyle choices, he’s happy. So what's he doing right, that Harry isn’t?

Because things don’t really change, do they? And if Harry can’t be happy, he’ll settle for a good night’s sleep, some posh antiques, and the opportunity to find out what Malfoy has been up to for all these years.

And that’s what starts it all.  

🎵 Art summary: Harry and Draco enjoying a Sunday morning bus ride in London.

📻  For the Thousandth Time (T, 14k)

🎵 Song Prompt: Lucky by Aurora

🎵 Summary: When Draco's wand refuses to work after the war, he turns to Harry for help. 

📻 Fic : Returning Tides (E, 24.5k)

📻 Art : Love Will Tear Us Apart (G)

🎵 Song prompt: Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division 

🎵 Fic summary: Is my timing that flawed? Our respect run so dry? Yet there's still this appeal That we've kept through our lives

🎵 Art summary: Art piece to accompany the fic ‘Returning Tides’, based on the song claim, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division ***** Harry's brooding while straddling a motorbike. Need I say more?

📻  That Sweet Sweet Craving (E, 33.2k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons 

🎵 Summary: Harry is miserable living a lie because he thinks being a gay role model is wrong. Fake dates raising money for a charity that ends up putting him in a situation he had never expected. Draco Malfoy appears back in his life by some odd chance trying to flip his world upside down and he isn't sure it's a good thing. Malfoy always worked that way to him. Mental health issues, sex, escaping, and that sweet sweet craving of happiness.

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻  Follow the Water (T, 38.2k)

🎵 Song prompt: “Follow the Water” by Calexico/Iron & Wine

🎵 Summary: Harry Potter’s life is fine. Maybe a little dull and predictable, but he shouldn’t complain about that, right? When he unexpectedly finds himself at Luna’s house one afternoon, Harry gets invited to join the secret wonderland that she’s creating with a surprising group of friends. Maybe a summer outdoors is just what a former hero needs to bring some zest back into his life.

📻  Life goes not backward (T, 8.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: Daughter by Loudon Wainwright

🎵 Summary: Harry still isn’t used to gifts, but this one is different.

A story of coming home, finding safe ground, and the wild courage of putting down roots.

Leaving one life behind isn’t always a sacrifice, and sometimes the greatest good comes from embracing the people you love. 

📻  The Way We Used To Love (E, 5.3k)

🎵 Song prompt: 'Used to Love' by Martin Garrix & Dean Lewis

🎵 Summary: Is there hope when what is not enough for the one happens to be too much for the other? 

📻  but if you close your eyes (T, 3.3k)

🎵 Song prompt: Pompeii by Bastille

🎵 Summary: The New Magic Order is trying to take over Wizarding Britain. They're not the Death Eaters, but they're not any better either.

The lines of alliance have shifted, but Harry is still on the front lines working tirelessly to stop them.

📻  Haunt the corner of my eye (T, 23k)

🎵 Song prompt: Echoes of You - Marianas Trench

🎵 Summary: Harry’s life is very much on track. After a successful career as an Auror, he’s set to become the youngest ever Minister for Magic. But strange things are starting to happen at Grimmauld Place. Items he doesn’t recognise are appearing left and right, and somehow he never feels quite alone. There’s only one thing Harry knows for sure: it has something to do with Draco Malfoy.

📻  Lookalike (M, 1.4k)

🎵 Song prompt: 'Lookalike' by Conan Gray 

🎵 Summary: When you look in his eyes, Do you think of mine? And when you look at that smile, Do I cross your mind? I know in your head You see me instead 'Cause he looks a lot like I did back then Baby, don't lie, He's just a lookalike... ©

📻  Now that the spring is in the air (T, 5.7k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Seasons in the Sun by Westlife

🎵 Summary: A surprise attack in Diagon Alley leaves Draco struggling to make peace with the fact that he won't live long enough to experience his own wedding.

📻  Seven Days to Monday (M, 11.7k)

🎵 Song prompt: Say Something - A Great Big World

🎵 Summary: There are seven days before Harry has to meet Draco for the final signing of their divorce papers. It's been months and the surprise at finding nothing but more cold sheets and an empty pillow next to him still catches Harry unaware. He doesn't know where they go from here. Whether it's possible to go anywhere after everything that's happened between them.

📻  Blond Brew (E, 30.4k)

🎵 Song prompt: “Blondes” by Waterparks

🎵 Summary: A blond roast with soy milk makes Draco's morning, but a pair of green eyes makes his week.

📻  A Series of Nonsensical Events (T, 12.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: My Gospel by Charlie Puth

🎵 Summary: Malfoy is up to something. When Harry and the other Aurors are called into a Gringotts break-in and find him the culprit, Harry’s at a total loss. But things only get weirder from then on.

📻  Ignore the Truth (E, 2.6k)

🎵 Song prompt: Dangerously - Charlie Puth

🎵 Summary: "Longtime on-again-off-again lovers Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were caught in a compromising position in one the Ministry's lifts yesterday evening. While fans of the couple are optimistic, there's still doubt as to whether or not this particular reconciliation will last. When asked directly about the nature of his relationship with Draco Malfoy, the Boy Who Lived had simply this to say, 'Fuck right off, we're busy.'"

- The Daily Prophet, "Love Is In The Air," 28th Oct. 2005.   

📻  Your Daddy Knows (You're A Flame) (E, 27.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: Babyfather by Sade (2010)

🎵 Summary: It's just over a week until Draco's twenty-fifth birthday party and Harry Potter is a busy wizard. Amongst all the excitements of fatherhood, work and friends, Harry realises something special about his husband Draco. He is pregnant with their second, much wanted baby.

There's only one problem: Draco is entirely oblivious to the fact and seems determined to remain so. 

📻  Don't search me in here (E, 6.7k)

🎵 Song prompt: Gone - Charlie XCX & Christine and the Queens

🎵 Summary: Draco spotted him in a corner, crowded by Ministry employees. He looked like an animal, trapped in a cage. He had a strained smile on his , and his eyes were looking everywhere else than on the people in front of him.

Draco can’t quite help himself, watching Potter from afar. Just out of curiosity, of course. He’s happy with his life, nothing is missing, and if he’s lonely it’s entirely by choice. 

📻  I Can Be Your Lighthouse (T, 4k)

🎵 Song prompt: The Lighthouse by The Used

🎵 Summary: When Harry gets called to investigate reports of Dark magic, the last thing he expects to find is an almost unconscious Draco Malfoy. After multiple instances, he resolves to find out what's going on.

📻  Drop Everything Now (T, 21k)

🎵 Song prompt: Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

🎵 Summary: After accidentally bonding himself to Malfoy, Harry finds himself in an utterly precarious situation… 

📻  No one fucks with us (T, 3.3k)

🎵 Song prompt: NFWMB by Hozier

🎵 Summary: Draco Malfoy wonders for how long has Harry Potter been a terrifying force of nature. Harry Potter thinks Draco Malfoy has been a badass MF all along. If the world has to end so they can have some peace and quiet, be it. They'll set it on fire.

📻  Will You Stay with Me? (M, 10.2k)

🎵 Song prompt: ‘Run’ - Daughter

🎵 Summary: Ten months ago, Draco had found none other than Harry Potter blindly drunk and bleeding outside a Muggle pub. He'd brought him home and hasn't left his side ever since. He looked after him, took care of him when yet another nightmare plagued him. 

Harry is sure that Draco will leave him at some point, and he can’t let it happen. He can’t have another person leaving his life unexpectedly. So, Harry forces him to leave — after they spend one last night together.

📻  until the sun has changed the colour of my hair (T, 4.9k)

🎵 Song prompt: Jag saknar dig mindre och mindre - Melissa Horn

🎵 Summary:  Draco's life has been one big mess ever since Potter broke up with him. He doesn't want to see his friends, he's too ashamed to see his parents, and his apartment is one giant mess. He's constantly prepared for disaster, and spends his time either alone in Muggle parks or in his apartment. But one day... One beautiful day... He will forget Harry, surely.

📻  Love Found (E, 7.5k)

🎵 Song Prompt: I Found, by Amber Run

🎵 Summary: During Harry’s sixth year, Draco Malfoy joins the Order as a double-agent and continues with his task to get the Death Eaters into the castle as assigned by Voldemort. Draco succeeds with his mission the evening Harry returns from the caves with Dumbledore. The boys reunite on the Astronomy Tower and, with the Death Eater’s arrival, are forced to engage in a fight, driving Harry to come to terms with his feelings about true friendship and romantic love.

📻  On the Third Day He Took Me to the River (M, 14.4k)

🎵 Song prompt: 'Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ft. Kylie Minogue'

🎵 Summary: This is a story of two lonely young men falling in love.

This is a story about dreams and duty, about witches that give purpose to the one and doom the other.

You think you know how the story goes, but this is a different story, and it doesn't end well. 

📻  (When They Only Hear You Whisper) I'll Be Loud For You (T, 2.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: There for You - Martin Garrix/Troye Sivan

🎵 Summary: Potter must have been having nightmares again. He was restless in his bed across the room. Moonlight shone through his open bed curtains and highlighted the contours of his body, the grimace on his face blatant. His thick blanket was kicked down, one leg still covered by his twisted sheet, the musk of his sweat pungent in their small dorm. Low grunts accounted for the majority of the noise he made, but it was peppered by the occasional groan or unclear shout of words. However, ‘No,’ was always clear. Draco hated it. 

📻  The Interview (T, 17.3k)

🎵 Song prompt: Just Say Yes - Snow Patrol

🎵 Summary: One interview had Draco realizing how naïve he was for thinking he deserved Harry. 

📻  As Fascinating As a Slap Bracelet (T, 13.2k)

🎵 Song prompt: Have It All - Jason Mraz

🎵 Summary: Who would have thought that a wacky little Muggle toy would lead to an unlikely friendship between Harry and Draco? Not Harry, certainly.

Who would have thought that this friendship would bloom into something more? Well, Ron, for one. 

📻  If Sex Is the Drug, Then What Is the Cost (E, 3.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: I Almost Told You That I Loved You - Papa Roach

🎵 Summary: For quite some time, Harry has been seeing Malfoy. Well... Actually, he's hired Malfoy, to keep him company, in his bedroom. It's only sex — honestly — and since Malfoy is the best, he's the only person Harry wants. That's all it is, right? 

📻  I Grow Fonder Every Day (M, 21.6k)

🎵 Song prompt: One and Only by Adele

🎵 Summary: Draco still doesn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse, sharing a flat in Muggle London with Harry Potter.

It’s all Draco’s ever wanted — more than he’d ever wished for. And if it entails suppressing his inconvenient feelings for the man, so what? He’s perfectly happy with his life as it is, perfectly content with just having Potter close and enjoying his company.

That is, until one Friday evening at the beginning of April when the end starts. 

📻  How Can I Live Without you? (G, 2.2k)  

🎵 Song prompt: "So Far Away", by Avenged Sevenfold

🎵 Summary: After Draco's death, Harry wonders how can he live without the one he loves when he's so far away.

📻  Following the Arrow to Your Heart (E, 10.9k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran

🎵 Summary: After the war, Draco is recruited into the Department of Love (aka Cupid's Arrow). His job is to bring together witches and wizards whose magical signatures are only compatible with each others' (essentially soulmates). As they all learned during training, Cupids are chosen because they do not have soulmates.

Six years later, Draco's convinced himself that he's perfectly fine with not having a soulmate. But his latest client turns out to be Harry Potter, and he's forced to reconsider in light of his old feelings.

📻  cos I only need your name to call the reasons why I fought (T, 6.6k)  

🎵 Song prompt: War, by Poets of the Fall

🎵 Summary: Ron and Hermione leave the Horcrux hunt, leaving a hurt Harry behind.

But at least Draco is still there with him.

📻  Madness (M, 10k) 

🎵 Song prompt: House of Fun by Madness

🎵 Summary: A desperate search for contraception all around Diagon Alley.

📻  Between Myth and Man (E, 16.2k)   

🎵 Song prompt: Why'd you only call me when you're high? - Arctic Monkeys

🎵 Summary: Draco, lost and a little broken, navigates post-war reality convinced that people like him should not be allowed to make their own choices. To solve the problem of his self-sabotaging tendencies, he starts taking a few drops of Veritaserum every morning.

A story about the complexity of choices, repressed desires that come to the surface when we least expect them, and the utter hopelessness of truths built on a foundation of lies.

📻  stay awhile (stay here with me) (T, 3.1k)

🎵 Song prompt: I like me better - Lauv

🎵 Summary: "Then when?" Harry tries again. He's not sure if he really wants to see the photo or if he just wants to keep talking to Malfoy. This Malfoy, who is so different from what he was expecting. In his Muggle jeans and smartly pressed sweater, with an air of vulnerability around him that Harry isn't used to seeing, Malfoy looks approachable in a way he never has before.

Harry stops his fidgeting as Malfoy looks up to meet his eyes. Through the hum of the crowded pub, he has to strain a little to hear him. "Maybe," Malfoy starts, hesitating a little but never breaking eye contact, "one day?"

📻  All it needs is messing it up and stars (G, 5.9k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Tongue Tied by Faber Drive

🎵 Summary: After the war all the Malfoy's came off with light sentences. Now during 8th year Draco is finally free to be himself and date his crush; Harry Potter. Or at least so he thought..

A letter from his father rips that happiness away.

But maybe in the end it will take just a bit of messing up and some stars to get that happiness back.

📻  I'm gonna let it happen (E, 12.3k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Florence + The Machine - Shake it out

🎵 Summary: And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat 'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me Looking for heaven, for the devil in me Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

📻  I feel it in my bones (M, 6.3k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

🎵 Summary: Harry’s heartbeat is loud in his ears as his heart pounds in his chest. His lungs burn as he pants for air. His legs are screaming in protests as he continues to push them to their limit, forcing himself to run ever faster.

📻  Born in the U.S.A. (M, 9k)

🎵 Song prompt: I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

🎵 Summary: “You need to come home, Draco.” “What? Why? What’s wrong?” “Nothing’s wrong, I just have an opportunity for you, and you need to come home to take it.” When Draco's mother insists he comes home, he drags his feet and convinces his friends to take a road trip.

📻  just tell me when it's alright (E, 23k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Teeth, Lady Gaga

🎵 Summary: Harry’s been fighting tooth and nail for any bit of normalcy he can get his hands on. He’s sick of feeling like something’s wrong with him, tired of feeling different. He thinks he’s finally gotten to the root of it, and has settled into a routine that makes him happy. Naturally, that’s when Draco Malfoy walks back into his life and upends it once again. Has Harry bitten off more than he can chew with his former rival?

📻  The Courting by the Pureblood Who Only Has Five Milligrams of Romantic Intelligence and Thinks He’s Real Smooth (T, 19.4k)

🎵 Song prompt: Cupid - Amy Winehouse 

🎵 Summary: Draco could grab Potter and shove him into a stall before proceeding to suck his soul out of his dick, but secretly, deep down, in the part of Draco that he will never admit to anyone, he is (everyone pauses to shudder) a romantic. Potter is not someone Draco wants a one-off with. Potter is — Draco’s beloved!

So Draco decides to boldly go where no one has gone before: to put himself through scrutiny; their friends’ teasing and pranks; unsound romantic advice from a house-elf; wearing pretty clothes; all to try and win Potter’s heart through courtship.

(An unnamed ginger bastard can be heard yelling from afar: “This is actually a detailed guide on how not to court someone!”)

But who cares about the opinions of redheads? Literally no one.

📻  What Will We Do With a Drunken Harry? (E, 4.9k) 

🎵 Song prompt: "Drunken Sailor" by The Irish Rovers

🎵 Summary: A victorious Quidditch match, a claimed Quidditch Cup, and a wild House party can mean only one thing. Will the aftermath lead to one excruciating hangover in the morning, or will it perhaps lead to something more?

📻  Though Your World Is Changing, I Will Be The Same (E, 15.9k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Slave To Love by Bryan Ferry 

🎵 Summary: “I shower after work,” Harry had told him once when Draco had asked what cologne had such longevity as to be effective after a full day of gruelling Auror work. 

“For me?” Draco had asked. Teased, just a little. There had been a smile lingering on the edges of his consciousness, threatening to traipse onto his mouth. 

“For Ginny,” Harry had said, voice flat. “She hates it when I come back sweaty and crackling with other people’s hexes. Did you know magic has a smell? I didn’t until she told me.” – It's all fun and games, till somebody falls in love. Given his luck, it's obviously Draco who has to go and do it.

📻  I Can't Help Falling in Love with You (NR, 4.8k)

🎵 Song prompt: I can't help falling in love with you - Elvis Presley

🎵 Summary: Harry stood up and set his hand out to Draco. “Dance?” “I didn’t know you danced, Potter.” “Hm, I’ve danced a lot in my time," Harry replied smugly. “How do I know you won’t step on my feet?” “You don’t, but I think the risk will be worth it.”

📻  Searching For a Place to Hide (T, 12.5k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Love Will Keep Us Alive - The Eagles

🎵 Summary: After the war, there were threats against the Malfoys. Needing them kept safe until the trials are over, the Ministry puts them in protective custody but a murder attempt proves there’s a Ministry leak. Desperate, the Ministry decides a safe house is best, but who to trust to keep it secret and keep them safe? Narcissa calls in a life debt, the Minster calls in a favour and Harry Potter wonders why his life continues to hate him. 

Along the way, the Malfoys learn how to be a family again, Harry learns that some things are not how he thought and maybe never were, and the touch-starved boys discover that they may be each other's forever answer.

📻  Isolated Thunderstorms and Scattered Showers (T, 21.3k)

🎵 Song prompt: Iris - the GooGoo Dolls

🎵 Summary: Post-war, Harry needs space. Everything is too much all at once, and time and time again, he finds himself pulling the invisibility cloak over his head, just for a bit of peace.

Returning for eighth year is hard, especially when you're considered a war hero, and your name is Harry James Potter. It's just that things go a little wonky when Harry starts following Malfoy, and finds that he can't (or doesn't want to) stop.

📻  Kiss It Better (E, 1.5k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Kiss It Better by Rihanna

🎵 Summary: When Harry's injured, Draco knows there's no place he'd rather be than by his side.

📻  (shut up and) dance with me (T, 7.9k)  

🎵 Song prompt: Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon

🎵 Summary: Four dances Harry and Draco share.

📻  In Love with the Ferret (E, 21.9k)  

🎵 Song prompt: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

🎵 Summary: Harry has never been the most observant bloke. Sometimes to the point of him not realising his feelings for a particular pointy, pale git. And it's not his fault if literally everyone else knows about said feelings except for Harry and the git in question. So it's really not his fault, when faced with the scope of his feelings, he suddenly has a hard time talking to one Draco Malfoy. Or looking him in the eye. Or not being a total weirdo around him.

There's nothing to do but take the advice of his friends and try to woo Draco over dinners with friends, Ministry cases, and an unfortunately named Italian restaurant.

Harry just can't stop the flutter in his chest when he sees Draco smile.

📻  Dance with me? (M, 8.2k)  

🎵 Song prompt: I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

🎵 Summary: Draco had given up on love, until one day sitting outside the usual gaudy cafe he frequented 'people watching' he spotted Harry Potter lurking, a suspicious Draco investigates and a series of events ensue.

📻  The Cupid Incident (E, 12.6k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Can' Get You out of My Head - Kylie Minogue

🎵 Summary: Draco gets into the way of a potions attack and can't get Potter out of his head.

📻  Carouse (E, 19.9k) 

🎵 Song prompt: Dead by Madison Beer

🎵 Summary: Carouse (verb): To drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.

Harry finds himself using alcohol in increasingly dangerous ways to cope with the stresses of life. When he is put on leave from work to sort out his issue, he instead falls head first into a lively club scene where he can drink and fuck his worries away. That is, until a certain blond from his past reappears and throws off his entire routine.

Again, thank you to everyone who’s been involved this year, and there’s still time to get out on the dancefloor before the final reveals (although of course the dancefloor will always be open in your heart and in processor of your chose electronic device)

[markynaz]

7/31

Moons / Betrayal Written for @tes-summer-fest 2021 Wordcount: 986 Content warnings: Impersonation mentions Ao3 Mirror: here Directly follows Dawn.

The exclamation of shock had barely passed Andalmo’s lips before he saw Delphine’s eyes narrow, which was the only warning he got.

He stepped back, narrowly avoiding Delphine’s blade as it hissed from her sheath. She turned the momentum of the draw around into a quick slash down to his leg. He whipped his own sword down to block. The clash of metal echoed off the walls of Ustengrav, scraping, twisting, setting Andalmo’s teeth on edge.

���Delphine, what in Oblivion-”

“Don't play innocent,” she snapped, and her voice sounded exactly what it had been last time they'd spoken, sending a sickening jolt to Andalmo’s gut with the memory. “How many Blades have their blood on your hands, you fucking traitor?”

“What?” he spat, taken aback by the accusation, and she drove him three steps back with the shock of it, scrambling up the stairs to avoid her wickedly glinting katana.

“Cloud- Ruler- Temple.” Each word was punctuated by a swipe-cut-thrust as Andalmo hastily blocked-parried-sidestepped. He lost another step, scrambling back as Delphine snarled, “You led the Thalmor there. Don't deny it.”

“That’s not-” Andalmo started, but had to leap back as Delphine lunged, backtracking another two steps up the stairs. The lip of the barrow was nearly at his shoulder now.

“We could have all survived if your damned team had told us the truth!”

Andalmo gritted his teeth and let himself lose three more steps, bringing the edge of the barrow to a comfortable height. Delphine’s eyes were wet with tears, her mouth hard with rage, as she pressed her advantage into a whirling overhand strike aimed at Andalmo’s neck.

He put one foot on the step behind him and leaned out of the way. Her katana’s blade smacked hard against the barrow’s stone lip. Before she could react, he was thrusting forward, following up with a hard strike to the tip of her sword, using the stone as a fulcrum to lever the katana out of her grip.

It jolted from her hand and skittered down the side of the barrow. Andalmo grabbed a leather strap of her armor and yanked her close, off-balance up the stairs.

“Listen,” he hissed. “We didn’t know any more than you did. We were fed bad information. If we’d known the Blades were fucking outlawed, do you think we really would have called that Three-damned meeting?”

Delphine hissed at him and reached for a knife. Andalmo dropped his own sword to the stairs and grabbed her free wrist to stop that.

“You didn’t think to question that?” she spat at him. “The Thalmor signing the Concordat without outlawing the Blades?”

“Now I would!” Andalmo’s fist clenched tighter on the strap, bitterness warring with anger, unable to keep it from his voice. “But it came from my teammate, so, no. I’d like to think we were all better people before the Thalmor started hunting us for sport.”

Delphine’s eyes narrowed. Andalmo held her gaze, trying to resist the impulse to throw her down the stairs. Miralnu’s expression in his mind was as clear as the day she’d died - on the ramparts of Cloud Ruler Temple, the Thalmor invading force below, a Thalmor imposter wearing her face as an illusion. He’d been the one to dispel it, to kill the imposter in a quick, brutal knife fight, but by then it had already been far too late for anything but a backup plan.

If he’d noticed the betrayal earlier, realized Miralnu was no longer with them, would his team still be alive? Would the other Blades who’d escaped with Delphine be here? It crossed his mind now that she was alone, and he hadn’t heard anything about Blades being hunted in Skyrim. His heart started to sink.

“They’re all dead now,” he bit out. “I assume the others you escaped with-”

“Assassination team in the Jerrals.” Delphine’s words confirmed all his worst fears. “I was the only one to get out.”

“Shit.”

The hard line of anger was gone from her mouth. Andalmo held her off balance for a moment longer, then pushed her back onto her feet, only releasing the leather strap of her armor once he was fairly certain she wouldn’t lunge at him again.

She adjusted her armor, eyeing him. He glanced around for his sword. It had come to a rest two steps below Delphine, but it probably wasn’t prudent to go for it while she still seemed to be making up her mind.

He shrugged his cloak back over his shoulders and exhaled through parted lips, seeing his breath billow in the freezing morning air like some frost dragons he’d witnessed.

A pox on the Thalmor. Fuck them, fuck the Great War they sailed in on, and Andalmo heartily wished every single double-agent who might have betrayed a Blade would wake up to choking on their own rotting teeth, except perhaps three, which would stay and give them all toothache.

“Look,” he said, after he ran out of curses in Dunmeris, Cyrodilic, and even some Chimeris. This took what felt like several minutes. “Could we have this conversation in the Moorside Inn? You can keep hold of the Horn,” he added as she gave him a look that could have frozen his face off, if the early morning and the long night hadn't already done their level best. “Clearly there’s a lot to catch up on, and I don’t think we’ll be better for having the conversation out here.”

Delphine hesitated, then gave a curt nod and fastened the Horn to her belt. Andalmo stepped back and gestured for her to continue up the stairs. She shoulder-checked him as she passed. He resisted the urge to make a rude gesture at her back, just in case she turned around, stepped down a few levels to scoop up his sword, and slipped it back into its sheath, following her up the stairs and away from Ustengrav.

[prurientpuddlejumper]

A Lipless Face That I Want to Marry, Ch. 1

Chapter 2 ->

Summary: Surviving being bitten and burned alive by the Red Dragon was the easy part. Frederick Chilton has a long road ahead before things will ever be close to normal again. But your fiancé is a fighter, and you’ll be with him the whole way. 

Sequel to A Punchable Face That I Want to Kiss

CW: hospitals, surgery, major injury recovery. Sorry for the silly title, this will, in fact, be an angst-fest. 

2,368 words

He seemed fine that first day—as fine as anyone could be after surviving what he had. His skin was red and cracked from being set on fire, and both his lips had been violently torn off—but they had found him in time. He was in the hospital recovering. Talking. You were able to speak with him, and reassure him that you still wanted to marry him, however long his recovery would take. Lips or no lips. You loved him.

You thought that meant he was going to be fine. The Red Dragon didn’t kill him.

But it wasn’t that simple.

His kidney started failing. Dehydration. He needed a massive amount of IV fluids to replace what he had lost and save him, but that volume of fluid had consequences. It made his body swell up to the point that you couldn’t recognize him—to the point that his airway was swollen closed and he couldn’t breathe on his own. And his single, struggling kidney might fail anyway.

Just a day ago he was talking to you, laughing as you teased him, telling you that you didn’t have to stay with him, and crying when you said you would. You had yelled at him for being such an idiot.

When you walked in the next morning, he was gone.

Overnight, he was like a cadaver, lying unconscious with ventilator and feeding tubes stuffed down his throat. Why did you yell at him?

You were so helpless. There was nothing you could do to make any sort of difference, not even encourage him with tender words or a joke. He couldn’t hear you. He was gone. Every snarky, sassy, smug, self-important, dramatic, gossipy remark was gone—silenced—leaving you with a body and no idea when or if he would wake up. All you could do was watch as he swelled, and hope that the fluids did their job saving his life before they killed him. All you could do was be grateful for every breath, every stubborn heartbeat, and pray they didn’t stop.

A doctor told you his chances of waking up would be slim for a healthy person. With ninety percent of his skin destroyed, bacteria could easily enter his bloodstream, and he could rapidly die of sepsis. The complication of his previous organ damage—especially the kidney Abel Gideon removed—made his probability of recovering next to zero.

“You don’t know what he’s lived through,” you seethed. “He did not survive three different serial killers just to die now. So you are not going to treat him like a lost cause, or…” You tried to think of what he would say, “Or I will sue this hospital for malpractice! That is the renowned psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr. Frederick Chilton, and you will not give up on him.”

Blustering didn’t suit you. And haughty threats couldn’t bring his swelling down. The doctors were doing everything they could, but the internal pressure became too much for him to breathe, even with the assistance of a ventilator and oxygen tubes in his nose. They carted him away to the operating room to cut more holes in him.

All you could do was watch.

“It will cause additional scarring,” a very kind nurse with curly hair explained to you as you blinked vacantly in a waiting room, trying not to break down, “but it should allow his chest to expand and save his life.”

You nodded, arms wrapped around your chest. He wouldn’t even notice a few more in the highway map of scars that his body had become. So long as he survived. You were supposed to get married. You just wanted him to wake up.

  ***

Frederick Chilton awoke in a bare and lonely hospital room.

A nurse came in to check on him after a few minutes of blinking groggily and trying to get his bearings through the static fuzz clouding his mind. She explained what had happened, reviewed the medications he was on, showed him the button to press to call for help, and handed him a remote control. No visitors to announce. No one waiting in the lobby all night, haggard with worry, for him to regain consciousness. No flowers crowding the bedside table.

The small television attached to the far wall, which he could barely see or hear, was less than useless, and the morphine drip prevented him from being able to focus enough to read a book. So he lay in bed, alone, in silence save for the tedious beep of the heart monitor.

It was so dull, he was grateful for having been unconscious for the last thirty hours, which was how long it took for the surgeons to get all the organs back inside of him that Abel Gideon took out, determining which ones were viable to go back, and which would go septic and kill him. Like a jigsaw puzzle. Humpty Dumpty, and not all of the pieces could be put together again.

Days passed, and his only visitor was a police officer there on a formality to take his statement.

He would have thought being disemboweled would make a man more popular. Of course it didn’t. This spared him his pride, at the least—he couldn’t tolerate visitors seeing him pale and clammy-skinned, whimpering with pain in a miserable little hospital gown—and for that he was grateful of his churlish nature, which pushed everyone well past arm’s length.

And yet, he wished they would at least try. He wanted people clamoring at his recovery room door so that he could send them away.

He would never be subjected to the indignity of being seen so weak—and yet, what he wouldn’t give to walk in to his office on his first day back and have all of his employees treat him softly, like he was some fragile thing, and not the tyrant they despised. To have them ask if he was all right.

Why didn’t he have more visitors? More flowers? More cards?

He was not well-liked, but he was distinguished. That warranted somebody stopping by with condolences. It was just that there was so little in his bare hospital room to distract him from the pain.

As the anesthetic wore off, a throbbing soreness radiated out from his abdomen, growing sharper with time. It was agonizing. With every breath, the contracting of his diaphragm and the expanding of his lungs and ribs tormented the stitches in his skin and the abused organs inside. He was either pumped full of so much morphine he couldn’t stay awake, or was clear-headed and wishing they would pump him full of more drugs so he could not be.

His mother sent a card, and so did the staff of the Baltimore State Hospital For The Criminally Insane. Both had flowers on the front, watercolor roses, and flowing script font in gold, and both meant equally little.

Perfunctory.

The one from the hospital had been insisted upon by the administrator, who had forced the staff to sign it. Each message was generic and impersonal, like they’d been taken from a standardized get-well form letter—although a few were kind enough to make him close his eyes and pretend they were genuinely meant for him. “We miss you, and wish you a speedy recovery!” His heart turned to think one of his employees really missed him and looked forward to him returning. He found the name signed under the message. He had no idea who it was, but he was certain he had never spoken to them.

The one from his mother had most likely been picked out by a maid, presented to her to mark her signature, and then mailed by said maid. It served mainly as a reminder that she hadn’t bothered to visit in person.

Both stung more to receive than if he had no cards at all—written proof that the only way anyone cared for him was as a formality.

There was a third card, however. The only one sent by someone who wasn’t socially obligated to.

You.

Unlike the others, it was completely unexpected. Jack Crawford, Alana Bloom, or Hannibal Lecter he would have understood, but you were last person he expected to hear from.

It wasn’t even a real card, but printed at home on plain, flimsy printer paper with a cartoon dog wearing a cone-collar that said “Sorry you’re feeling ruff” on the cover. The inside had a short, hand-written message: Glad you didn’t die.

Childish. Cheap. He should have been insulted. The whole thing was obviously intended to convey how little you cared. But he kept the damned thing long after he’d thrown the other two in the trash. He wished you would come visit so he could tell you how tacky you were to your face. Perhaps it was best that you didn’t—he would have wanted to buy himself flowers to fill the room with first, so it wouldn’t seem as if you were the only one who cared, or that your tasteless little gesture was anything of significance to him.

He was Dr. Frederick Chilton. It was important for you to know that he didn’t need you at all.

  ***

Frederick’s eyes moved behind closed lids. The swollen purple lids began to twitch, then slowly creep open. The room was hazy and bright with colors streaking at odd geometric angles away from the lights that produced them.

All he could make out were flowers. Dozens of them, hundreds, surrounding him in a resplendent cloud cloud of white and lavender. Either he fell asleep outside in the garden, or he had died and somehow gotten into heaven.

“No, you’re alive, Frederick,” you said from somewhere close. He must have been whispering to himself out loud. Your voice was wavering with powerful sobs that you shoved down to force it to sound soft and patient, but he could hear the laughter in it, too. “You’ve been out for awhile, but you’re doing really well. You just had a successful surgery. They finished debriding your burns and installing temporary grafts so you don’t go septic. Oh, and they were able to get a skin sample! It’s already in the lab so they can start growing you some of your own new skin.”

“Where…?” he blinked a few times, and tried to move before realizing he couldn’t. His body was heavier than lead and a dull ache like paper being torn pulsed beneath his skin at odd intervals. He went to lick his lips, but they weren’t there. His tongue hit empty air above his teeth, and then nothing until it encountered a gauze bandage and a plastic tube going into his nose.

That brought everything crashing back, and he groaned at reality, missing the previous few moments of anesthetic fog when the Red Dragon was just a dream.

You sat beside his hospital bed, on the side of his good eye, watching over him with a hopeful smile, rambling on about how happy you were that he was awake. There was a blue hospital blanket folded over the arm of the chair, and your hair was a mess—he wondered how long you’d been there. Every inch of surface space that wasn’t needed for medical purposes was covered in roses.

“You bought out Holland’s entire stock of flower exports.”

The way the words scraped sluggishly and humorlessly from his hoarse throat, his eyelids drooping lifelessly, made it sound like a reproach—but you laughed. You always laughed at his jokes. 

“They’re all fake,” you admitted. “Hospital rules—you’re an infection risk.”

He wanted to flash you a charming smile, but he couldn’t. He did not know if his face would ever be able to produce a smile again, or how many agonizing surgeries it would take before it could. You wanted to squeeze his hand and kiss him softly, over and over, but you couldn’t. It would be weeks before you could casually touch his skin without the risk of it ripping off. At least now that he was wrapped head to toe in thick gauze, you could reach out and gently rest your hand on top of his. It stung bitterly, but he didn’t show it—he didn’t want you to take your hand away. The pressure was comforting, and your engagement ring sparkled on your finger. 

“I am… glad to see you. These places can be so dull.” He met your gaze, hoping his one functional eye could shoulder the entire burden of body language in conveying his gratitude. He felt so defeated. Hollowed out. He stared up at the plain white ceiling. His words were often callous; it was physical passion which had brought you together in the first place, and without it, he feared he may begin to push you away like everyone else.

“Frederick,” you smiled, but your eyes looked like they might cry. “I’m glad to see you, too. Really glad. I don’t know who was there looking out for you the last few times you were in the hospital, but I wanted to make sure you know how loved you are this time. I’m going to be here every single day with books, and podcasts, fake flowers, and anything you want that I’m allowed to sneak in, until we can go home together.”

He didn’t want to say something trite like, “I couldn’t do this without you.”

He could.

He had before. But he didn’t want to. He never wanted to again. You had wormed so deeply into his heart and given his world color and meaning he had never known, even in his darkest moments. You made the biggest things seem unimportant, and the smallest things monumentally significant. He could never tell you how important you were to him, what it meant to not be alone.

The heart monitor betrayed the warm fluttering in his chest as the slow, steady beeping rapidly increased. You glanced up at the machine with concern, then back down to him, a sly grin spreading across your cheeks. Prideful embarrassment was written clearly all over his face, even with only part of his face left.

You wished more than ever that you could kiss him.

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening! I'm writing for Drarropoly for @gameofdrarry this year along with my girlfriend so I hope you guys check my stories out and have a good time reading them! 

Position: The Burrow | Theme: Gryffindor. 

Things are always easier in groups. Unless someone is keeping a secret.

Choose one of the following: Group Project Group Date Group Vacation

N.E.W.T.s Level:     + Include non-linear storytelling.     +Include the Established Relationship trope OR the Secretly Pining trope.

Min-Max Word Count: 3333-4444 words

Rating: Teen Audiences 

Tags: Harry Potter, Drarry, Relationship - Drarry, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Hogwarts, Drarropoly 2.0 - A Drarry Game/Fest, secretly pining, Non-Linear Narrative, non-linear storytelling 

Word Count: 3,350

Summary: Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter have never gotten along as everyone in their lives will attest to. That's about to change when their so called 'friends' betray them and force them all to go on a group vacation together. 

It goes better than they would have expected.

                              what will this change? (everything)

Harry breathed in the crisp night air sharply, collapsed on the ground and still trying to regain his breath as he shivered at the cold, wet sand pressing against his bare back as warm palms dug into his shoulders. The heat of the palms only grew more prominent as fingers grasped at his skin even harder, Harry’s attention soon shattered and shot as he felt chilled, bare thighs pressed into the skin just above his hips. 

The silence of the night was only broken by crashing, breaking waves of the ocean only a few dozen feet away and the whisper-soft words of, “You’re staring.” Harry, who made absolutely no move to look away, couldn’t help the amused quirk of his lips as his hands moved. Sand still stuck to his palms, but instead they pressed into those chilled thighs, Harry feeling a thrill at the shiver that wracked through the body of Draco Malfoy.

“I could say the same thing about you, you know,” Harry finally said, only absently feeling his heart pounding away as he watched Draco’s eyes flutter, long lashes only just brushing the edges of his cheeks. “The others are probably wondering where we are by now.” 

It was barely a token protest, Harry’s own eyes starting to fall shut as Draco leaned in towards him, whispering a soft, “Probably.” The word brushed against his lips, Harry panting around warm breath as those lips swayed even closer. “We should probably head back.”

“Probably,” Harry repeated, fingertips pressing into soft, cool skin. It was more effort than it should have been to cut himself off with a sharp bite of his lip, watching as Draco breathed out a long, slow breath, thighs shaking on either side of him. “Draco.”

Those lips, chapped and bitten and dry like his own, were so close. Harry could just tilt his head up the smallest amount and… Draco’s shivers echoed against him, the other’s breathing heavy and hot as his hands clutched at him even more tightly, nails scraping against his skin. 

Harry bit back the sharp hiss of what was certainly not pain, instead looking up as he noticed stormy grey eyes looking into his own. They truly were a storm in their own right, swirling with magic and emotion and apologies and explanations and begging and so much. It was the most Draco had ever spoken to him and it was all said without a word. 

“What will this change?” Draco’s question, soft and whispered and immediately whisked away by the summer night breeze, was the question that Harry had been avoiding thinking about — the question they had both been avoiding. 

“I-” Harry shuddered as those lips were so close again, the breath they shared the exact same. Finally, miraculously, Harry managed to choke out, “I don’t know.” But… But, but, but- 

Draco started to lean away, and Harry had a hand on the back of the other’s neck before he could move more than a breath away. Draco froze in his grip and Harry was overcome with the same feeling he always had when he was on the verge of doing something stupid and incredible and overwhelming.

He was standing in front of fierce flames with enough potion for only one person to pass safely through. He was speaking in a language known only to a few, ready to find the truth to the answers kept from him all year. He was staring at himself across a lake, knowing he was about to lose everything and yet safe with the knowledge he wasn’t.

It was the feeling of facing down dragons, and Death Eaters, and mermaids, and the corrupted Ministry, and Tom Riddle, and Dumbledore’s plans, and Death, and it was the feeling of not yet. I’m not ready to let go yet. 

Draco was tense against him, hands shaking from where he had been trying to push himself up before Harry had pulled him back down because Harry really didn’t know what this would change in the end, but… “But isn’t it worth it to find out?”

“Is it?” A hand slipped up to press against Harry’s cheek, Draco’s gaze harsh and heavy. His eyes showed a storm that was ready to break; to rage and scream and destroy. “Is it really worth it?”

Harry was silent, watching that storm grow as excitement beat away in his chest. Finally, somehow, he managed the breath to speak, answering with a soft, “No.” Harry met Draco’s eyes, breathless as he finished, “But you are.”

The storm broke. 

⁂

“Pansy, my dear, you know I care deeply for you, but are you absolutely mad?” It was a terrible enough fate that Draco had been forced into agreeing to spend a summer vacation with Hogwarts’ Golden Trio of all things, but this? This was asking too much of him. “Why can’t I simply room with Blaise? We shared a dorm for seven years!”

“But Draco, darling, Ron is rooming with Blaise on this trip, remember?” Pansy’s sickly-sweet tone was a threat just as much as it was a warning and Draco cursed the day she had made friends with Hermione bloody Granger. Granger, on her part, only seemed as pleased as Pansy, the two standing with their arms linked together and identical smiles on their faces. Bloody harpies. “And there are only a limited amount of rooms available.” 

Draco opened his mouth to argue because like bloody hell that was true. Their little ‘group vacation’ was taking place at the beach house of Pansy’s aunt, and if that woman was one thing it was extravagant. Unfortunately, before Draco could craft an argument that would get him his way, Granger stepped in.

“Oh, that’s right, you were just telling me about that! Your aunt is doing renovations in most of the bedrooms here at the moment, right?” Granger was smiling but the look in her eyes was pure evil. Pansy, the little tart, seemed to get off on it, beaming. 

“Right you are, darling. I’m so glad someone seems to remember the things I tell them.” Pansy snapped her gaze to Potter, who had until that point been silent. Shame it wouldn’t remain that way. “Harry, darling, you’re content sharing a room with Draco, aren’t you?” Ah, but the anger in those shimmering green eyes was always so nice to admire. 

Draco had half a hope that Potter would actually throw his weight around for once and get them out of the mess they were about to be stuck in, but then he looked at Granger. Potter heaved a sigh, tone dull as he responded with defeat, “I’d be perfectly fine with it, yeah.” 

“Excellent!” Pansy clapped her hands together before whisking Granger away to another part of the house to no doubt seduce her into more misdeeds. Weasley, vapid git that he was, didn’t even seem bothered by the Pansy and Granger bonding. 

Instead he just gave a low whistle followed by an idiotic, “Rotten luck about the renovations, huh?” 

Blaise glanced to Draco, a clear look in his eyes of, He really can’t be that stupid, can he? There’s simply no way someone can be that daft. 

Draco, reasonably, turned his own look to Potter, a very, very clear, Of course he’s that bloody stupid. What do you expect? He’s friends with Potter of all people. 

Potter, for one shining glorious moment, looked as if he actually regretted choosing the weasel as the one he was stuck with as a friend for the rest of his life. As it was, he sighed and turned towards the prison cell they were stuck sharing together, “Let’s just settle in. We don’t have to be in these rooms apart from when we’re sleeping.” 

“That’s the part I’m worried about,” Weasley snorted, the heathen. He then glared at Draco, who made sure to give his own nasty glare back. “Perfect chance for a ferret to slit some throats-”

“Why you-!” Draco dropped the bag he had been carrying and stalked forward and so what if the girls had confiscated their wands as soon as they had arrived to teach them a lesson in ‘restraint’? Draco didn’t need magic to teach irritating little weasels a lesson-!

Blaise turned traitor and grabbed him before he could add one more murder to his long life of mistakes, sighing and half-laughing with a cheerful, “Well, this is going to be a fun trip, gentleman, don’t you think?”

“We’ve been here for two hours,” Potter said, stating the obvious as he always did. Honestly, he was good for nothing except brute strength and looking not completely bad. “I’m pretty sure you already made some blood pact with Hermione about something and Draco’s about to kill Ron.” 

“Draco?” Blaise asked before Draco could because since bloody when had he been Draco to that prat? As far as he was aware, they were Malfoy and Potter to the bitter end of the world. Honestly, acting as if the two were friendly after… well, everything. “Since when has he been Draco?”

Potter looked back at Blaise and then at Draco, those bright green killing curse eyes locking with his own. There wasn’t hatred like there had been for so many years — there wasn’t even annoyance and frustration. There was- Merlin, Draco didn’t know what to call those emotions. Breathtaking, perhaps, for a start. 

As Harry spoke, he didn’t look away from him. “You two may feel differently, but we’ve all lost enough after this war and fighting. I think I’ve had enough of enemies and burning bridges for a lifetime.” 

With that he was turning and walking into their room, Draco’s mind spinning a million different ways a minute because that- What had that been? Was he saying that he didn’t want anything to do with Draco anymore? Was he saying he wanted more to do with Draco? Did he, perhaps- Well, did he mean… Was it possible…? 

“You know,” Blaise whispered quietly, finally letting him go. “I think this little ‘vacation’ of ours just got a lot more interesting.” 

⁂

Harry sighed softly against warm, pink skin, lips twitching into a grin as he felt the body pressed against his own give a small shiver, followed by a groggy, “This is a terrible idea, you know.” 

“Absolutely awful,” Harry agreed, lazily shifting on the gritty, sand-covered bed before ducking down to press his lips against more of that smooth, soft skin. His tongue edged out to trace against bright red marks and slowly forming bruises. It was more than gratifying to hear Draco Malfoy give a wrecked, quiet moan that bordered on a whine. “Probably the worst idea we’ve ever had, huh?”

“The worst,” Draco agreed around a soft pant, tilting his head up to allow Harry just the access he needed to nip at already bruised skin. Harry had thought the man had been beautiful in the light of a full moon, but he was now certain that there was nothing more beautiful than Draco Malfoy groggy and half-asleep and hopelessly turned on in the early morning slips of sun that fell over their shared bed. “It’s just going to end in tragedy.” 

“Mhm,” Harry hummed, kissing at the sunlight touched skin and only stopping when fingers were tangling through his hair and tugging sharply. Harry laughed but followed the pull, lips slotting easily against Draco’s own. The kiss was already dangerously familiar, as was the way Draco’s hands dropped down to the back of his neck, pressing him closer — as close as they could get. “Probably use us an example of who not to fall for for years.” 

“Probably,” Draco repeated absently, those grey eyes warm and soft and still edged with sleep. “Harry…” The soft call of his name had shivers running down Harry’s back before he could even try to stop them. He was pretty sure he had never heard a better sound than Draco Malfoy calling his name like that. “It’s… It can’t be this simple.” 

“Why not?” Harry knew what Draco meant. It shouldn’t be so simple for them to just fall together so easily. There should have been far more kicking and fighting and screaming. It should have taken weeks or even months to realize there was something there between them, and even longer than that to act on it. That’s how it should have gone, but… in some fucked up way, Harry was pretty sure it already had gone that way. “Why can’t it be this simple?”

Draco’s hands clenched against him, annoyance starting to filter back into his eyes as he glared at him, muttering a sharp, “You know why. I’m- I was a Death Eater and you’re- You’re Britain’s Golden Boy! You-!”

Harry cut Draco off in his new favorite way, smothering the words with a kiss that Draco slowly but surely fell into. It was not long enough, in Harry’s opinion, when Draco pulled away with a pout, “Stop that. It shouldn’t- It shouldn’t be so simple.” 

“Maybe,” Harry allowed, going back to pressing soft kisses against wherever he could reach, grinning when Draco relaxed into the touches. “You wanna hear what I think, though?”

“What’s it matter what you think. You’re utterly daft,” Draco complained, tilting into the kisses before tapping at Harry’s shoulder blade, a clear message for him to continue. “Well? I’m listening, Potter.” 

Harry snorted, shaking his head and pulling back. He moved a hand to cup Draco’s cheek, grinning when he saw the other’s eyes flutter shut. “I think that I’ve had well enough of the world telling us who we’re supposed to be and what we’re supposed to do. So… I gave it some thought and you wanna know the answer I came up with.” 

“Mm?” Draco cracked his eyes open, seeming to almost study him before he was pressing his cheek more against Harry’s palm. “And what answer did you come up with, oh brilliant one?” 

Not even trying to smother his laugh, Harry leaned forward until his forehead bumped Draco’s. The sudden heat and craving in the man’s eyes had a shiver crawling down Harry’s own spine. “I decided… that I don’t care.” 

“You- What?” Draco blinked, some of that heat slipping away in favor of confusion. “What do you-”

“I mean that I don’t care what the world thinks or what it wants of me. I defeated their bloody Dark Lord, so now I’m going to do whatever I want — I’m going to chase after whatever makes me happy.” Harry ducked in to press a soft kiss to Draco’s lips, something sweet and short and simple. “And, God help me, you’re the one that makes me happy, Draco Malfoy.” 

Ah, there it was. Draco finally seemed to realize what Harry had been trying to tell him all night. Honestly, he shouldn’t be surprised that Draco was immediately trying to hide his face, cheeks flushed an even brighter red than they were when Harry had him on his back and was pounding into him. “You-! You can’t just-! Bloody prat-!”

“I can do whatever I want,” Harry teased, guiding Draco closer so the man could hide his face against Harry’s chest like he so desperately wanted. Harry wasn’t too upset about it. He had a feeling he would be seeing Draco’s flushed face far more in the future. “Haven’t you heard? I’m the Chosen One.”

Harry laughed as Draco cursed and squirmed against him, doing nothing whatsoever to actually get free or move away — and, really, Harry wasn’t stupid. He knew it wasn’t that simple and that the real world was still out there waiting for them, but… 

Surely it wouldn’t hurt for the two of them to be just Draco and Harry for just a bit longer. After all… they had time.

⁂

Pansy, the little harlot, had waited until Draco had taken a sip of his tea to tell him and Blaise her latest bit of news. As it was, while Draco hadn’t spitten his tea out because he was a gentleman, thank you, he did immediately start choking. Blaise didn’t even attempt to help him, in shock himself — not that Draco could blame him. It wasn’t everyday that their former best friend turned traitor was telling them that she had sold them out to Gryffindors. 

“Are you bloody mental?” Blaise shook his head, paused, and then shook it again. “Is this punishment for something? Have you been imperioused?” 

“It’s a vacation, Blaise,” Pansy lied to their faces, rolling her eyes as if she was in the right. “It’s not as if I’m signing you up for your deaths — besides, we’ll be going to my aunt’s beach house! Draco, darling, you love it there!”

“I do, yes,” Draco agreed, voice harsh from where he had almost died. “It just so happens that I also like it when it’s the three of us and not the three people in this world who most want me dead.”

“Honestly, Draco,” Pansy scoffed, settling back with her own cup and a disappointed cluck of her tongue. “You simply must get over this delusion that you hate Potter when we all want to know you want nothing more than for him to shag you silly-”

“Pancella-!” Draco hissed, and oh, she was never going to hear any good gossip from him ever again! “I am not going on this little suicidal mission you seem so intent on putting together with Granger of all people!”

“Hermione, darling, is perfectly pleasant.” Draco looked to Blaise, who looked just as disturbed as Draco felt over the matter. “And we agree that it’s time we put all of this school rivalry nonsense behind us and, since all of our schedules have lined up just so, we thought it would be great to vacation together!”

Blaise was the one to take up the fight, edging in with a hesitant, “Pansy, you know we love you. Truly, we do. We’ll fight any number of light-loving fools for you, but…” Blaise glanced to Draco, who made sure to show an expression that conveyed how properly upset he was with the matter. “Is this really such a good idea for all of us to go?”

“Honestly,” Pansy tsked. “Potter already agreed to the trip and you know that Weasley will do whatever Hermione asks of him-”

“He agreed?” Draco was surprised to find that he was the one who had spoken since he hadn’t actually meant to voice his question out loud, but… “Potter, knowing full well that I- we’re going to be there still agreed to go?” 

Pansy looked at him, something like sympathy warming her expression. It was far worse than any mocking she could have done. “Actually, Hermione mentioned to me that he hadn’t wanted to go at all until he knew you- Sorry, ‘we’ were going.” 

“Of course,” Draco scoffed, looking away sharply. “The fool probably just jumped at the chance of tormenting me, no doubt.” Still, though… For a moment, just a moment, Draco had heard Potter was going and he felt something like… 

A fool. Draco was an absolute fool who hoped for things that would never happen far too easily. Flights of fancy, as his mother would call them. He had no reason whatsoever to agree to this trip, and, for as much as Pansy seemed to believe she was in charge, she couldn’t make him go along with it.

“So, then.” Pansy sounded close to laughing, Draco firm in keeping his gaze on his empty tea cup, faint memories of tea leaves and their meanings stirring at the back of his mind. “Do you want to go on a vacation with us, Draco?”

She couldn’t make him go. Nothing would change. They would never get along. This was doomed to end in disaster. Draco was not going to go and simply make things worse. He was going to say no. He was going to, but… 

Well… 

“You know, Pansy, dear… A little vacation to the beach sounds lovely right now.” 

Surely, just this once, the world could keep spinning in the face of Draco Malfoy’s hope. 

[hectabdr]

Dragon Raja IV - Chapters 5 & 6 (Abridged)

Good evening (or morning, maybe?). Here are today's summarized chapters from the fourth novel.

Previous chapters (3 & 4)

For more source-material related stuff, check the new Index.

Chapter 5

Nono woke up in the backseat of a car. Initially she thought she was kidnapped, but by who?

Maybe the school infiltrated the Iris academy and took her prisoner, they must think she's a conspirator. She tried to remember her training, the first step was to stay calm, then, she had to analyze her surroundings. The bumps in the road and the speed indicated that she was probably in a highway. The weather belonged to a subtropical region and the strong tobacco smell was similar to...

-Your friend is a lazy-ass isn't she?

-Why would you say that?

-I gave her a sedative that should last at most 24 hours, but she's been sleeping for 30 hours!

...Finger!

She had managed to untie one of her hands already and now she wasn't afraid to reveal that she was awake. She used the rope to choke Finger and started beating both of them up out of anger. A police officer noticed their little exchange and ordered Finger to stop. Nono decided to play along, after all, this wasn't the right moment to put both of them in jail, despite how nice that sounded at the moment, deep down she wanted to believe Luminous.

The three were just entering to the city of Beijing and Nono agreed to help them begrudgingly. Finger's first idea was to search for Johann Chu's traces in the high school where he and Luminous studied years ago. Nono refused to get out of the car unless they bought her some clothes, since she was still wearing a night gown. Finger bought her a school uniform because there were no department stores nearby.

The place was heavily remodeled, now it had two statues in the entrance, one of which looked remarkably similar to Luminous. The school was holding an event that day and Luminous accidentally bumped into Chen Wenwen, his old crush. He thought he had erased her completely from his mind, but there she was again, and to his surprise, she was incredibly shy in his presence, blushing and stuttering, she even called him "Senior brother".

It wasn't only Wenwen, the rest of his literature club were acting the same way. Zhao Menghua and Wenwen were still dating in this new world, but he seemed extremely uncomfortable, it looked like he saw himself as second fiddle, he even stepped back to let the "old lovers" talk like some gentleman. Su-Xiaoyao, the school princess who used to compete with Wenwen for Menghua's attention before, now seemed to ignore the latter completely, she even called him "brother Mingfei". They were all there for a school anniversary event.

He found himself on the honorary lists as the highest ranking graduate and even as a basketball star, wearing the very same 'number 11' jersey that previously belonged to Johann. Luminous realized something, he had taken Johann's place in a world where he didn't exist. The statue in the school's entrance was actually built in his honor, it had his face indeed.

The principal asked him to give a speech to a crowd of admiring parents. It was raining, but people with umbrellas respectfully waited for him to finish reading the cards that the principal wrote for him. As the speech came to a close, he was surprised to see his uncle, happily applauding under the rain.

It had been two years since the last time he saw him, back then, he had an argument with his aunt and he never came back to Beijing after that. His uncle invited the principal and Luminous's classmates to attend a small celebration at the restaurant where he worked.

The party was a compliment fest for him, and as everyone got more and more drunk, Wenwen and Su Xiaoyao rested on both of his arms while Nono rolled her eyes. A little overwhelmed, he decided to leave momentarily and get some fresh air in the roof.

His drunk uncle reached him and tried to have a heart to heart conversation with him, with the occasional interruption to throw up in a corner. Most of the talk was centered around his future and the possibility of starting a career in China, the type of woman he'd marry and the life he hoped to have.

He turned back to say a few words but his uncle, along with the rest of the world, including the raindrops were standing still. In the middle of a paused environment, Ming·Z·Lu was siting in the shadows. In an illusion, he tossed Luminous a basketball, he realized he knew how to play the game, he was wearing Johann's Jersey and they had a brief match in the middle of the frozen rain.

Years ago, Nono made Luminous understand that, in life, choosing a door will always mean that another one is getting closed. When he chose to get on Johann's car instead of staying with Wenwen in the Aspasia restaurant, he chose Cassell over his previous life. Similarly, when Nono chose the Gattuso Family, she closed the door to Cassell. Ming·Z offered his brother to re-open this door.

For the last quarter of his life, Luminous could stay in his hometown and live the life of a local celebrity. He could date one of his former high school classmates, get a good job anywhere and drink with his uncle every week. However, Cassell would stay out of the picture forever.

Luminous asked if that meant leaving Johann behind. Ming·Z confirmed his theory, expressing that this world could only exist with his absence.

-He is my friend, if we die, we die together.

Angry, he caressed Mingze's hair right before pushing him from the top of the building, but the little devil paused his fall, floating in the air.

-I'm not a devil, brother. I'm a monster. We're all monsters and one day we'll be killed by the righteous Ultraman!

He resumed the flow of time and fell down.

Chapter 6

Finger and Luminous carried his uncle back to his house. Luminous really wanted to avoid meeting his aunt, but she opened the door before he could leave. It was awkward for a moment, so he hugged her without saying a word. She let them stay in his old room, Luminous wasn't expecting to find the place intact. His aunt kept all of his things right where he left them for the last two years.

Finger used some encryption and redirection techniques to contact his girlfriend in Cuba, asking Luminous to give him some privacy. He left his bedroom through the window, and he started walking on the streets of his hometown, the rain had only gotten worst. Suddenly, a red Ferrari stopped by.

-Get in the car, pretty boy!

It was just like three years ago, when Nono picked him up from the theater in the same car. While Luminous and Finger where drinking with his former classmates, Nono was looking for clues of what happened to Johann Chu and borrowed a car from Shao, an old contact of her family. Luminous suddenly remembered something.

Years ago, Johann's adoptive father organized him a birthday party. Since Johann didn't have any friends at school, he left an invitation in every club. Those were like golden tickets for the girls and Chen Wenwen decided to assist herself. Since every club had to bring a gift, she asked Luminous to collect some of the club's top literary works and deliver them to Johann's house during the party.

When Luminous arrived, he noticed everyone was socializing while the birthday boy grilled chicken in the corner. He looked lifeless, almost like a cooking robot. He passed the gift to Wenwen who thanked him and closed the door, leaving him outside. He walked back home and that was it. Thanks to that, Luminous knew where Johann and his mother, Su Xiaoyan used to live.

When they arrived, he recognized the house maid. Johann mentioned her a few times. He asked for his classmate, but the woman mentioned that there were no children in the house. He then asked for Su Xiaoyan, and the maid told him that she was in the hospital. After obtaining the name of the clinic from an envelope in the mailbox, Nono asked him to get in the car and they left the house.

The Sacred Heart Renai Hospital was surprisingly isolated. Since Nono was wearing a school uniform and it was the middle of the night, they made up a story: Luminous was her older brother and their car got broken on the road. They were proud of their little story but the guard was asleep when they arrived. Luminous almost woke him up to explain his made-up problem before Nono stopped him and they sneaked in.

She gave him a guard uniform that didn't fit very well and he searched for Su Xiaoyan. She was peacefully sleeping in her room and Luminous sat next to her. When she suddenly woke up and wondered why he was there, Luminous simply explained that he was covering up for a nurse, since the clinic was short on personnel and she surprisingly went along with it.

Without mentioning her son's name, he told her the story of Johann Chu, his missing friend, going through every detail, hoping that some of it would resonate with her.

The story successfully brought Xiaoyan to tears, but Luminous's sudden excitement was short lived, as said tears were not born from painful memories, but from deep felt sympathy. She said she was pregnant, hoping her future child would be as good as the guard's missing friend. Terribly disappointed, he thanked her, said goodbye and left the room.

Outside, Nono was waiting for him holding an umbrella. His eyes said everything, trying not to cry and to stay optimistic, he asked himself if anyone would look for him in case he disappeared as well.

-Finger loves you very much, he would look for you from every corner of the world.

If that Johann Chu is real, he would find you, you seem to care for each other very much.

Maybe Caesar would look for you too, he would take good care for his godson, no doubt about that.

...And if none of those useless guys managed to find you, even if you're deep in the gutter, I will bring you back.

Nono dropped the umbrella and gave her former sidekick a strong hug.

[bottomlouisficfest]

The second half of the Bottom Louis Fic Fest is complete! We posted 21 fics since the first masterpost and we know it was a lot to keep up with, so we wanted to compile them all so you can make sure you’ve read every single one of these fics. Please give all of these fics a chance and be sure to give the authors kudos, reblogs, retweets, and comments so they know how appreciated they are. We hope you’ve enjoyed the fest as much as we have!

You can also find the first half of the BLFF fics here, so check out those out as well!

you contain in your eyes the sunset and the dawn

A fic by tomlinvelvet on AO3 | @tomlinvelvet-ao3 on Tumblr

38k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis moaned prettily as he grabbed one of the hybrid's thighs and inched it up, his hand big enough to cover almost the entire of it. When he looked into Louis' eyes, they were practically just black, a pool of lust and tension rendering the baby blue of his eyes intense and rich. And they kept kissing until their lips tickled, until they were sure they would bruise and turn a deep burgundy colour.

"How was I supposed to know?" Harry mumbled in the crook of Louis' neck, letting his tongue and teeth play with the skin there.

"Couldn't you just talk to me?" was Louis' answer, and Harry thought.

He thought of how much time they had wasted because of him. --

Harry Styles was to spend six months at AT&T Inc. of all telecommunications companies in the world, also known as the largest one in its field. This was the biggest deal of his life; it will both improve his expertise in the domain and maybe secure the job of his dreams. There was only one problem standing in the way, and it came in the form of a stunning, irresistible and intimidating cat hybrid of the name Louis Tomlinson. In other words, his boss.

there's more than one place to call home

A fic by rina_a on AO3 | @lougendarey on Tumblr | @lougendarey on Twitter

8k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry never asked for much from his neighbors - he didn't care about barking animals during the day or loud talking during the night.

The only thing he needed was silence when he was writing. And that was the only thing his new neighbor wouldn't give him.

Deciding to confront the loud guy who lived next door, Harry found himself ringing his doorbell one night. And that decision just may be the best thing that's ever happened to Harry.

(you're gonna see me in a) new light

A fic by thepolourryexpress on AO3 | @thepolourryexpress on Tumblr | @ZOUlSBUSONE on Twitter

13k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

a fake relationship au where everyone knows it's real but louis

Strangers in Love

A fic by sweetums on AO3 | @darlou on Tumblr

42k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

-

Prompt 51: An amnesia fic where louis and harry were enemies to lovers but after an accident, louis only remembers those memories that him and harry hated each other. now harry has to fix it. I think something like this less dark and less angsty compared to other amnesia fics and it could be funny

My Kingdom for Your Graces

A fic by nsfwtomlinson on AO3 | @nsfwtomlinson on Tumblr

5k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

-

Prompt 51: An amnesia fic where louis and harry were enemies to lovers but after an accident, louis only remembers those memories that him and harry hated each other. now harry has to fix it. I think something like this less dark and less angsty compared to other amnesia fics and it could be funny

Cooking with Styles

A fic by adoringsmiles on AO3 | @adoringsmiles on Twitter

9k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Anyone can cook— or so they say.

UN(RE)SOLVED.

A fic by feermartsant on AO3 | @boldbabe on Tumblr | @babeharrie_ on Twitter

28k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

The ghoul boys are back, but this time around there are some unresolved feelings involved. Harry is a skeptic, Louis is not. Watch them go on their ongoing investigation into the question: are ghosts real?

Or, BuzzFeed Unsolved AU.

Weightless

A fic by smittenwithlouis on AO3 | @smittenwithlouis on Tumblr | @smittenwlouis on Twitter

25k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

He hopes that Harry still thinks of him. God knows Louis thinks of him every day.

Or: Harry is the best dragon racer the world has ever seen and Louis is an almost-vet who feels like he is carrying the weight of the world.

Canyon Moon

A fic by delsicle on AO3 | @eeveelou​ on Tumblr | @itsdelsicle on Twitter

40k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

For as long as Louis has remembered, he has been promised to be mated to Harry, his best friend and the future pack alpha. But Louis’s heart belonged to the forest and to the hunt more than he could ever imagine it belonging to Harry.

Then Harry’s father dies in a violent accident, and Louis’s future alpha disappears on the wind.

An A/B/O Lion King AU

keep it sweet in your memory

A fic by Safetypinprince on AO3 | @roselouis on Tumblr | @brtlyb on Twitter

17k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

'How'd it go?' Harry pushes them into Niall's room and shuts the door behind him, so Georgia doesn't overhear.

'It was good. We just caught up, mostly... I may have done something a little stupid, though.'

And Niall's eyebrows are in his hairline at that.

'I mean. Okay, so I invited Louis out on Saturday.'

'Saturday? Your--'

'Yes, my bachelor party...' and then Harry has to explain himself, 'I just felt guilty. I think. He was like. Telling me he wanted to hook up.'

'He WHAT!?'

'No. I mean, not with me. Like. He wants to go out and meet people.'

'He'll hate that. He's too much of a romantic.'

'Yeah, well. Whatever his name was messed him up a little, it would seem.'

We Can Go On Forever (When Everything’s Gone Forever)

A fic by jurassiclouis on AO3 | ​@jurassiclouis on Tumblr

39k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry spent most of his adult life focused on either his studies or his books - 5 of which he has already had published before he was 30. Immediately after completing his dissertation, he was offered a lectureship at Cambridge University where he’s been for 2 years now.

This wasn’t the first time in his life that he had felt the incessant itch to know more about a subject by any means. However, this was the first time the subject had been an Omega.

Prompt: Fluff (a/b/o) AU / University History Professor and Kindergarten teacher.

the way the storms blow

A fic by rbbsbb on AO3 | ​@rbbsbb on Tumblr | @deeperthanink on Twitter

21k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis doesn’t have a habit of thinking about Harry’s dick.

That would be weird, seeing as they’re best mates, and they share a flat, and they’ve spent holidays at each other’s family homes. Their friendship hasn’t ever risen to a point where Louis should want to see his mate’s dick, and he’s happy to keep it that way.

Except, all that Louis can think about is exactly that. The size of it. The shape. The amount of people it’s been in.

Maybe it’s the tequila talking, or the fact that Louis’ just recently walked in to an eyeful of Harry taking turns on some slags that he’s never seen before, but. Louis’ mind can’t stop obsessing over the idea.

“If I Cut Out a Heart...”

A fic by Typosmyown on AO3 | @palosquared​​ on Tumblr

65k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry Styles is reluctant to assume a role as the owner of a gay strip club. The disappearance of his step-father puts Harry in this position. Along Harry’s path of discovering what happened to his step-father, between the abundant twerking, jigging arse of the club’s star stripper, a mystery deepens. Harry learns of several murders that all tie to his star stripper, Louis, The Tommo Tease.

I Couldn’t Get Away From You

A fic by Once_upon_a_larrie (once_upon_a_larrie) on AO3 | @once-upon-a-larrie28 on Tumblr

5k | Mature | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry Styles is reluctant to assume a role as the owner of a gay strip club. The disappearance of his step-father puts Harry in this position. Along Harry’s path of discovering what happened to his step-father, between the abundant twerking, jigging arse of the club’s star stripper, a mystery deepens. Harry learns of several murders that all tie to his star stripper, Louis, The Tommo Tease.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

A fic by MuggleMirror on AO3 | @mugglemirror on Tumblr | @archerlouist on Twitter

16k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

They say one can resist everything but temptation. The desire that leads to the passionate pursuit of climax that has built and broken empires. So what was stopping Harry from giving in to the temptation of Louis Tomlinson?

Or

A regency murder mystery au where Louis is married to an earl and Harry is a detective. Hatchets are buried but not everyone is as they seem.

blue lotus

A fic by thedeathchamber on AO3 | @louehvolution​ on Tumblr

29k | Explicit | Louis/OMC | Tumblr post | Twitter post

After the Second Rebellion and the dismantling of President Cowell’s regime, Louis struggles to make sense of life.

A post-Hunger Games AU

letters from boston

A fic by tilthesundies on AO3 | @tllthesundies​ on Tumblr | @tiIthesundies on Twitter

3k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Louis’s standing in the kitchen when he opens the first letter.

Hey,

I used to live in your house. I’m drunk in Boston, and it’s the only address I know.

Happy holidays.

don’t know if i could ever go without

A fic by ifthat on AO3 | @lovehl on Tumblr | @alltheghost on Twitter

14k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

“We’ve come up with a solid solution. You’re not going to like it.”

“What is it?” Louis narrows his eyes suspiciously, glancing at a visibly enthusiastic Liam.

“What if you pretended to be an Alpha?” Zayn suggests.

Glow, Chrysó Mou

A fic by bluestarwitch on AO3 | @IwtstarIight on Twitter

21k | Not Rated | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

The sun is the one who braves darkness the most.

The sun isn’t the one who never gets tired.

I’ll Light the Fire

A fic by pinkvinyl on AO3 | @pinkvinyl on Tumblr | @PlNKVINYL on Twitter

7k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

“Alright, baby, we can do that next time, okay?” Harry says, trying to hide the smile in his voice and moving between Louis’ spread thighs. Harry wishes he had his camera handy so he could snap a photo of the vision in front of him; the way Louis’ caramel skin is contrasting with the white sheets, his eyelashes fanning over his cheeks, and the sun rays bouncing off his back. Fucking gorgeous. Harry runs his hands up the length of Louis’ legs, digging his thumbs into the soft skin on the innermost part of his thighs. He makes a mental note to move his polaroid within arms reach of their bed.

“I might change my mind, that sounds like a lot of wor-, oh god,” Louis gets cut off as Harry licks a broad stripe up his taint to his hole, practically purring into the pillow.

The Space Between

A fic by emma1234 on AO3 | @lads-laddylads on Tumblr | @lads_laddylads on Twitter

40k | Explicit | Louis/Harry | Tumblr post | Twitter post

Harry Styles is the alpha rockstar who can’t sleep and doesn’t know why.

Louis Tomlinson is the omega PhD student who helps him figure it out.

[hd-cluefest]

H/D Clue Fest - Anon Masterlist

All the reports and wire tapes submitted by our secret agents have been revealed. Twenty-eight cases, almost half a million words and over two and a half hours of audio.  Under the cut, you can find an overview of all our cases. 

0430, T, 8.7k

Harry disappears at exactly 04:30 in the morning. Hermione and Ron intend to figure out why. And Pansy's certain has something to do with Draco.

A Hogwarts Detective Mystery, E, 19.3k

Harry returns to Hogwarts for his Eighth Year with Ron and Hermione after defending Draco Malfoy at his trial over the summer. Malfoy has returned too...but he's acting incredibly suspicious. So, naturally, Harry decides to stalk-er-follow him when he leaves the Eighth Year Common Room after hours one evening. It turns out that Malfoy has noticed something is amiss at Hogwarts, and he and Harry must work together to solve a mystery of disappearing portraits, randomly changing house colours on uniforms, and the Gryffindor Common Room suddenly appearing in the dungeons. What is happening to the castle? Will self-appointed detectives Harry and Draco discover what secrets are lying within the walls of Hogwarts...and their hearts?

A House on Fire, E, 8.4k

For the last five years, Auror Draco Malfoy has walked into his office with hardly a glance at the illusioned window taking up the back wall. It looks out over an imagined London, a perfectly bright and brilliant view of the city that hides the smog and rain and dirt that clings to the city like a patina of time that can never be worn away. It's always a perfect summer's day with soft, white clouds that float through the painfully bright blue sky like a dream. He likes to imagine the gentle breeze that ripples the surface of the Thames brushing across his skin, since he'll never be able to actually feel it. After all, his office is located on the second floor and is, therefore, underground.

Or at least that's what he did before the seventh of October, 2009.

A Little Bird Told Me, M, 18.6k

Harry and his partner are called to investigate a murder that occurred at an exclusive getaway hosted by Muggle patrician Robert Morton in his own house. The surviving six people are now both witnesses and suspects. There is just one problem for Harry: Draco Malfoy is one of them.

a meeting of minds, M, 8.2k

When Harry Potter starts hearing someone else's thoughts for several minutes a day, at first he chalks it up to his own bad luck and he tries to ignore it. But the longer it goes on, the less Harry can ignore it. Whoever it is, the person whose thoughts he's hearing needs help. Harry finds himself indignant at the mistreatment of the man taking up space in his head, and feels a sense of closeness to him that he cannot explain.

How can he find out whose thoughts he's hearing? And what exactly will he do when he finds him?

Cruel River, T, 67.7k

Draco inherits a castle deep in the Scottish highlands, and discovers it’s haunted by more than just ghosts.

Dear Stranger, T, 22.7k

The one thing more pointless than falling in love with an anonymous wizard over a correspondence is falling in love with Harry Potter when you’re Draco Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy and the Case of the Smuggled Gossip, T, 6.9k

It's eighth year and someone is selling gossip about Harry Potter and his friends to the new trashy wizarding tabloid. Can Draco discover how the gossip is getting smuggled out of the castle? Will he and Harry grow closer in the process? Will there be kissing? (Spoilers: yes.)  

For Now, 6.7k, T

At first when Harry gets sent a mysterious notebook, he thinks it's a gift. But when he starts to write in it, he finds that someone can see what he writes, and the stranger is writing back to him.

Over time he finds himself opening up to the mysterious stranger, but how is he supposed to fully trust him if the stranger won't even tell him his name?

He makes saints out of sinners, M, 32.8k

Harry grows with the turn of the tide. Draco contends with his ghosts.

This is a chronicle of inevitability.

It might take an army, it might just be me, M, 15.5k

Five years after the war, Auror Potter goes out on a seemingly routine mission to check up on some pardoned criminals. He doesn’t come back. Immediate suspicions are cast on Draco Malfoy, one of the charges he was to be visiting. But unbeknownst to everyone, the two of them have been in a secret relationship for over six months, and Draco is beside himself with worry and so is Hermione and Ron. Together they try to get their best friend back. But there are surprises on their ways which none of them even expects of.

Can they get their best friend back or is he gone forever?

Long story short, G, 4.6k

Someone's written about Harry's secret raspberry jam recipe. Also, they write fanfiction about him. Obviously, he using his investigative prowess to find them.

Love's Sake, Evermore, E, 9.6k

Someone is doing nice things for Draco and that someone seems to know an awful lot about his habits and favorite things. Draco can't imagine why anyone would do these things for him because he still thinks he has something to prove. Some days he thinks he’s going to spend his entire life spackling over the mistakes of his youth and the sins of his family.

Memory Lane, T, 9.7k

Draco Malfoy has been happily living in the Muggle world for nearly a decade, far away from any Wizarding responsibilities they might try to enforce on him. He planned on leaving that world forever, save for making sure his son received a proper education, but things didn’t exactly go to plan. On his doorstep, one night, Harry Potter showed up. Except Harry Potter was supposed to be dead for the last seven years.

Mine O'Clock, T, 1.2k

Harry Potter is missing and Ron and Hermione are going spare.

How can Draco enjoy his lazy weekend with their nonsense cluttering up his front steps?

[podfic] Potterotica, E, 20min

The first story, and you could barely call it that, had appeared in the communal bathroom overnight. It was stuck to the mirror, one above each sink, like it was expected people might casually read it while brushing their teeth.

Except, there was nothing casual about reading explicit erotica in a communal bathroom while shoving a lubricated brush in and out of your mouth.

Blaise had been the first to find it, or rather, to gleefully admit that he had. He’d burst into the common room in his pants to declare, 'There’s fucking porn in the bathroom!'

Someone's writing smut and signing it with Harry's name. Hermione isn't buying it, and she has a plan to expose the true author. She also has her hand in her pants in a wardrobe.A (ridiculous) response to AO3s (valid) new co-creator rules.

Repairing his world, M, 34.8k

15 years after his father was arrested, Scorpius uncovers his case file at work. Desperate for answers on why his family was torn apart all those years ago, Scorpius looks into what happened. But is he ready for how the new evidence will change his life all over again?

Reverie in Green, T, 51.7k

Draco just wants to get away; Harry just wants his dog back.

There's a small wooden bridge in the middle, somewhere, curved over a stream that never stops flowing. All they have to do is cross it.

Secret Admirer, E, 12.3k

Fresh out of training, Harry discovers that life as an Auror isn’t at all what he’d imagined - it’s much better actually, and there are stickers. As he settles into the team, a case lands quite literally on his doorstep... who keeps sending the Knight Bus to his house?

Sleight of Hand, E, 15k

It’s another one of these horrid Ministry affairs, and the only interesting thing is twinkling from Draco Malfoy’s finger. Can you really blame Harry for being fascinated by the gorgeous emerald ring and those long, elegant hands, especially when he’s certain Malfoy is up to something?

[podfic] The Lion, The Dragon, and the Broom Cupboard, E, 1h45min

Draco thinks he’s hallucinating the first time when he opens the door to the office pantry and finds Potter there instead, looming out of the shadows of what appears to be a cupboard like some deformed gargoyle. Things don’t go much better after that.

Or, three broom cupboards, two times they get it on, and one love story.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Yoghurt, E, 24.5k

Newly-hired Flying Professor Harry Potter is happy to return to Hogwarts for a fresh start after several failed careers, but nothing is going as planned. His classes are a mess, he has to find a way to work with Draco Malfoy (annoying git extraordinaire) and now, in an act of villainy and depravity, someone keeps stealing his yoghurt.

Through the Blur, E, 27.7k

Sleep doesn't come easy to Harry. Despite taking regular doses of Dreamless Sleep for years, he hasn't managed to get rid of the nightmares. Things can't get any worse for him when Potions Master Draco Malfoy comes to him for help after mysterious attacks to his apothecary.

[podfic] to heal a fracture (to bind a life), M, 33min

Who you gonna call? Harry has become one of the foremost Spiritual Exterminators in Britain. Draco has a spirit that needs extermination. But what seems like a simple problem ends up becoming far more complicated when the spirit is identified. The secrets that are exposed and the history that is uncovered leads both Harry and Draco into uncharted territory.

To Live & Die in LA, E, 28.8k

Someone is blackmailing Pansy Parkinson. Pansy's father hires Harry Potter, P.I., to get to the bottom of the scam. But how is Harry's errant ex-boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, involved? And why did Draco run to Los Angeles in the first place?

Two Hearts Divided, T, 18.6k

Draco Malfoy, the celebrated Ghost Clearance Expert is in Germany, trying to solve the tricky little matter of a stubborn ghost called Clara von Kellern. Exasperated after trying every spell he knows, Draco sends an owl to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in London, requesting their urgent help.

Little does Draco know that the clerk who willingly grasps his letter is Harry Potter.

Injured in action, Harry enjoys a quiet, deskbound existence and sees Draco’s letters as a bit of excitement to brighten up his dull days. Harry has no idea that investigating Clara’s life, and that of her beau (and potential murderer) Ernst Wernet will lead to the beginnings of a love affair all of his own.

Violent Delights, E, 20.4k

Draco Malfoy's life should be going very well. He's engaged to a wonderful man and in line for the Head Auror job. He's been made lead investigator on a serial murder case, trying to figure out who is killing off the scum of the wizarding world, one by one. So what if he's kind of miserable? Things always get better.

Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?, E, 15.4k

As sad as it was for a family to come to this point: no one would put it past the others to be able to raise their hand and wand against a cousin, an aunt or even a son.

Merlin knows, it had been happening often enough in the House of Black.

So that left the attendees with one question.

Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?

*

Harry & Draco are Walburga Black's guests at Number 12 Grimmauld Place to find the one, true heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. What had the potential to go terribly wrong, went one step further and culminated in a dead body and twelve suspects.

[merthurglompfest]

Merthur Glompfest 2020 Masterlist

Thank you to everyone who participated in Merthur Glompfest 2020! It’s been a bit of a ride, with all of us having to deal with extremely unexpected circumstances compared to when the fest launched, but we hope that everyone is safe and well, and that all our Glompee’s enjoy their gifts!  Please check out the masterlist below for all our fantastic entries and we look forward to seeing you all next year!

fifty_fifty & schweet_heart

Gift for mega_mathi | Better with You | by Leandra [ Explicit | 15344 ] Summary:  Arthur is having a terrible day full of bad news, misfortune and a mouthy and irritating manservant. Strangely enough, it’s a rather surprising altercation with said irritating manservant that turns the day around and soon, Arthur is convinced that having Merlin in his bed is the remedy to cure all his horrible days… Gift for broken_fannibal | Breaking Points | by elirwen [ Teen & Up | 2595 ] Summary: His magic bound, their captors ruthless in their torture, Merlin needs to find a way to get both Arthur and himself to freedom. Gift for KimliPan | Broken Days, A Guide and How To Manual | by arsenicandsunshine [ Teen & Up | 20652 ] Summary: In which if Merlin has to see the cracked gray of his bedroom ceiling one more time, he’s gonna scream. Or punch someone. Maybe the wall. Definitely Arthur, who can’t seem to find the words to say what he wants to, but after the morning Merlin’s had, whatever it was can’t possible help. Gift for silklace | The Coming of the Golden Age | by fifty_fifty [ Explicit | 49526 ] Summary:  With King Uther dead, the moment Merlin has been waiting for is finally here: Arthur is king. But his and Arthur's relationship isn't the only thing that's heating up, and with the threat of war on one side and social unrest on the other, some big changes are in store for Camelot – whether they like it or not. Gift for nekoii | The confident king and his nervous mage. | by digthewriter [ Gen | Art ] Summary: Arthur and Merlin on their wedding day. Gift for mega_mathi | A convenient marriage | by Lyss2011 [ Teen & Up | 13786 ] Summary: Love, Merlin thought, caressing the word and signature with his thumb. Arthur was courting someone whom he loved. And who he loved was Mithian. What else could the M stand for? In which Merlin and Arthur have a marriage of convenience, Merlin falls in love with Arthur, and Arthur courts someone who couldn't possibly be Merlin. Gift for actuallyitscaptain | A Crown of Smoke | by CandiceWright [ Explicit | 5421 ] Summary: The execution of a sorceress leaves Camelot on edge and triggers a magical threat that Merlin can only fight by revealing himself. Then Arthur is presented with a choice: to follow his father's footsteps or to let Merlin live, all while battling his feelings for the servant. In the end, it wasn't much of a choice, was it? Gift for jasminum_draconis | Daughters and Fathers and Sons, oh my! | by archaeologist_d [ Mature | 3608 ] Summary:  Morgana was just trying to help keep Arthur and Merlin’s liaison a secret. Little did she know that there was more than one secret in the castle. Gift for afreezingnote | Deadly Games | by keeperofstories [ Teen & Up | 31281 ] Summary: Merlin, Arthur, and the knights of the Round Table get caught in a trap. The trap wasn't meant for them but they have to suffer through the consequences anyway. Secrets are revealed and relationships are threatened. Gift for Cupidity11 | The Diamond Sea | by Excaliburstark [ Gen | 11123 ] Summary: Merlin comes to court, driven by curiosity and desire after he saved a golden haired man during a storm. A Mer!Prince Merlin and Royal Arthur au Gift for Aranei | Don't Let it Be Forgot, That Once There Was a Spot, for One Brief Shining Moment, That Was Known As Camelot | by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy) [ Teen & Up | 8617 ] Summary: An emotionally constipated Prince Arthur thinks he’s being clever in his endeavour to push his new manservant, Merlin, away, but his plan has a major flaw and unexpected consequences. How far will he go to get what he’s lost back? Gift for Merlioske | down the rabbit hole | by TheDragon [ Mature | 4899 ] Summary:  In which Arthur discovers Merlin is sleeping with Gwaine and promptly flies into a jealous rage. Gift for actuallyitscaptain | The Eternal Silence of These Infinite Spaces | by aoigensou [ Teen & Up | 26069 ] Summary: After a spat with Arthur, Merlin retreats for some quiet in the Darkling Woods. What happens there takes away his voice, and forces Merlin to figure out how to exist in a world where communication doesn't come easily. Gift for blueskysunnyday | Feint | by Camelittle [ Explicit | 14440 ] Summary: Three insufferable brothers visit Camelot, making life intolerable for Arthur. Luckily, he has a cunning plan for escaping into the forest with Merlin. A totally solid, sound and foolproof plan, which he certainly is not making up as he goes along. Gift for Jayfire | The Hat is Never Wrong | by MapleBreeze [ Gen | 2504 ] Summary:  When Arthur gets sorted into Hufflepuff upon arriving to Hogwarts, he is shocked and devastated, fearing his father's reaction. But the hat is never wrong and Arthur becomes determined to show just how great Hufflepuff can be.   Gift for KimliPan | Heart of the Woods | by Nympha_Alba [ Gen | 4801 ] Summary:  When one of Merlin's spells misfires, Arthur is left without a memory of who he is and why he's there. Thinking Arthur will have no recollection of any of this when his memory returns, Merlin makes the risky decision to show him how beautiful magic can be. Gift for actuallyitscaptain | Hold On To Your Heart (Hold It High Above Flood Waters) | by tehfanglyfish [ Teen & Up | 10437 ] Summary: After accidentally causing Uther's death, Morgana entered self-imposed exile. The loneliness took a heavy toll until the Great Dragon swooped into her life to recruit her for babysitting duty. Now Morgana spends her days caring for Aithusa, while using her magic to spy on Camelot. As she discovers the secrets that Arthur and Merlin have been keeping from each other, what choice does she have but to give them a much-needed shove? Gift for KasumiAFKGod |  It's the Distance We Don't Need | by tabbytabbytabby [ Teen & Up | 6245 ] Summary:  Merlin can't stand Arthur, and he's more than sure Arthur feels the same way. It's been that way for as long as Merlin can remember. There's no reason for that to change. He's fine with the way things are. It's not as if he likes him or anything. No, the person he likes is Al, one of his best friends that he talks to about everything. The only problem is they met online and despite knowing they go to the same school, Merlin has no idea who Al really is. Things grow more complicated when Merlin and Arthur are forced to work together on a project and Merlin starts to realize that maybe Arthur isn't as bad as he thought. Gift for Merlioske AND pukajen | Light the way Home | by actuallyitscaptain [ Gen | 1097 ] Summary: Freya lives, and Merlin runs off with her, sure that his feelings for Arthur will never be reciprocated. Arthur is stuck at the castle trying not to panic because Merlin LEFT HIM! To top it off, his connection with his soulmate is flaring up. Since soulmates are worse than magic in his father's eyes, he and Gaius are left trying to dodge bullets. Gift for Aranei | Lucky Charm | by Aeris444 [ Gen | 1087 ] Summary: The Knights think Merlin bring them luck. But who will be lucky in the end? Gift for Merlioske | Meddling and Other Sins. | by Michaelssw0rd [ Teen & Up | 5541 ] Summary: Gwaine is just about Done™ watching Arthur and Merlin dance around each other. It's been going on for too long. Any more of it will give Gwaine brain disease-- if he hasn't already contracted one from the two idiots. So really, doing something to get those two together is almost as much for his own sanity, as it is for them. Gift for SeverusBarbosa | Merlin, Morgana, and the Merry Men | by Elizabeth [ Mature | 13645 ] Summary: Merlin and Gwaine return from the Crusades to find Prince Agravaine and the Sheriff of Nottingham terrorizing the local peasants. Arthur and Gwen never wanted to be a part of a corrupt ruling class, but it's the card fate has dealt them. Merlin, though, isn't one to sit back and let it happen, so he and Morgana make a plan: steal from the rich and give to the poor. Together with their merry men, they're the stuff of legends.But being Robin Hood becomes more complicated when one falls for Arthur and the other falls for Gwen. Gift for Kais767 | Not so Silent a Night | by archaeologist_d [ Explicit | 7134 ] Summary: Merlin and Arthur are returning from their final quest for the year when a blizzard blocks the road back to Camelot. The closest village just happens to be Ealdor. But with Arthur an insensitive prat, and Merlin resenting having to be a servant in his own home and at Christmas time no less, things get a little heated. Gift for deathcomeswithakiss | only honest when it rains | by somethingaboutwriting [ Teen & Up | 11081 ] Summary: Merlin is sneaking off to see a girl. Arthur's handling it very well. That is, apart from these weird flowers he keeps coughing up. Gift for Krysania | The Portrait | by arthurandhisswordbros [ Teen & Up | 20917 ] Summary: Arthur must have his portrait made. It is customary that the man servant is depicted as well with his master. Arthur makes the most of the occasion by secretly ordering the painter to produce a small portrait of Merlin smiling. He keeps it preciously in a locket around his neck. Merlin is going crazy with curiosity. Gift for Jayfire | Of Clotpoles and Idiots | by sdewan6 [ Teen & Up | 1592 ] Summary: “You know, Merlin,” Arthur says, once it’s done, “For such an idiot, you’re not that bad.”Merlin beams back at him, unconsciously reaching to tug at his neckerchief. “For such a prat,” he replies, “you don’t always completely suck.” Four times Arthur called Merlin an idiot and the one time Merlin called him a clotpole. Gift for El_tuco | Operation: Picnic Basket | by DevonShea [ Gen | 3562 ] Summary:  Arthur wants to get Gwen and Lancelot together. He needs Merlin's help, of course. Could it lead to something more? Gift for nekoii | Rain Over Me with the Colours of Love | by sdewan6 [ Teen & Up | 2494 ] Summary: Arthur tries to return his focus back to the speech, but Merlin is the only thing on his mind, for some reason. Not that he likes him or anything, obviously. Nothing about his idiotic smile or his dumb gorgeous blue eyes or stupid neckerchief that suits him so much makes Arthur want to kiss him. Absolutely not. He’s the prince! He’s not going to fall in love with his manservant. Except he already kind of has. In which Arthur really loves Merlin and Merlin really loves Arthur Gift for BlazingPenicls | Tripping in the Flowers | by actuallyitscaptain [ Gen | 1378 ] Summary:  Arthur tries (and mostly succeeds) at being romantic. Really, what more can you expect from two idiots in love? Gift for broken_fannibal | Trying to Hide | by fictionalinfinity [ Gen | 1761 ] Summary: When Merlin fails to show up to work, Arthur is furious, but that all changed when he finds Merlin in tears. Gift for afreezingnote | Whatever You Want to Be | by Impala_Chick [ Teen & Up | 5329 ] Summary: Arthur, and those that were hiding out with him in the caves, are captured by scouts and dragged back to Camelot. Morgana sets Arthur's public execution into motion to solidify her rule. But her plans are thwarted when Merlin reveals his magic. After the dust settles, Arthur can't deny that his feelings about magic, and about Merlin, have changed. Gift for deathcomeswithakiss |  You've Got Your Reasons | by FervidAsAFlame (with art by CandiceWright) [ Teen & Up | 11678 & art ] Summary:  Arthur is the perfect flatmate — he pays his rent on time, works so much that he’s not even home half the time, and is totally okay with Merlin’s magic. Best of all, Merlin is pretty sure that Arthur has a crush on him — that is, until he stumbles across a list of things that Arthur hates about him. Merlin is upset of course, but he pushes aside his feelings to focus on being a better roommate so that Arthur will renew their lease for another year. Most of the things on the list aren’t that hard to correct … so how come Arthur seems to get more and more annoyed as Merlin improves his behaviour?

[hehron]

Golden Trio Midlife Adventure!

Hi, just trying my hand at post-canon HP to participate in the happy birthday harry writing fest by @fightfortherightsofhouseelves !

“What’s the birthday boy doing sitting all alone?” Ron asked loudly as he plopped down in the armchair in Harry’s study.

“Not brooding, I hope.” Hermione added, shooting a disapproving glance at the glass in his hand.

“It’s just pumpkin juice.” Harry told her, then a little defensively asked. “And why would I be brooding?”

Ron and Hermione gave him knowing looks.

“Harry, Harry, Harry,” Ron tutted in a dramatic fashion. “The fortieth is an earth-shattering explosion, like our new Fakequake Wheeze, especially for the faint of heart such as yourself, who don’t have all my hard-earned wisdom.” Ever since his great leap into the forties, Ron, heavily influenced by George, had leaned into the whole ‘Wise Old Dumbledore’ talk, despite Hermione’s reminders that he was nowhere near half of Dumbledore’s age or have half his wisdom for that matter, she added to Harry privately one day.

“Like I say every year, I feel lucky to have lived this far.” Harry insisted, though the churning in his stomach told him otherwise.

“Then why did you make Ginny exchange that comfy armchair she bought you for that new Dragon Taming Kit?” Hermione asked slyly.

“I need it! It could be useful on a case.” He defended.

“Yeah, right.” Ron snorted. “Unless you have the sudden desire to go on one of Luna and Rolf’s expeditions or developed a sudden, secret crush on Charlie-”

“Fine,” Harry cut him off. “Maybe I am a little upset but it’s still nothing compared to your I’m-Still-Not-Minister-Yet or Where-Did-My-Thirties-Go crisis.”

“It was a very understandable crisis!” Hermione said indignantly. “I was behind on my life plans by two months!”

Harry and Ron shared a look. Hermione’s life plan had been the catalyst to many fights and the butt of many jokes over the years.

“Love, you know our plans never really work-” Ron began.

“You mean your plans. My plans work out perfectly as long as you two don’t interfere.” She said with a pointed glare at Harry.

“No work talk on my birthday.” He grinned.

“Fine, but I want those papers back first thing tomorrow morning.” She said with a half smile.

“We should start our plans for today though. Don’t want to be late for Ginny’s big party.” Hermione said briskly while Ron’s face broke out into a huge grin at Harry’s confused look.

“What plans?”

“This is ridiculous!” Harry spluttered as they stood at the entrance to Honeydukes. A few people were milling about the streets but it was nothing compared to Hogsmeads’ usual bustle during the school season.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. Just like old times.” Ron chuckled, pushing him forwards.

“I can’t believe you’re going with this.” Harry said to Hermione.

“It was her idea.”

“What?!” Harry exclaimed as Ron burst into laughter.

“Don’t look so shocked, Harry. I’ve come up with just as many silly ideas as you two. Or have you forgotten about Christmas 2002?” Hermione asked with a self-satisfied smile.

Harry shook his head, grinning.

“Still seems a bit childish.”

“It’s supposed to be childish, mate.” Ron said, slapping his back.

“So you don’t forget what it’s like to be young.” Hermione said, before rummaging through her bag and pulling out a silvery cloak.

“Where-” Harry began.

“I borrowed it from James. What’s an adventure without the invisibility cloak?”

She threw it over them, and they trued to squeeze themselves together. Harry suddenly had a flashback to the last time the three of them had been in a similar position in the town and felt a rush of gratitude that the two situations couldn’t be more different.

“Our feet are still outside.” Ron grunted, trying to stretch the cloth.

“Don’t rip it Ron!” Hermione exclaimed. “We can just cast invisibility charms on our feet.”

“Yeah, now it seems like a good thing that you quit the Aurors. You’ll get your feet blown off with those kinds of ideas.” Harry teased.

Ron made a rude gesture before Hermione dragged them both down the hidden one-eyed witch passageway. It was a lot longer but considerably less dirty than they remembered it.

“Must be the kids. They sneak out to Hogsmeade at least twice a week.” Ron whispered.

“If they ever found out about this after all the grief we gave them about sneaking out-” Harry started.

“Bit rich coming from you, isn’t it?” Ron snickered.

“As if you’re one to talk.”

“Yes, yes, we were rule breaking hooligans and have descended to stuck up hypocrites. But what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” Hermione said.

“You’ve been spending way too much time with politicians.” Harry said to which she rolled her eyes.

Ron suddenly yelped as he knocked right into the exit. Harry cracked the door open and peered outside. Now that they were actually there, his heart was thudding frantically, a sort of exhilaration and nostalgia hitting him. A part of him had always missed it, the adventures with Ron and Hermione.

Hermione laughed quietly as Ron made an exaggerated show of tiptoeing outside. It was strange. They were adults, getting older by the second but at that moment, it seemed as if time had been reversed back thirty years, and they were the same giggling children they had been when they had first set foot in Hogwarts. That inexplicable feeling of remembering all the moments of happiness, bitter sweetness and everything in between, and knowing that they had not only made it out together but were still as close as they were back then, closer even, and that despite everything Hogwarts would always be there to welcome them home was all he needed.

The halls were just as Harry remembered it. This time tough, they brought back more than just their memories. They were mixed with several new anecdotes of the children and their escapades, with the three of them convincing themselves that they were definitely not hard teenagers while struggling to maintain straight faces. They had just entered the courtyard when they bumped into Neville.

“What are you guys doing here?” He asked, surprised.

“Oh, just, reminiscing.” Hermione said nonchalantly.

“By breaking into Hogwarts?”

“That’s the way we did it back then too, wasn’t it?” Harry grinned.

“How’d you know we broke in, by the way?”

“The Headmistress said the portraits said something about a secret passageway. I was just dropping off some forms for Hannah’s potions and said I’d check it out. Didn’t expect to see you guys.” Neville laughed.

“Oh, Happy Birthday, Harry!”

“You already wished me at midnight.” Harry said amused.

“Yeah, but I was knackered after the party. Can’t say I remember it.” The other man grinned.

“Particularly strong firewhiskey, mate. I had to take two doses of sobering potion in the morning.” Ron said sheepishly.

“You really shouldn’t have done that, Ron.” Hermione admonished.

“I know but...” Ron argued.

“Merlin! It’s like we’re really back at school again!” Neville exclaimed.

“Tell me about it.” Harry muttered, with an exasperated look at his best friends. 

“Oi! We’re here to celebrate my birthday. You can have your weird foreplay after the party.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” Hermione rolled her eyes.

“He’s not wrong about the foreplay though.” Ron said, kissing her cheek.

“See what I have to suffer through?” Harry sighed to Neville.

“Like you haven’t done worse with my sister in front of me.” Ron said with a mock-glare.

“Why isn’t Ginny here, anyway?” Neville asked.

“She’s making the last minute party arrangements.” Hermione said.

“She’s going berserk trying to make it perfect.” Ron added. 

“Funny she says it’s for me but threatens to hex me if I get five feet near the decorations. I’d have hidden in the attic with a butterbeer if she hadn’t invited the whole PU team.”

“Harry has a crush on their seeker.” Ron teased.

“Who doesn’t?” He shot back, knowing Ron had Quidditch Weekly articles stacked away in his trunk.

“Well, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you at the party.” Neville waved.

“Don’t rat us out, Neville. Or Hermione’ll have to stun you again.” Harry called, earning him a light shove from the brunette.

They made their way down to Hagrid’s hut and Harry was reminded of the many afternoons spent in a similar fashion.

“Looks like he’s not home.” Hermione said, noting the relative silence, that was only broken by a flutter of wings.

Harry whipped around to find Buckbeak standing there, looking at them curiously. He bowed and slowly egged his way closer to the majestic creature.

“Hey Buckbeak.” He said softly, petting the hippogriff. “Want to go for a fly? For old time’s sake?”

Harry turned around to find Ron sitting on Featherwhite, another hyppogriff, Luna had gifted to Hagrid, trying to get Hermione to get on as well.

“Come on, Hermione.” Harry called, mounting Buckbeak. “It’s my birthday.”

“There really should be a limited number of times you can use that to convince me.” She said, waving a finger at him but wearily got on behind Ron.

They took off and their laughter, and in Hermione’s case, shrieks, filled the air. Flying over the Quidditch Pitch, Harry promised himself to have a hippogriff race with Ginny as soon as they both had time.

They landed by the lake with Hermione swearing that she was never getting on one of those again.

“That’s what you said last time.” Harry reminded.

“And the time before that.” Ron added.

“And the time-”

“All right. All right.” Hermione laughed, shaking her head fondly.

They plopped down by the lake and watched the squid make a strange clapping motion with three of its tentacles.

“Even the squid’s wishing you a happy birthday.” Ron snorted.

“Even the squid wouldn’t believe a forty-year old could fly like that.” Harry boasted.

“Even the squid can’t handle two generations of Potters and Weasleys so close together.” Hermione said solemnly.

They chuckled and then descended into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the sunlight glinting over the still water. Harry thought back to the sunny days with Ginny in sixth year when the future he now had seemed like something out of a dream, and he realised that he was lucky, not just to alive but to be surrounded by the people he loved and who loved him.

A little while later, they strolled by the edge of the forest, talking about nothing and everything until they reached the whooping willow. Hermione was searching his face nervously while Ron casually suggested taking another exit. He knew they didn’t want to bring the mood down, especially on that day, and there might have been a time when he would have been too caught up in bad memories to even consider it. But now, all it reminded him was the thrill of flying a car to school in second year and the time he first met Sirius and the many, many, stories told by his kids. After all this time, he finally knew when and how to look for the silver lining until it outshone the black. They made their way out of the Shrieking Shack and walked towards the apparition point.

“That was...” Harry began.

“Oh, Harry! We’re so sorry if you didn’t like it. I just thought you would because you missed the field work so much and-”

“Hermione,” He cut her off. “It was amazing. The best birthday present I could ask for.”

“Don’t let Ginny hear you say that.” Ron interjected.

“Seriously, I loved it. I didn’t even know I needed it. Thank you.” He said, hugging her.

“A bit too sentimental, don’t you think?”

“Oh, get in here, Ron!” Hermione laughed as they pulled him into their embrace. It really was one of Harry’s best birthdays and it was only going to get better.