#emotionally stunted golden trio

[greenerteacups]

If there was one major plot element that you could change in the original canon what would it be?

The Marauders' deaths. With the exception of James, I don't think any of the Marauders die in a way that's narratively suitable — or, to be more particular, they die in a way suitable for a narrative I don't like very much. James is an acceptable (though, obviously, tragic) death to me because it completes his arc: he's an obnoxious, arrogant bully who grows into a selfless soldier on the side of the light, and lays down his life as a final gesture of abnegation. It's not Proust, but it's good, right? His death represents a symbolic triumph over Voldemort because it's something Voldemort would never do.

None of the others make the same kind of sense for their subplots. Sirius dies at the Ministry because Harry fucks up and lets his abandonment issues override his judgment, and while that's a compelling moment for Harry — whose hamartia is a trauma-forged combination of hot-headedness and desperate fear of losing people — it's not for Sirius. Sirius's problem in Book 5 is that he's emotionally stunted by his years of imprisonment and refuses to grow up, because he's clinging to the life he thinks — rightly — he should have gotten to have. This is made painfully clear in the Department of Mysteries, wherein some of his last words to Harry are "Nice one, James!" He refuses to treat Harry like the child he is, and he keeps acting like he's this fun-uncle type, blowing off rules and pissing off Mom (Molly), because that's the dynamic he should have had with Harry if Lily and James had lived. Sirius doesn't want to be Harry's guardian and role model. He wants a brother and a nephew, and he's trying to force Harry to be both, because he's all he has left of that family. His death doesn't tie any of those threads; they're left dangling. That's a valid narrative move — every death cuts a story short, and you can't give everybody an arc — but I loved Sirius. Giving Harry the "grieving loss of a parent" arc that was originally meant for Ron (Arthur was the original Big Death of the OOTP, in JKR's drafts) also means that Ron spends a lot of Book 6 without anything to do, whereas Harry goes through what's essentially a more intense version of the grieving-and-recovery arc he did after Cedric's death.

Remus, on the other hand, is just — first off, a Mess, I agree with so few of the choices made with Remus in the later books, but let's say he's deep in the trauma, the grieving, and whatever living among werewolves as a spy does for your mental health. So he gets into this will-they-won't-they with Tonks, gets married, tries to abandon pregnant wife, then goes back and gets to be with his wife and son for about half a year before dying, with said wife, in battle. Okay. So like:

I think the Remus Weirdness in Book 7 is actually an attempt to close a plot hole, which is that the Horcrux Hunt happens completely without adult supervision, despite the fact that there are lots of adults the Golden Trio could and should ask for help. Harry's insistence that he doesn't want to risk anyone's life except for Ron and Hermione's is, while understandable as a character move, utterly ridiculous, because the other Order members are risking their lives anyway. One of the biggest holes is Remus and Tonks, who are (a) both already targets for Voldemort because of who they are, and so have nothing to lose, but also (b) both care for Harry on a personal level, and would never accept his reasons for pushing them away. So Teddy Lupin is conceived in order to bench Tonks, who's safely out of commission while pregnant. But that leaves Remus, who probably in fact would have super complicated torn-loyalty feelings about the situation, and who is scarred and traumatized and probably has enough abandonment issues to try and walk out, but — in my view — never resolves any of those things. He doesn't suddenly realize that he loves Tonks and wants to be with her, or feel a sense of duty to his son; when Harry's justly furious at Remus abandoning his kid in Harry's name, Remus gets pissy about it and goes "well, if you don't want my help, fine," and leaves. Which is, again, fine, a character flaw, it's childish, he's allowed to be, and he is, in fact, similar to Sirius and James — but it left a bad taste in my mouth, because that's one of the last conversations we get with Remus, and it's such an impoverished vision of his bonds with others. It doesn't delve deeply into why he loves Tonks or Harry, or the substance of his conflict between them; like always with the Marauders, he just invokes James, and Harry throws James's name right back at him, and it ends there.

And then he dies, so that baby Teddy Lupin can be an orphan, and we can do a parallel to baby Harry Potter. Even though we don't see Teddy Lupin on the page ever, so we have no idea what that comparison means, or how their experiences compliment or contrast one another, or literally anything more substantive than the series beginning and ending on the same event. Which: great. Okay. To quote a Roger Ebert review that I think about, on average, once every thirty-six hours:

"J.K. Rowling has learned from better novels that authors sometimes create narrative parallels, but she has not learned why."

[fallingoverharrypotter]

Torn a New One

This is based on the @drarrymicrofic​ prompt for pretend, and got very long. Heres the ao3 link :).

The shirt is supposed to make Harry look like that one Bratz doll meme; you know the one. 

Thanks for reading <3 <3

Harry is a stoic man. That’s what Hermione calls him.

He’s sitting on Ron’s plush carpeted floors in his shiny new flat. Ron himself is passed out on a couch that costs more galleons than a year of Hermione’s tuition, with Hermione herself teetering on the edge of both her couch and hers and Ron’s refusal to bring up that they’re still fucking on the side of their tumultuous breakup. She brings up Harry’s problems to distract herself, and Harry tells her not to bother. Harry also tells her that she and Ron should just own up to their idiocy and sort their crap out sooner rather than later, and then Hermione yells loud enough to wake Ron with: Harry James Potter, you’re a complete and utter hypocrite. Ron does wake up when their voices raise like this, and then cordons Hermione off to the main bedroom leaving Harry to pretend that he’ll floo home, before the three of them end up eating cereal whilst sitting at/on Ron’s granite countertops the next morning.

All three look a right picture. Hermione is staunchly refusing to acknowledge that she’s wearing a t-shirt of Ron’s – old Canon’s merch that she’s absolutely swimming in. Harry, in solidarity, is also wearing one of Ron’s shirts without pants – the newest Wheezes rollout collection, classic stylized lettering (Ron’s got this beautiful flat because every single Witch and Wizard between the ages of 14 and 37 owns Wheezes now). And Ron himself is shirtless and in nothing but underwear.

They’ve seen more of each other than is completely normal over the last 15 years, but they’re still indulgent enough not to bring up any of the shit they refuse to talk about. They need a balancing force, Harry often thinks, someone who is outrightly honest and refuses the stupid little games that the golden trio fall into to avoid talking about their true feelings. That’s what Harry thinks inside his head, but his body ends up groaning and bending forward so his forehead smacks the countertops none too gently. His consciousness sounds more and more like someone he refuses to think about whenever he’s been drinking. Merlin save him.

“Oi,” Ron admonishes without looking up from his bowl. He’s leaning atop the counter on forearms and staring into his cereal, swirling the spoon around the stodgy mess and eating no longer.

Harry grunts first, and then says “gonna sick up, Ronnykins?” and gets glared at by Hermione who is onto her third bowl of cereal at this point. Right. Can’t joke about Lavender either, apparently. That fling definitely didn’t help the dynamic, Harry reminds himself.

“Jus’ don’t wan’ you bruising my bench with your fat head.”

Harry kicks out at Ron with his closest foot and makes contact, gets an immediate groan for his efforts, before Ron’s pulling up from his slouch and getting Harry into a pretty tight headlock. Harry resorts to elbowing Ron in the gut over and over. Ron groans and releases, making a mad dash for the fancy powder room into which he projectiles.

Hermione, for all she looks dazed and noncommittal this early into a hangover, manages to give off an air of created aloofness about the violent noises coming from down the hall. Harry smirks at her, and gets his own kick in response that makes him exclaim “ow, fuck. You two are so bloody violent.”

Before she responds, there’s a tapping at the window. Owl. Hermione stares at Harry to let him know that there’s no way she’s moving from her lounging for the bloody post, so Harry straightens up to open the window for the tawny. Efficient things these post owls are this morning; just drops the paper on the countertop near Harry’s bowl before flying right out the window without even waiting for a treat.

Harry’s shaking his head to brush away the last fuzz of the evening with the assistance of the scent of fresh air. Hermione gasps out loud. That makes Harry turn around quick enough for whiplash, and then he wishes fervently for death by sustained head trauma when the figure on the front of the paper, unfurled and sepia, winks right at him.

“Fuck,” Harry says. His gut churns, and then he’s running down the hall, past the occupied powder room to Ron’s master bath, and vomits up his guts.

 ***

Ron’s back in the kitchen by the time that Harry stumbles back in. Three strong cups of tea are quick-brewing under Hermione’s wand, even though both her and Ron’s attention is maintained by the Prophet’s front page. Because that is Draco Malfoy wearing a Wheezes “I shagged Harry Potter and all I got was this stupid shirt” collectable.

“It’s ironic!” Ron and George had insisted on its’ inception 4 years back. Only 100 had been made, a necessity: scarcity is key. They resell for a lot of money these days. Harry would rather die than see another in person. His face, a terrible photo of him caught by photographers during a pretty brutal night out, is plastered right on the middle along with stylized fireworks that go off every couple of minutes. He’d been convinced into making them, to try and control the narrative or whatever bullshit the Weasley’s had spouted just a couple of days beforehand when Harry had started stomping around the burrow or the floor of the joke shop or Hermione and Ron’s old shoebox apartment in anguish. It worked, he guesses, and he doesn’t see many of them anymore, as they’re kept in the strongest of imperturbable charms and modified protegos by anyone lucky enough to get one. But this one. This one he didn’t know about.

Hermione’s been muttering to herself as she read the accompanying story, when her voice perks up. “Merlin, listen to this: ‘this intrepid reporter asked what I’m certain all our readership will be most curious to uncover now that we are sitting down with the one and only Draco Malfoy. When we had sat down in Mr. Malfoy’s beautifully appointed drawing room, I too was especially shocked at his choice of attire,’” Hermione pauses here to roll her eyes and mutter “oh here we go,” before continuing in a higher and haughtier voice. “‘We all know the poise that Mr. Malfoy holds, one of Wizarding Britain’s most darling Stars, his performance in Wizarding Wireless serials having taken our world by storm the past 6 years. I must myself mention the serialisation of the modern take on the Wizarding classic story of Millicent Mimbletonia’s Marvelous Manor; captured this reporter’s heart, it did.’ What a load of absolute nonsense.”

“Oh, come on, Herm,” Ron says and knocks into her arm to get her to continue the story.

“Fine, but this is all absolute tripe. What was Draco thinking! Okay. Blah blah blah, you can’t believe how long this person goes on about Draco’s drawing room, blah. Okay here. ‘On questioning Mr. Malfoy’s choice to wear the now famously collectible Wheezes’ Harry Potter shirt, the gentleman seems to look slightly pensive.’

“‘‘Monsieur,’ our Star addresses me, ‘when you have been in the business of telling stories for as long as I, you start to have a great fondness for truth. I must now admit to you, and all of your lovely readers, that I bought this shirt on release and whilst under Polyjuice’. Now readers, you must bear with Mr. Malfoy here. Yours truly was very shocked-’ Good God, can this man obfuscate. Okay, then Draco says, ‘‘I’ve kept my ownership of such an item close to my chest, and away from my closest relationships. I have found over the years that true mutual affection, friendship, and love, have foundations built on beds of uncertainty and trust simultaneously, and thus I was afraid to expose myself.’ I but in here and ask what we must all be thinking at this admission: is he such a big fan of our Saviour that he is ashamed? But Mr. Malfoy continues: ‘No, monsieur. In all honesty, I am the man’s biggest critic.’’” Harry ducks his head, his hands shaking as he reaches for the now over-brewed tea.

Hermione looks up at Harry and Ron with wide eyes. Ron looks back at her wide eyed too, glancing small looks at Harry every now and again when he finds something particularly salacious, but he says nothing. Harry is hiding his trembling hands and trembling mouth behind a blisteringly hot cup of tea. She receives no objections, and continues. “‘‘I am livid that he’s been out of the public eye for so long regardless of his exceptional ability to bring about change in those around him; Potter has worked the same archival job in the Ministry for 5 years, with no end in sight, I fear. He refuses to allow those outside of his closest friends and family to know him in any sense, and I would argue that this is truly detrimental to his relationship with the Wizarding community. Although I disagree with the man on many things, I will be the first to say here and now that if any person deserves privacy, it is him. But the relationships we build with those we love-’’” and Harry snatches the paper out of Hermione’s hands.

“Harry,” Ron starts, reaching out a hand and grasping his upper arm. Hermione too has hopped down off the counter and is crowding Harry’s other side. He wants to shake them off, but he can’t. He can’t stop looking at the paper in his hands with Draco’s figure. Draco’s white blond head of hair turned beige on paper, his eyes sharp and flirty to readers, his hands restlessly gripping at his shirt. The shirt with Harry’s face.

Harry is a stoic man. Hermione tells him that exactly, Ron tells him that adjacently, and Draco. Draco has said the same thing in so many ways and at so many times that Harry has had it drilled into his head. His eyes are watering now, a little. And he can’t read much more of the article, but he doesn’t really need to. Because Draco will skate around enough of his personal life that it seems as though he’s come clean about something when he’s actually just marketing his next serial; it’s what he does.

This time, though, he’s wearing one of those terrible shirts that almost single-handedly sparked the Wheezes fashion line and bought Ron this apartment, and he’s saying things here that Harry knows are true. Knows are directed right at Harry. Knows because a week ago Harry had walked right out of Draco’s “well-appointed” drawing room, slamming the door and not answering the following owls. Harry hasn’t slept at his own sparse flat for a week. He’s spent time at Ron’s, spent time at Hermione’s, spent time at the Burrow. He’s even spent time in the dark halls of Grimmauld, which he hasn’t wanted to touch for years, no matter how many people around him shared their opinions on it being the perfect. Home. One day.

They’re standing there, the three of them, when a knock sounds on Ron’s front door. Harry freezes, but Ron staggers out into the hallway, still in nothing but underwear.

“Sweet Merlin, Weasley, could you put on some bloody pants? You do know it’s ten o’clock?” Says the visitor, and Harry just lets his back go limp, setting out to truly bruise Ron’s beautiful granite countertops with his forehead once again. He can hear Ron sarcastically mumble something along the lines of ‘yes Malfoy, of course you can come in’. Hermione grips his arm slightly in sympathy, but turns to face the entrance to the kitchen anyway. Like a traitor.

“Hermione, lovely as always. I see the three of you are in similar states of distressed undress this morning. Have you finally succumbed to your polyamorous destiny?”

“Nice to see you too, Draco. Lovely article.”

“Thank you. Do you like the shirt, too? Catches a sweet mint in resale these days.”

“You don’t say…”

“Yes, yes. Now, Harry, please pick yourself up off of the place we civilised people prepare our food.”

Harry groans into the cool surface, but can’t stop himself from responding. It’s a natural reaction to the bullshit that comes out of Draco’s mouth most times. “If you’ve ever made a meal by yourself in your life, I’ll eat the countertop.”

“Harry,” his voice is menacing, and his footsteps are getting closer, “I’m not civilised.” And at that Draco grabs Harry by the shoulder and turns up around and back up against the counter top with not a small amount of force.

Harry’s reply comes out breathless from the impact. “You said ‘we’.”

“It was a universal ‘we’.” Draco says this through gritted teeth. His blond eyebrows are sitting right on top of his grey eyes and they scream murder louder than they’ve ever done before, which is saying something since Draco was once a Death Eater, no matter what the admiring general Wizarding public would like to remember.  

Harry doesn’t have a retort prepared, per se. It would be a more concise comment on how Draco hadn’t taken a single English language course his entire life, and what would he know about the universal ‘we’, but Harry meets Draco’s eyes and he’s a bit lost. A week of blanket non-communication. A bit extreme. Not gone longer than a couple of days without talking for years, have they.

“Cuppa, Draco?” That’s from Ron.

“Yes. Two sugars. Level.”

Ron scoffs, but Draco beats him to it. “Weasley it’s two-level sugars, please, for once, reorient your sense of balance before you spill the entire sugar pot into the cup.”

“Just don’t give him any sugar, Ron. He’s obviously already mental, we don’t want him to go into cardiac arrest.” This from Hermione.

“Uh-”

Draco scoffs before Ron can respond. “Settle down Granger. I’m not going to pretend to like black tea for some sense of superiority like some of us.”

“It’s better for your-”

“You know what’s good for your health?” Draco all but yells and spins around to face Ron and Hermione. Ron, still next to naked, and Hermione drowning in Ron’s clothes. She’s back to sitting on the counter, Ron leaning back next to her. They look like they’ve looked for the past 10 years – drawn to each other, allies, et cetera. Draco huffs. “What’s good for your health is you two sitting down and talking about your absolutely bloody insane coupling. What’s good for your health is not getting blackout drunk every Friday night and ending up sleeping with each other, and then not talking about it, until the next week when you can do it again.”

Ron and Hermione are shifting where they sit, Hermione, looking as though she’s getting herself ready to argue back, and Ron in a more protected position behind his ex-girlfriend. Harry feels a little sorry for them, getting the third degree from Draco when he looks as unhinged as he does now. The Harry on his chest, a mess when the photo was taken, is now looking at them disappointedly like he’s on Draco’s side. Like a magical recreation of a Harry who was in quite an intense meltdown at the time has any right to be “on Draco’s side” about any issues of wellbeing.

Hermione does get the strength to pipe up. “Don’t take that tone with us, Draco Malfoy.” But that’s all she can get out. Harry’s pretty sure she’s stumped. Doesn’t have an argument. Draco, Harry knows, has refused to get involved in this situation. Has watched from the side-lines and stewed. Harry’s been all for letting the two of them work their shit out in their own time, but he’s a stoic man, what does he know about all that?

“Don’t take that tone with us, Draco Malfoy,” is Draco’s retort, mocking back in a high-pitched squeak that Harry winces at. Hermione was about to hop off the counter, he could see, but Ron’s sudden arm around her waist kept her down. “You two just have to talk about it. So what if Hermione slept with Lavender? You guys weren’t together at the time!”

Hermione splutters, eyes wide, all thoughts of advancing physically on Draco gone. Ron sat eyes wide too, flicking between Draco and Hermione as if waiting for more.

“Wait-” he starts.

Hermione wails “Ron I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I know. It was such a bad thing to do-”

“No wait! You’ve been acting weird because of that?” And Ron looks incredulously at Harry. Harry sends him an incredulous look back, equally as surprised that Draco hit the nail on the head.

“What! You knew?” Hermione is still wailing.

Ron turns fully to face her and wails himself: “Of course I knew! How could I not know! Harry told me! Draco told me! Lavender told me! Hell, a month ago you got so drunk you told me.”

Hermione’s eyes are so wide that Harry’s afraid she’s going to start crying, and he grabs Draco’s arm in shock. Draco tenses all of a sudden and then Harry consciously remembers why he’s not doing that and shrinks back again. Ron and Hermione aren’t really focusing on anything but themselves now, so they don’t notice how Draco turns slowly back to face Harry, backed against the kitchen’s island like he has been since Draco arrived.

“And you, Harry Potter.” Draco pauses, and Harry has time to do a quick pass over. Draco on the front page of the Daily Prophet and Draco in the middle of Ron’s stylish London flat are two very different Draco’s. Quiet, pensive, charming and loveable Draco in the papers. Thoughtful. Friendly. A bloody myth.

This Draco. Angry, flustered, dishevelled, loud. This is the same Draco who, when Harry slipped up the other week – the week when everything changed – went red, went silent, went unresponsive in so many ways. Harry, fresh off the first love confession he’d ever given, so incredibly off the cuff that it had shocked him and scared him, had had to storm out of the apartment, slam the doors behind him, and apparate away to his own flat he barely spends any time in.

He’d slipped up. They’d never even suggested anything romantic between the two of them. They’d been close for a long time at this point and. Feelings. His feelings. They were supposed to be unspoken. He’d been nursing the growing beast of his feelings behind his stupid chest, which was okay as long as they were unspoken. Pretending every day that they weren’t eating at him alive.

Eating at him when he woke up in Draco’s spare room on more mornings than he’d liked to count, early enough before work that they could sit for breakfasts in Draco’s kitchen. And then Harry’s co-workers at the Ministry archives asking him questions about Draco’s new shows or his schedule or his favourite foods. Draco and Harry having dinner with Ron and Hermione at hole in the wall restaurants in the muggle world. Birthdays together; dinners at Draco’s or Ron’s nicer flats; bickering over anything and everything they could get their minds on.

“You hate my job.”

Harry’s eyes bulge open. Did he mean to say that? Sweet Merlin. It was definitely him, and now Draco is staring at him in confused consternation, as if he has to come to terms now that Harry’s gone insane.

Harry doubles down, though. Trusts his subconscious decisions. “Yeah, you hate my job!” he repeats.

“Are,” Draco starts, slowly, “you kidding me.”

He could respond, but Harry just shakes his head instead.

Harry’s thought Draco’s been properly angry this whole time. He was wrong. “I hate your job? Who doesn’t hate your job!” Draco’s arms reach out and grab tightly around Harry’s upper arms. Harry’s not above flexing, just a little. He tells himself it’s to test the grip, but honestly, he’s hoping to distract Draco from the rage.

“It’s not that bad!” Harry repeats, and Draco groans loudly.

“Not that bad? Are you trying to give me a stress induced ulcer?”

“What do you know about stress induced ulcers?” comes a faint response from Hermione.

Draco turns his head, hands still tight around Harry’s biceps, and says “don’t you two have make-up sex to attend to?”

Harry responds. “Ron’s sick.”

Draco glares back at Harry for a second, and then turns back to where Ron and Hermione haven’t moved. “Get out, you’re distracting him from the fight.”

“We’re the emotional support,” and “lame fight” come respectively from Hermione and Ron.

“Oh, that’s rich!” Draco yells in their direction, but Harry’s sure that he’s ignoring Ron’s comment. “Emotional support! You two have let this wanker,” a thumb thrown at Harry from over Draco’s shoulder, “probably crash on your couches rather than forcing him to face me. You’re all as bad as each other.”

“Draco,” Harry feels he has to say, and draws Draco’s attention from his two best friends who definitely have been letting him crash on their couches and had not once tried to force Harry to face his problems. He loves them a hell of a lot.

“Don’t you try to lessen this, Harry Potter.” Harry’s been on the receiving edge of worse glares from Draco, so this one isn’t that bad. Harry’s actually feeling a lot better now that Draco is in the same room as him. Feels his terrible, traitorous heart almost relax. “I’m sick of you three. You’re the worst bloody enablers for each other.”

Harry scoffs. Sure, they’d never force him to do something he didn’t want to, but it’s not like they agree with his decisions all the time.

Draco hears the scoff of course, and gives up on trying to chase the others out of the kitchen. He turns around towards the entrance, faces away from all of them and talks to himself at top volume. “This is what my life has become. The sole source of constructive criticism for the bloody Golden Trio.”

Ron snorts to cover up a laugh.

“I survive working for a fascist dictator, successfully rebuild my image, forge a new path for myself in the world, but I’m here. An overworked, under-rewarded, glorified therapist!”  

Harry, Hermione, and Ron exchange glances. The other two look at Harry in commiseration, but Harry is starting to think that Draco has a bit of a point when he realises that Ron’s arm is still around Hermione’s waist who is leaning right into his side.

“Okay.” Draco takes a deep breath and turns around to face Harry. “Since they’re not leaving, you all get to hear this.” He steps closer. “I hate your job. I hate your flat. I hate that you won’t face up to hard things, and I refuse to be okay with any of that.”

Harry swallows hard.

“People are letting you get away with anything at the moment, and when you told me you loved me, I got scared. Because I thought that I’d become one of those people to you too.”

“That’s not-”

“No.” Draco stops Harry for butting in. “No. We’re not pretending any longer. I love you-” thump goes Harry’s heart in his chest, eyes bulging and smile unable to be stopped “-but sometimes I seriously don’t like you.”

Harry’s smile does dim at that, but only slightly.

Draco looks away at last, his hands on his hips, and starts pacing. “I couldn’t believe-” sharp glance at Harry through the pacing, “-you just left after you said that. I couldn’t believe you’d actually not answer my owls. You’re an absolute coward sometimes.”

“You didn’t say anything…” Harry mumbles.

“Oh,” Draco responds with an eyeroll, still pacing, “so you get to freak out for a week, but I’m not allowed longer than a couple of minutes to compose myself?”

Harry ducks his eyes, ashamed.

Draco hmphs, and pauses in his pacing to look down his nose at Harry. “That’s right. You should feel bad.”

Shirt-Harry shakes his head at real-Har- “God Draco, take the shirt off!”

“What?” Draco is shocked into pausing his restless movement. “Take my shirt off? You haven’t even apologised and want to get me half naked like the rest of you? I think not!”

“That’s not- ugh, forget this.” Harry reaches forward and grabs Draco mid-pace. “Draco.” Deep breath. Harry meets Draco’s eyes. Draco looks like he’s been through his paces. He doesn’t even look angry anymore, he just looks like the culmination of a week of stress. Ron and Hermione are eating dry cereal right out of the box from their perch as they watch, and they both give Harry nods and a thumbs up in encouragement when his eyes stray to them.

He’s a stoic man: Draco and Hermione are right. He hasn’t had to be brave in a long while. This is a moment that’s worth it though, even if he has to fake it at first.

“I’m sorry.” He has to pause at that, because he can feel the emotions bubbling up a bit too high. He takes a deep breath, and makes sure that Draco’s eyes don’t stray. “You’re… you’re right. About a lot of that-”

Draco buts in with “I’m right about all of it, actua-”

“Shut up, do you want me to get this out?”

Draco concedes.

Harry takes another breath, but the nerves have disappeared in the face of Draco’s unfiltered verve. “I shouldn’t have left. I was-”

“A coward.”

“Draco.”

“…sorry.”

“I was. I was a coward. I was scared. You didn’t respond, which never happens. You’re so good with your words.” He has to take a minute to collect his thoughts, but finds the right thread. “I love you, and have done for a while. I ran because I kind of didn’t mean to say it then. We were already fighting about something, and it just came out, which wasn’t right, and sometimes I’m so afraid that things will change, because you’re my best friend-” “Hey!” “-my best friend and I didn’t want to lose that.”

“You should have said that then.”

Harry closes his eyes. God, feelings are so bloody hard. “Yeah, yeah I know.”

“Oh well, as long as you know.”

“Draco. Shut up.” He swallows. “I like my job.”

“No, you don’t. You come home-” a sharp breath “-you come to mine, I mean. You come to mine after work and you can’t stop complaining. We like our jobs. I’m sure when Hermione finishes her ChP and becomes the Minister she’ll love her job too.” (“It’s a PhD, Draco, I’ve told you a million times.” “Maybe another time, Herm.”)

Harry has to breath deeper, because his blood is pumping a bit too fast in his ears. He drops his hands from Draco and takes a couple of steps back. A retreat. “I think,” and he has to swallow a couple of times before he can force the words out of his throat. He looks up and meets all of their eyes. “I don’t think I can do important things anymore. I. I don’t want to- I.”

“Merlin sakes, Harry.” Draco says. “I think it may be time we force you into therapy.” And Draco just looks impatient. “You can’t keep pretending it’s not a problem, and we can’t keep letting you!”

Harry. Harry nods. He thinks he nods. It’s what he wants to do, but he’s not really looking at anyone anymore, eyes to the ground, heart a bit too fast in his chest for comfort. He wishes that he was still eating soggy cereal in the kitchen before the post arrived this morning. He’s a stoic coward.

Draco seems to take a deep breath, and then he turns around to face the others. “Okay, get up. I’m sick of standing in Weasley’s kitchen.”

Harry takes a pause and looks at Draco’s face. He’s perfectly serious, and so is the Harry on his shirt.  Harry’s heart is still racing, but Draco just looks resigned and present. He can’t help himself from smiling a little when his eyes catch on Draco’s. He gets a pretty severe glare in response, before Draco just walks right out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Harry follows, and hears the small grunt from Hermione hitting the ground behind him. Two sets of feet follow his own.

“Don’t forget my tea, Weasley!”

Ron scoffs, but still walks back into the kitchen to make a tea he’d promised about 20 minutes earlier.

Harry sits down on the floor in the same place he sat last night. Draco’s chosen the armchair near the fire; where he usually sits. Hermione stomps over to take the seat on the couch closest to the armchair, and Ron can be heard pottering around the kitchen.

“PhD.”

Draco looks to Hermione with a frown. “What?”

Hermione looks haughty yet contrite. Like she actually can’t help herself from making sure that Draco knows he was wrong, and feels a little bit sorry about it. “It’s a PhD, not a ChP or whatever you called it.”

“Honestly Granger, what does it matter?”

A harrumph from Hermione as she settles back into Ron’s expensive couch cushions. “It’s a very important thing.”

Harry chucks her a grin, and she smiles back proudly.

Draco rolls his eyes. “Why do you all insist on patting yourselves on the back constantly. You don’t see me singing my own praises.”

Ron let’s out a violent laugh from the kitchen, and Draco flushes a little bit, his eyes flicking to Harry who grins at him too.

Mugs float out from the kitchen, Ron trailing behind. Harry grabs his out of the air and cherishes the sent of the strong tea. He can’t help but laugh when Hermione grimaces at the taste of her milkless cup, and Draco looks at her as if he’s won something.

Harry’s won something. He’s won Draco sitting here in Ron’s expensive apartment, Draco rolling his eyes when Hermione chides him about his too sweet tea, then Draco chiding Ron when he argues that Ron made it too sweet anyway, and that if he has to have teeth work done it’ll be Ron’s fault.

“You can make your own tea, you know, you’re not that famous.”

“Actually, Weasley, I’m more famous than all three of you, currently. The only thing getting you through is dumb luck and a gullible consumer base. I get by on pure talent.”

“Sure, Draco.”

“Also, I expect thanks when Wheezes gets the significant boost in sales it’s sure to this week, what with the Prophet this morning.”

“Sure, Draco.”

Harry smiles. His arse will probably start hurting before his mug is drained, and the sounds of arguing will get tiring soon after that. He’s smiling so hard his cheeks hurt a little. He takes a deep breath. “Okay, fine. Therapy. I’ll do it.”

Ron and Hermione smile at him like they knew it was coming all along, pressed up against each other on the expensive couches. Draco just looks at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for who knows what. Probably an oral manifesto of Harry’s recognised faults and his plans to change them. Harry just smiles right back at Draco, wide and unashamed. Draco shakes his head a little bit, lips pulling up too.

Harry’s worried that if Draco keeps looking at him at all that he’ll have to walk over there and kiss him without warning. He picks his mug up and keeps sipping though, pretends he doesn’t absolutely need to do just that. Because there’s going to be time. Lots of it.

His stoicism has its uses sometimes, maybe.

[archionblu]

For the ship bingo: harry/hermione

[hundredsunny]

one piece characters in fe3h

im basically just doing this for myself because i love merging things i love together and creating an even bigger dumpster fire 

luffy: do u know how hard luffy would turn the Fuck up with the golden deer house???? especially since claude would readily sell his soul just to have a baller feast????? sabo and ace found jobless this is claude’s brother now

zoro: would miss the entire war because he wouldnt be able to find his way around the monastery. sylvain and lorenz found dead in miami. Too Many Green Haired People, Call This A Family Reunion. intense stare offs with felix from across the training grounds because......”ah, you too are a man of the blade” 

usopp: did u say.......artsy sniper???????? cut to usopp and ignatz creating chalk masterpieces all throughout the monastery and giggling to each other about wild mysteries that lie within the library. please watch out tho cause luffy and usopp and claude would create the most disastrous schemes together 

chopper: UHHHHHHHHHHH PLEASE CHOPPER AND DEDUE WOULD B SO.....so pure together.....this Tough Kind Quiet Misunderstood Big Lad with a knack for gardening and a Little Dude......jus gardening together in the greenhouse. chefs kiss. add robin to the mix and u got urself the Best trio 

sabo: did u say emotionally stunted blond boys????? yes. find sabo and dimitri crammed in the library plotting the downfall of their enemies. giggling to each other. but also. cut to claude and sabo combining brainpower to make the most intense game plan of all time!!! and i feel like he would definitely have a soft friendship with marianne and i think that’s neat. a weird but fitting friendship with seteth as well. sabo KNOWS this man’s secret and will call him by his Real name just to get a reaction

sanji: Battle On The Quad At 3: Sanji VS Sylvain VS Lorenz. loves raphael bc raph will eat Anything he gives him. too many green haired folk on campus call the exterminator

[uozlulu]

Yammer yammer BnHA TodoBaku soulmate AU yammer

Got to figure out the dynamic of Todoroki’s siblings as a unit of three. I’ve got some ideas already just have to solidify it in my head

Got to also figure out if there are any rules about amplifying your quirk via a soulmate bond during sports festival (probably not because it’d be hard to prove)

Still don’t know who’s going to win the second year division of the sports festival 

However, I did decide since the OT3 soulmate group isn’t socially and emotionally stunted they’re managing better than TodoBaku so there’s that to deal with because it’s another Bakugou thing that Midoriya is encroaching upon

I also now know when Bakugou’s catching feelings sort of. It’ll be a game of seeing if I can put it in practice

Probably should also figure out when the next Endeavor plot point is happening since I know what it technically is

Also got to assign our disaster trio (a) new internship(s)

Also I totally chucked Shinsou into Class 2-A and have given him not much to do but that’s true for a lot of the lesser seen students because i feel like I don’t know them well enough to write them @____@ but I don’t want to leave them out so I just kind of hope for the best

Which reminds me I should probably figure out if Class 2-A is doing for at least one of their days off during Golden Week since that comes before the sports festival

Still don’t know where/if Aizawa’s soulmate will be revealed but I know who it is. Might just never mention it and let the fact he’s mentoring the soulmate kiddos be hint enough he at least has one

Also got to decide if All Might dies, though I am trying really REALLY hard to not put a major character death warning on this fic. I think though if he were to die in the fic it’d be third year

You know considering Todoroki and Bakugou probably won’t get to the romantic conclusion of this mess until after graduation, I will have to also write third year adventures. Thank goodness I’m taking this fic one step at a time and don’t have to think about that too hard until I get there. 

Though eventually Midoriya is going to have to battle Shigaraki and the class will get dragged into that so that’s at least a third year plot point to look forward to probably

Actually that would be a good plot point to work towards after Midoriya’s notebook(s) go missing

Mostly I just got to keep playing it by ear as I go. I’m officially over 30,000 words now so trucking right along. 

[saezutte]

Dear Yuletide Writer

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Happy end-of-the-year season! Thank you for writing for me!

This is my first time signing up for Yuletide, though I’ve been reading Yuletide fic for 14-15 years and it’s one of my favorite yearly traditions. Now I’m turning over a new leaf of active participation in my old age! I guarantee you I am much more worried about what I’m writing than what you’re writing—I’m pretty easy-going about the fic I read and I am going to try to help you out as best I can with this letter. If there’s something you’re unclear about, feel free to contact the mods or stalk me to find my preferences.

My AO3: saezutte

My public twitter: juncassis

My tumblr: here but I do not use tumblr much anymore, sorry.

Do Not Wants

[note: I have no actual triggers, nothing you can write for me will make me any more depressed or anxious than I already am]

Death (of major/important/beloved characters)

Suicide attempts

Rape

Angst without a happy ending, really too much angst at all

University/college settings

Established relationship

Cheating

Actual Unrequited Feelings

Pregnancy (the actual process; breeding kink is fine)

Scat or watersports

Hard BDSM or any kink complicated enough that the characters would have to discuss it ahead of time

Non-canon cisswapping or gender change (it’s ok if they do it in canon, e.g. HX/SQX)

Homophobia as a plot device

Excessive attention to sexual identity or queer politics

Note on AUs: I am ok with the usual popular AU tropes (except, see above, university settings) but I do not want them combined, e.g. A/B/O is fine and coffeeshop is fine, but I don’t want an omega barista getting his scent all over the lattes he makes for some alpha lawyer who comes in every morning. (Ridiculous example, but you get the point.) For AU/modern settings of fandoms with magic, I often like it when the magic is still there in the AU setting. I also like AUs which maintain the general outlines of the character’s relationships, like if the characters are childhood friends in canon, I like to keep that intact.

General preferences:

I am a pretty basic bitch when it comes to fanfic: I like it when two clueless boys pine for each other through some shenanigans and then lock eyes/lips/dicks.

If you fed a neural net every fanfic written in Stargate Atlantis fandom between 2005 and 2010, the result would probably be some nonsense I’d enjoy.

I love many tropes. Tropes! Bed-sharing. Sharing an umbrella. WASHING EACH OTHER’S HAIR? Confessions where they are having an argument and then one of them yells “Because I love you!” 

I love situations where characters are forced to spend time in close proximity and find themselves with feelings.

I love fakeness: fake dating, fake marriage, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, fake lust induced by sex pollen or heats, aliens make them have sex, whatever. 

I’d prefer story/romance/build-up to PWP but you are welcome to write porn

Tian Guan Ci Fu

Requested characters: He Xuan, Shi Qingxuan

Note: If you don’t want to write those two, I would be happy with Hualian! There are other pairings I like as well, like Fengqing. I requested these two because they are the ones I want the most, but I like almost all of the characters in TGCF so if you want to write me something that sells me on your pet pairing, go for it. Caveat is that I don’t like Qi Rong (sorry cousin)—he makes me anxious, haha.

Why I like the canon: Tian Guan Ci Fu is my favorite of MXTX’s novels, which took over my life this summer. What I love about it is the gods/mythology angle. The different story arcs remind me of reading myths about gods going out on adventures—I love folklore and myths! I love Xie Lian, I respect him so much, and I love Hua Cheng. I love how dark the story gets and I love that I could read it while being relatively assured of a happy ending. But with MXTX, you only ever get that happy ending for the main pair, hence why I requested my side pair.

Why I like these characters: I was in love with these two when He Xuan was pretending to be a grouchy Earth Master who reluctantly goes along with whatever Shi Qingxuan wants. When it turned out to be ABOUT REVENGE and they have FATES WHICH ARE ENTANGLED TOGETHER, I promptly lost my mind. I like the contrast in personalities.

I love Shi Qingxuan as a happy gossip god who is friends with everyone and yet also still pretty good at his job (unlike a lot of the gods around). I like his struggle with realizing he wasn’t meant to be a god and I honestly like where he ends up at the end of the novel—but personally I’d like it better if he re-qualified as a god, haha. I love his sex switching and you are welcome to play with that, though I would prefer if it weren’t a straightforward switch where he (she) settles as a woman. With He Xuan… I love that he’s on this dark completely-justified vengeance quest but he is also kind of a mess? How in debt is he to Hua Cheng? Has he totally neglected his ghostly duties to play Earth Master in heaven? How did he feel starting to be friends with SQX when he’s still planning on ruining his life?

What I would like for these two is something between pure fluff / all the issues are solved / “decapitated brother who?” and angst. I think they mirror Hualian in a lot of ways and I wish they had a chance together!

Prompts:

Them meeting again post-canon: He Xuan not knowing what to do with his (after)life now that he’s got his revenge and not being totally sure what’s keeping him around now that his business is over. SQX living his happy beggar life and HX not sure how he’s still so energetic.

A canon divergent AU where He Xuan doesn’t pull off his revenge plot ? Instead something else happens?

A soulmate AU would work well for these two IMO

Modern AU where HX is infiltrating the company that destroyed his family business and falls in love with the heir to the company president

SQX reascending to godhood as a beggar god and HX suspecting he will come for him in revenge but he just wants to be friends again

The Untamed (RPF)

Requested characters: Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan

Why I like the canon: Uh, it took over my stupid life this summer. I haven’t liked an idol in years. I have frequently said I don’t like RPF because the canon is too diffuse to keep up with! And yet look at my twitter. I’m living in a hell of my own making.

Anyway, I got into the RPF side for The Untamed initially because the fictional canon here was very overloaded with its status as an adaptation of a novel where the characters are already together and where there aren’t many points for a writer to jump in and add to it. So I got more interested in the actors’ dynamic particularly because it’s different from Wangxian—WYB is a gremlin! Xiao Zhan is the serious professional one! And then I fell in love with them and now this is my life.

Why I like these characters: I just love their stupid handsome faces, I can’t help it. Don’t look at me. I am more of a Xiao Zhan fan but I want to be Wang Yibo’s best friend and bully him.

With Xiao Zhan, I love his smile and I love that he can write a whole essay on Wei Wuxian’s character and I love that he was a regular person who worked in an office before deciding to join one of wjjw’s basically-a-scam idol raising shows and then accidentally becoming the most famous man in China. He’s so professional and serious in interviews and it’s a great contrast to how we see him goofing around with WYB and the others on set.

With Wang Yibo, I like that he’s a wild boy who will run off to race motorcycles at any minute. I would like to shove him a little bit, in an affectionate manner. I love that he’s always looking at XZ and smiling and doesn’t seem to care if anyone notices.

Prompts:

Fooling around on set leads to love? The most basic of basic  

AUs with different settings/meetings—maybe XZ is still a designer and his company ends up working with WYB (who is still an idol)? Or WYB is a pro motorcycle racer and XZ is a sports photographer?

They drift apart now but meet again in 10 years with Regrets

Porn star AU

Having to share a bed

WYB is scared of something! XZ comforts him!

Any dumb AU you want but I would like to veto ABO for this, it’s too weird for me when they’re real people.

The Untamed (TV)

Requested characters: Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian

Note: There are other CQL/MDZS pairings I like, namely Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang. I also like the junior trio (as OT3 or as various twosomes.) Also, one night I read a Jiang Cheng/Lan Sizhui fic and suddenly I got all these ideas for inappropriate uncle pairings JC/LSZ and LXC/JL. If any of that speaks to your heart instead, go wild.

Why I like the canon: So obviously I read the novel and plunged into this MXTX abyss for 100 years. With this adaptation, there are a few things I don’t like versus the novel but I’m happy to ignore them because I love what they did with the visuals and music and the acting choices. Some of the changes I also do love—I love how WWX seems to be so much more into LWJ from the beginning! I love seeing them goof around, I love drunk!WYB in the drama.

I also don’t like established relationship fic for the most part, so the censorship in this adaptation means I have more to play with in fanfic!

Why I like the characters: They invented love!!! They did. I particularly like them both as kind of messes… It’s easy to forget with how great Hanguang-jun is but he’s also bad at expressing himself and it gets him into trouble. Then you have WWX the deviant genius troublemaker with a heart of gold (even when he doesn’t have his golden core). They’re immature kids who can’t figure their shit out before things get serious and then 16 years later, they are emotionally stunted 30-somethings and (tbh) I feel that. These two are meant for each other and meant to wander the country following the chaos and getting into adventures together while fucking a lot.

Prompts:

How do Wangxian get together in this universe? Was it as teens? During the war? Did they split up? Did LWJ give in to temptation earlier than in the novel? When did WWX realize his feelings?

Fix-it for the ending where they separate!! Duh! Does anyone think them being apart is going to last?

Star Trek AU with the Lans as Vulcans

Uh, I really like A/B/O fic for these two.

MAGIC SEX CURSES. Fuck or die! Sex pollen! Particularly if they’re not a couple yet and this leads to awkwardness and getting together.

Nirvana in Fire (TV)

Requested characters: Mei Changsu, Xiao Jingyan

Note: I also love Lin Chen so if you want to write some MCS/LC or LC/Fei Liu or LC/MCS/JINGYAN OT3??? go for it. I am also a Nihuang/Xia Dong shipper so if you want to put that in… somehow… my gay little heart would be happy. I also like Nihuang/MCS/XJY or MNH/MCS + MCS/XJY but I’d like the focus on the men in that case! 

Why I like the canon: I watched this show because someone recommended this show to me as, like, Chinese Game of Thrones but good. I think it’s genuinely one of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen. I love plots and revenge and good people doing bad things for justice. Even the ending is good for me though obviously it left me unsatisfied on several points.

Why I like the characters: I am deeply into sickly doomed genius MCS and every time he got even more deeply ill, I fell deeper in love. Every time he coughs up blood, my heart would race. I love his terrible schemes and stupid self-sacrificing choices. I find watching this show very soothing because I knew he would always come out on top in his schemes. I trust him. I love handsome clueless Jingyan and how he’s just so good (it’s terrible.) I love his mom and how much he cares for her. I love him but he is useless, he needs his Xiao Shu and I need fanfic to restore him to him.

Note: So my limited research on this says that male/male sex practices were accepted and well-known in this time period in history, so I really don’t want them thinking “oh no what are these weird gay feelings.” There are other barriers to them being together, like a ruler or official being overly attached to one person was considered very bad. I am also a big supporter of the socially-approved polygamy of this time period, so I don’t need Jingyan to refuse to sleep with his wife or something out of loyalty to MCS—he has to do it! Or all their plans are ruined! And he can enjoy spending time with her or the concubines without affecting his feelings for MCS—you could explore that complexity in fic if you like.

Prompts:

Mei Changsu isn’t dead, he’s hiding again, Jingyan searches for him

They start having sex during the series, the ending is averted [somehow]

Post-canon, MCS is alive and Jingyan hides him in the palace with his consort/concubines to keep him on as an advisor without anyone objecting

AU where male/male marriage is customary (maybe aristocratic men are expected to have one male and one female consort?) and so MCS decides the best way to influence and help Jingyan in the capital is by becoming his wife or one of his concubines

anything just get them together and happy.

Promare

Requested characters: Galo, Lio

Why I like the canon: I love this film but I also find it to be… not enough? I wanted more character development, I wanted more plot, I wanted the goddamn Burnish to stay burning things. So I requested it because I want more! Please help me.

Why I like the characters: I love freedom fighter idealist Lio who will kick everyone’s ass for what is right. I love idiot idealist Galo who wants to fight all fires and learns to love exactly one fire. I think now that they aren’t saving the world by punching global warming, they should have a nice romance. I also like they points where they clash in the film, so I’d love to see them adjusting to “normal life” and having to deal with not having the crisis to make sure they get along.

Prompts:

Galo and Lio rebuilding the world together

Lio regaining Burnish powers?

AU where the Burnish are still a thing but it’s not a big crisis/battle and they just have normal jobs and there are integration programs and Lio is an angry Burnish teen and Galo volunteers at a community center helping Burnish control their powers. Like a world that’s more everyday X-Men than X-men in full adventure war mode.

This is the one request where I’d probably enjoy gen fic with lots of worldbuilding.

I would also enjoy lots of horny porn, preference for Galo topping with his giant stupid dick? I’m sorry I’m like this.

I do want to note ahead of time that I might be traveling (as in, possibly literally on a plane) when fics go live, so please do not be upset if I do not comment on the fic right away! But I definitely will! I know this can be a sore spot for authors so I wanted to give some warning. 

I think that is all! Thank you very much and I’ll see you at the end of all this. 

[cvntycatt]

Hermione Granger Fic Recommendations

This frizzy haired brunette woman is one of the strongest ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about. There are so many interpretations of her and I find such joy in reading all of them. 

Most, if not all, are Rated M. So be warned that almost all of them contain smut/adult content of some kind. I’m trying to branch out and read things that don’t contain smut but it’s a little challenging. I like steamy reads.

Happy Reading! 

Warning: The reason I add stories to my Favorites is that they bring me joy. I find entertainment in them and so I’ll add them for me to enjoy later if I so wish. In some of these stories, the characters might be slightly out of character and it didn’t bother me while reading because the story still made me feel something. So this is warning for those who don’t like any stories that have the characters OOC and avoid them. I put a warning on those I thought might be an issue for others. But like I said. If they are in my favorites, then they’re going to make you giggle and/or cry at some point.

Sirius Black x Hermione Granger

The Debt of Time by ShayaLonnie || Rated M || WC: 790, 835 || Multiple Chapters || Complete ||  When Hermione finds a way to bring Sirius back from the Veil, her actions change the rest of the war. Little does she know her spell restoring him to life provokes magic she doesn't understand and sets her on a path that ends with a Time-Turner. (There are two versions, the complete one is at the top and the Second Version is being edited and uploaded to ao3)

A Study of Opposites by SableUnstable || Rated M || WC: 12, 721 || Two-Shot || Complete || Two very different people and one ridiculous law. Learning to accept what is, embrace what you have, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love in the process.

Bed of Roses by moonyNZ || Rated M || WC: 132, 327 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || During a Death Eater attack Hermione is sent back in time where the Marauders and Lily befriend her. Haunted by her past Hermione must learn to live in the other time.

The Trick of Time by Resa Aureus || Rated M || WC: 150, 978 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || A devastating fire at a printing house in 1982 destroys every copy of a controversial memoir titled “The Trick” by Messenger. Well, the Ministry only thinks every copy was destroyed. In an attempt to recover one of the lost copies, Hermione takes an unexpected tumble through time.

The Art of Kissing by The Golden Duo 22 || Rated M || WC: 6, 693 || One-Shot || Complete || A much anticipated fair only causes more friction between two of the most combative members of Grimmauld Place. When Sirius & Hermione are forced to run a kissing booth together, will that friction turn into something more?

Zest by LJ Summers || Rated M || WC: 123, 688 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Sirius Orion Black took the charge of raising Harry to heart in every way, becoming a pillar of Wizarding Britain. Somewhere along the way, though, he forgot his Marauder side . . . until he meets his soulmate in a surprising place.

Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger

Dramione Drabbles & Ficlets by Colubrina || Rated M || WC: 60, 713 || Multiple Chapters || WIP/Last Updated: 1/7/17 || A series of drabbles and short ficlets, mostly written as gifts. All dramione pairing, ranges from fluffy to angsty.

From Ancient Grudge by keelhaulrose || Rated T || WC: 4, 434 || One-Shot || Complete || Hermione and Draco, Head Girl and Boy at Hogwarts, cannot seem to get along. McGonagall gives them a rather unusual assignment in the hopes of forcing them to at least tolerate each other. No one can argue that McGonagall is not an effective teacher.

If I’m Gonna Fall in Love by Colubrina || Rated T || WC: 6, 785 || One-Shot || Complete || Draco had made a list of everything he needed to fall in love. She had to be beautiful, and deferential, and from a good family. She had to be someone his parents would like, someone his friends would approve of. But how was he supposed to meet the perfect girl if he kept getting caught up in arguments with Potter's bushy-haired sidekick?

Presque Toujours Pur by ShayaLonnie || Rated M || WC: 180, 072 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Bellatrix's torture of Hermione uncovers a long-kept secret. The young witch learns her true origins in a story that shows the beginning and end of the Wizarding Wars as Hermione learns about her biological father and the blood magic he dabbled in that will control her future.

James Potter x Hermione Granger 

Hard To Get by atruwriter || Rated T || WC: 7, 856 || One-Shot || Complete || Lily who? The new girl was… Heart stopping, stutter worthy, and completely ignoring him. Sequel is Easy To Keep.

Easy To Keep by atruwriter || Rated M || WC: 8, 665 || One-Shot || Complete || Despite their rocky start, they were going strong and he didn’t plan on letting it end. Sequel to Hard To Get.

Storm of Yesterday by ShayaLonnie || Rated M || WC: 129, 507 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Hunted by Voldemort, Hermione and Harry make a last stand in Godric’s Hollow. When the Boy-Who-Lived lives no more, Hermione is thrown back in time into another battle where she has a chance to save not only Harry but another Potter. (There are two versions of the story. One Version is a true Rated M and linked above. The Second Version is closer to a T rating.) 

Remus Lupin x Hermione Granger 

Of Weddings and Warfare by j-jip || Rated M || WC: 86, 013 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || In the midst of a looming war, an old law is brought back to life. Hermione Granger soon finds herself in a hasty engagement to a man that just happens to be her professor. (Some of the characters might be slightly OOC at some point.)

The Wolf and Little Red: A Hogwarts Love Story by angelically-devillish || Rated M || WC: 109, 873 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || The golden trio return to Hogwarts seventh year with their favorite werewolf professor. But before love conquers all, Hermione and Lupin have to deal with each other, the affections of another Marauder, and the constant threat of darkness.

As the Moon Rises by j-jip || Rated M || WC: 164, 678 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Moonrise was only minutes away and Remus was without his final dose of Wolfsbane for the week. In short: Hermione was doomed.

George Weasley x Hermione Granger 

A Lazy Day by Politelycynical || Rated M || WC: 7, 121 || One-Shot || Complete || It only took one slow smile- one glimmer of crossed ankles standing across from her bedroom door with an innocent expression and an indecent proposal to make her forgo eight hours of slumber for something a bit more appetizing.

Cedric Diggory x Hermione Granger

Finding Himself by Minisinoo || Rated M || WC: 350 952 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || The-Boy-Who-Almost-Died has to figure out what it means that he didn't. Harry's tumultuous 5th year at Hogwarts is Cedric's 7th and final. Bound together by shared trauma, both boys fall under Ministry suspicion ... Who is Cedric Diggory? Cedric!Lives AU

Viktor Krum x Hermione Granger 

Air by Calebski || Rated M || WC: 88, 027 || Multiple Chapters || WIP/Last Updated: 4/16/2017 || His life was one of structure, regime, and obedience, everything was in formation lines. Everything except for her, Hermione. With her wild hair that sprang in every direction, she broke every rule in his overly dictated life, and he wasn’t sorry for it.

Antonin Dolohov x Hermione Granger

Pictures of You by Calebski || Rated M || WC: 164, 132 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || The trio begin their fifth year at Hogwarts and the world around them is changing. Hermione is feeling isolated from an angry Harry and an emotionally stunted Ron. She reluctantly agrees to start making some changes. Little does she realize her whole world is about to turn on its axis.

Theodore Nott x Hermione Granger 

Tying the Nott by ShayaLonnie || Rated M || WC: 114, 761 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || In a post-war world where Hermione is friends with Draco Malfoy and most of her friends have developed relationships with former Slytherin classmates, Hermione is single. However, when former Death Eater — Theo Nott — is dying, Hermione is guilted into marrying him to save his life.

Nihil est ab omni parte beatum by Seselt || Rated M || WC: 109, 761 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Returning for her Eighth Year at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger discovers that the school itself has different plans for her. * time travel *

Neville Longbottom x Hermione Granger 

Safe Word is Devil’s Snare by ShayaLonnie || Rated M || WC: 96, 749 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || When there’s a significant drop in the magical population, stressed Unspeakable Hermione Granger finds the answer. The Wizengamot threatens a Marriage Law unless a temporary Procreation Bill can make them see reason. Fortunately for Hermione, her chosen spouse knows how to work out all of her tension. (There are two versions of this story. One version is a true Rated M and is the link above. The Second Version is a true Rated T.)

Fleur Delacour x Hermione Granger 

Aucune Defense Pour Toi by D. Geheimnis || Rated M || WC: 176, 129 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Fleur is not an expert in the ways of love, but in Hermione’s final year with time running out, the learning curve is steep.

All But For A Memory by anamatics || Rated T || WC: 5, 078 || One-Shot || Complete || There's a memory trapped for safe keeping, locked away by a spell, that Hermione knows she can never truly allow herself to remember.

Magnetism by anamatics || Rated G || WC: 2, 412 || One-Shot || Complete || In that moment, Fleur is seized by a want to make this girl’s day better. A simple gesture, she thinks, will surely make her smile.

Tom Riddle/Voldemort x Hermione Granger

Aca-demic Arrangements by dulce.de.leche.go || Rated M || WC: 102, 246 || Multiple Chapters || WIP/Last Updated: 2/4/2017 || Modern AU - Hermione's just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world. She took the midnight plane on a journey to LA in order to pursue her dream. What could possibly go wrong? - Not quite a crack!fic. An a cappella story of aca-love.

Lucius Malfoy x Hermione Granger

Red Hot Lover by HermioneMalfoyFan || Rated M || WC: 4, 764 || One-Shot || Complete || A night out, a red dress and drinks... When two unlikely people meet, what can happen?

The Silver Mage’s Captive by Canimal || Rated M || WC: 222, 432 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Harry is dead and Hermione is alone. On the run from Death Eaters, she is captured one night by the last person she ever expected to be in a position to keep her safe.

Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger x Lucius Malfoy 

Bespoke Witch by gliterally || Rated M || WC: 398, 467 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Hermione is offered a war-stake by Dumbledore. She ignorantly accepts the beautiful scroll only to find she has thereby agreed to become Wife to the House of Malfoy. An on-the-go education by Minerva, Molly, and Astoria ensues as Hermione enters formal courtship by Draco and Lucius. (This entire thing is OOC but so, so, so good. It’s ridiculous how fantastic this is.)

Fred Weasley x Hermione Granger x George Weasley 

Brilliant Magic by LJ Summers || Rated M || WC: 162, 754 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || “Someday … you’ll do it your own way, not theirs!” Slytherin!Hermione, in which the brilliant witch catches the attention of creative twin wizards. It isn’t easy, though. Not all Gryffindors are vastly brave, nor are all Slytherins loyal to their own. 

Soul Bonding by Mary Royale || Rated M || WC: 80, 295 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || After the Unbreakable Vow incident which forever altered the state of Fred's left buttock George decides that maybe a slightly less dangerous vow might be just as much fun. Things don't quite turn out exactly as planned.

Remus Lupin x Hermione Granger x Sirius Black 

For The Love of Nargles by The Golden Duo 22 || Rated M || WC: 9, 904 || One-Shot || Complete || Hermione heard the scratching through her sleep, and set out to find the cause. Joined by her two handsome housemates, the search took a turn she least expected…but enjoyed nonetheless - Part 1 of 5. ( Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5 )

Tom Riddle x Hermione Granger x Abraxas Malfoy 

Housemates by Colubrina || Rated M || WC: 13, 767 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Hermione Granger, graduate student, needs a cheap apartment that is free of excessive cats, groping men, or weird smells. Abraxas Malfoy wants another housemate. The only problem is Tom Riddle. 

Bill Weasley x Charlie Weasley x Hermione Granger x George Weasley x Fred Weasley x Percy Weasley 

Casting the Stake by LJ Summers || Rated M || WC: 70, 684 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || At the behest of their family Covenant, the Weasley sons Cast a Marriage Stake for Hermione Granger - but not everyone is supportive of this Stake. Which of the Weasley men would Hermione wish to marry, anyway? (Polyandric themes. This is a TBW AU written with the permission of gliterally.)

                                                 - CROSSOVERS - 

I know most people don’t like crossovers but I love them when they’re done right. I thought I would include some of my favorites here. 

Twilight

Jacob Black x Hermione Granger 

A Twist of Fate by keelhaulrose || Rated M || WC: 101, 383 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Hermione had just broken up with Ron. Jacob was just about ready to concede defeat to Edward. Then a work assignment brings Hermione to La Push. What will happen when a rouge vampire, a bad injury, and fate throws them together? 

Fire and Ice by keelhaulrose || Rated M || WC: 159, 258 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || Spin-off of For Their Greater Good: VampHermione/Jacob. Hermione went to Forks looking for an answer. What she didn’t expect to find was Jacob.

Jasper Whitlock x Hermione Granger 

The Unspoken Connection by keelhaulrose || Rated M || WC: 19, 674 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || On a lonely and tranquil night in Paris Jasper comes across a woman with a mix of emotions he’s never felt before… and that he’ll soon find out is difficult to give up.

Edward Cullen x Hermione Granger 

For Their Greater Good by keelhaulrose || Rated M || WC: 145, 254 || Multiple Chapters || Complete || After leaving Bella Edward heads to England on strange advice from Alice. There he finds a great battle, and a new vampire, Hermione, who might be able to make him feel whole again.

[tipsoctopus]

Perfect for the job: West Ham star delivers key moment as team-mates flourish around him

It is a testament to Declan Rice’s immeasurable ability that, at just 20 years old, his career has already been defined by a tug of war between two nations. The story has not been overly dissimilar at club level either.

Prior to 28th December 2018, a day which saw Rice sign a long-term contract at West Ham, the Hammers supporters lived in daily fear that he would use his impeccable form to elevate himself to a higher platform. Cryptic Instagram stories evoked their own set of fresh questions and started umpteen transfer rumours, leaving hoards of grown men in a state of panicky delirium.

But the combative midfielder’s decision to sign a new deal banished those rumours and gave way to the politically-charged and emotionally-tentative issue of his international career. Suddenly the newly-born star was faced with a choice between the Republic of Ireland, for whom he had already made three friendly appearances, and England, advertising an attractive vacancy at the base of their midfield and boasting a plethora of phenomenally gifted young players.

Following months of relentless speculation, The Three Lions got the nod. Gareth Southgate has since made his intention clear by naming him in the recent squad for England’s Euro qualifying fixtures against the Czech Republic and Montenegro.

Some say that Roy Keane was hurling tins of Guinness at the TV when Rice stepped onto the Wembley turf to make his debut against Czech Republic last week. Back in May 2018, Keane defiantly ignored the intricacies of Rice’s situation by declaring his future for him.

“It’s going to be pretty difficult as he’s Irish,” Keane told the media, via Irish Independent.

“Where else would he want to go? It’s pretty straightforward. He is Irish.”

And James McLean, a notorious pillar of morality and exemplary professionalism, fuelled the image of Rice the traitor this week by telling him to “*** off” – frightening stuff.

But away from the bitterness of Rice’s decision there is no doubt that the West Ham enforcer can provide a compelling solution to both a short and long-term England problem.

The Three Lions’ development under Southgate is pointing towards the emergence of a new golden era. The last of its kind fought for trophies around the turn of the millennium, but an infamous midfield conundrum was one of a multitude of insidious forces which stunted their progress.

No manager seemed to possess either the cojones or tactical nous to leave one of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes on the bench. Sven Goran-Eriksen simply embodied the spirit of a Sunday league manager as he lived in fear of being confronted by an obscenity-screaming parent on the sideline while their vicarious fantasies crumbled in front of their eyes.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The solution: the three phenomenally gifted central midfielders took turns to operate on the left-wing. No central midfielder currently residing within England’s ranks comes close to any of the aforementioned trio, but Rice’s presence will ensure that the creative, dynamic talents vying for a starting berth – such as Harry Winks, Ross Barkley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli – at least have the freedom to play to their strengths. Unlike England’s last golden era, the central midfielders will not be strangled by the prowess of the players around them in a paradoxical twist of fate.

On the point of Henderson, it’s worth noting that Rice’s decision to pledge allegiance to England will free the midfielder from the manacles which shackled him in Russia last summer. Liverpool’s divisive captain spent the World Cup mopping up in front of the defence, with Southgate unconvinced by England’s answer to Keane, otherwise known as Eric Dier. Henderson played like a schoolboy on trial with Real Madrid – as he does every week – running with purpose and determination but lacking the intelligence to channel his relentless work rate into something resembling quality football.

The defensive anchor role, though, demands a level of discipline, composure and positional understanding which eludes Henderson. The same criticism, however, cannot be waged at Rice.

His performance against Montenegro attested to a wider feeling that his decision to defy Keane’s subliminal messages is a game-changer for England’s long-term ambitions. It was a routine test for a player who will personally go head-to-head with some of the most tantalising attacking midfielders in world football during his career, but it’s no coincidence that England’s attacking contingent of Barkley, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling all excelled in the knowledge that Rice was patrolling behind them – suspect defending, of course, also aided their cause.

His maiden start for England was a key moment in the nation’s development: they have found a vital piece of the jigsaw who excels in his own role and simultaneously raises the standard of those around him.  

It’s no wonder Keane and McClean have been left reeling, even if the root of their exasperation transcends beyond football.

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