#snarry fic recs

[consistentsquash]

favourite snape characterisation in fanfic?

Sorry about going intense on this but you asked me about Snape :D

Lawful good - Sex, Lies and Audiobooks by Raewhit. Snarry with super nice Snape.

Neutral good - As Beeswax in Summer by Rinsbane with a Snape who is really really hard to read from Harry's POV before we get the reveal of his character/real goals. Snarry.

Chaotic good - In Between Days by atrata with a Snape who is working based on his agenda. Snarry.

Lawful Neutral - The Snidget by Acid and Sinick with a Snape who is just giving his 100% to do damage control after the good side lost. Gosh, he is super alone but also really sticking to his code. Snarry.

Chaotic neutral - Frabjous by eldritcher with a Snape who is the worst planner with zero impulse control. His plan is don't follow the plan. Snaberforth and Snarry.

Lawful Evil - And Mine the Gall by @perverse-idyll with a Snape who is walking a real fine line between his desires and moral code. Deliberately!!! Snarry and Snapledore.

Neutral Evil - Remember Me to Cheetham Hill by Delphi with a Snape who definitely knows how to get what he wants and goes for it. Like really goes for it :D Snape/Filch.

Chaotic Evil - Fifty Shades of Truth by starcrossedgirl with Total Bastard Snape. Snarry but this one definitely won't work for folks who want a happy ending for their romance :D

I don't know anything about D&D except this meme so like don't take it seriously. I just wanted to rec fic.

[consistentsquash]

Love to see a ton of fav intro classics on this list! <3 Great list, Danni! Snarry can be too intense for a beginner slash ship but if Snarry is something you are curious about this is the list for you! <3

SNARRY FOR BEGINNERS

Are you a bit Snarry curious, but also sorta wary and unsure where to start? Good news: I have some recs for you!

Snarry is a tricky ship for some folks. All of its most problematic themes are what draw me in personally, but that's not to say there aren't some safe places to start for a newcomer!

What I've chosen are:

Nothing too long, so you can get a little taste to see how you feel. So I'm looking at 50k or under.

Nothing "problematic" or as few "problematic" themes as I can get. No underage. No power imbalance. No consent issues. (...or at least nothing egregious haha.)

Works that also maintain some integrity to Harry and Severus' individual characters, and the tension between them. If I play it too safe it won't feel properly Snarry to me! Half the fun is the tension between them, so we must keep that!

So...If you wanna check some out, keep reading!

An Awkward Customer

by AnyaElizabeth. Rated: E. Words: 10,768. Postwar. EWE. Romance. Humor.

Snape can't figure out why Potter is hanging around his shop.

Why Read? A nice rom-com based on the prompt: "Harry makes a bet with someone that he could seduce anyone if he put his mind to it, and that someone selected for him is Snape, naturally." Severus owns an apothecary so we get some nice flirting at the workplace!

a scratch for every itch

by bleedcolor (@bleedcolor.) Rated: T. Words: 11,478. Fluff & humor. Magical maladies. Friends to idiots in love. Romance.

Severus Snape is an itch that Harry just can't scratch.

Why Read? Surely fluff is a safe place to start! And as a person who isn't often drawn to fluff, this is one I love, and is a comfort read of mine. Very sweet and silly and a great place to dip your toes in!

Dumbledore's Folly

by Dementordelta. Rated: M. Words: 47,446. Romance. Courtship. Oldie but a goodie!

Snape must court Harry according to wizarding traditions.

Why Read? I've reread this fic countless times over the years and it's still such a fun read. If you like arranged marriage/courtship fics, this is the one for you!

The Interrupted Kiss

by emynn. Rated: E. Words: 24,291. Postwar. Romance. Hurt/comfort. Mystery.

Once upon a time, Severus Snape shared a kiss with Harry Potter. Then Harry had disappeared after killing the Dark Lord, leaving Severus the reluctant darling of the Wizarding world. When Dumbledore insists on throwing a ball in Severus’s honour, Severus is convinced the world has gone completely mad. But when he comes across an ashy-faced young man whose half-answers about his identity haunt his every thought, Severus realizes that a ball might be the least of his worries.

Why Read? What safer place to start than a fairytale? If we ignore that most original fairytales are pretty effed up, actually. This is a Cinderella-inspired work. Severus is the Prince (naturally), and Harry is the wandmaker (cool career, right??) who attracts many cute animals! (He does not sing to them, though; what a shame!)

This Time of Ours

by emynn. Rated: E. Words: 35,442. Time travel. Hurt/comfort. Romance & drama.

Severus Snape wasn’t supposed to die. Neither was Harry Potter.

Why Read? Emynn has plenty of great Snarry fics, which is why you're getting 2 recs! We start with some fun snarking, move onto sweet bonding, and then...second chances! Very light, enjoyable read.

On the Deficencies of Translation Spells

by LilaDiurne (@liladiurne.) Rated: E. Words: 41,130. Getting together. Magical theory. Professor Potter & Professor Snape. Beaubatons. Pining. Light angst. Minor Harry/others.

Divorced, single, and free, Harry lives a completely unapologetic life in Paris. Between casual hook-ups and an easy, comfortable job, he likes to think he is as close to happiness as he'll ever be. And when he gets offered a teaching job at the prestigious Académie Beauxbâtons, he thinks he may have found exactly what was missing. But Harry is thoroughly unprepared for what he finds there - a familiar face that's been haunting his dreams for six years.

Why read? It's very Harry-centric. It's Harry's POV, and very about Harry and his journey as he moves to a new place, in a new phase of his life, and settles in. There's an existing connection and attraction between Harry and Severus, and one that unfolds so sensually and beautifully. Harry's very much an adult and mature and has lived a lot of life when he and Severus reunite.

Rapture

by mia_ugly (@mia-ugly.) Rated: E. Words: 48,123. Time travel. Romance.

Snape sees the man, for the first time, on his twenty-fifth birthday.

Why Read? It's a classic! It is very beloved in the community for good reason. Gorgeous writing. The relationship develops so naturally, and the pure emotion will knock your socks off. Potentially the best place to start for Snarry. I'm not a big fan of time travel, but I love this fic!

Revealed, Gently

by sarkysue. Rated: T. Words: 22,243. Postwar. Romance. Humor.

Snape isn’t dead, he’s back at Hogwarts and in need of an assistant. Coincidently, Harry is hanging around Hogwarts, reluctant to move on with his life. Cue sniping and snarking, tears and laughter and, possibly, love.

Why Read? It's fun. It's cute. It's a bit silly. It makes great use of how not easy it would be for these two, and having a blast with it! There is arguably a power imbalance what with Harry being Snape's teaching assistant, but it doesn't really feel like much of one. It's only a great opportunity to force these 2 to hang out long enough to fall in love!

The Sleeping Prince

by who_la_hoop. Rated: T. Words: 42,758. Postwar. Deaging. 8th year.

It's hard to ignore your past — and impossible to do so when you can't remember your future. But a meddlesome portrait, a dragon with an ancient grudge and true love's kiss teach an unlikely Prince that a regrettable past doesn't have to mean an unhappy ending.

Why Read? While probably the most questionable on the list, it's still fairly tame. Student Harry and his developing feelings for Student Severus, who is deaged postwar. It feels very much like a feel good teenage romance, wherein the characters very much act their age, awkwardness and all! The only caveat being things change a bit at the end, but there's no underage and it is rated Teen, to be fair!

The Beating of This Fragile Heart

by Writcraft (@writcraft.) Rated: E. Words: 33,146. Hurt/comfort. Fluff & angst. Serious Injury. Romance.

After the war, the last thing Severus Snape needs is the memory of a fleeting wartime kiss and a very persistent Harry Potter thwarting his plans to live a peaceful and solitary life. It’s only when Harry’s life is endangered that Severus is finally forced to confront his feelings head on.

Why Read? If you're coming from Drarry, you might be familiar with Writ's works! They've written plenty for drarry and some rare pair works, and they are a fantastic storyteller. This fic in particular is very romantic. Full of hesitancy and insecurity, and seeing how the relationship begins and how it unfolds and changes (for the better) when Severus is forced to deal with his issues. It's quite a journey but so full of love from start to finish and it's just so lovely and full of feels and one I return to again and again.

[lumosatnight]

23 Fic Recs 2023!

This year has definitely been a year. I've devoured so many wonderful fics by so many amazing authors. Thank you @hprecfest for the super fun rec categories and for some fic inspiration! Here are 23 fics that I read and loved in 2023 (although some are quite a few years older) ordered by ship.

🌼 - fluff | 💔 - angst | 🔥 - smut

—

💫 DRARRY 💫

1. A post-canon fic

The Discreet Gentleman's Connection by pluto (gayrights420) [Drarry, E, 80.4k] 🌼🔥 I had the absolute pleasure of beta-ing for this fic, so when I say it is amazing, it truly is just that. Fast burn on the smut via Floo sex, slow burn on the in-person falling in love. Satisfying in all the best possible ways.

2. A fic that made me laugh

AITA for being "obsessed" with my childhood nemesis? by @rainstormradish [Drarry, M, 4.3k] 🌼📲 Draco on a reddit forum is hilarious just on its own, but the banter and formatting really bring this fic to life. Amazingly creative, had me in stitches!

3. A comfort fic

The Eighth Tale by @letteredlettered [Drarry, E, 12.0k] 💔⏳ An oldie but a goodie. I constantly find myself coming back to this fic and having my mind blown every single time. Time travel timey-wimey angst.

4. A fic with art

Dating Draco - A Visual Game by @itsphantasmagoria [Drarry, M, Video Game] 🌼🎮 This is a fic in video game form!! Amazing art and lovely story where YOU get to make the choices for Drarry's happily ever after.

5. A favorite series

The Journal of Dreadful Things by @lilbeanz [Drarry, G, 112k, WIP] 🌼📖 Hilarious, witty, AND COMES WITH ART!! Lilbeanz draws and writes a wonderfully delightful series starting from Draco's First Year. His characterization had me in hysterics. Book 4 is starting soon!

—

💫 COMMON SHIPS 💫

6. Fic with the hottest smut

Moonstruck by @prettyremus [Wolfstar, E, 3.8k] 🔥🐺 Found this gem while scrolling through the werewolf smut tag (don't judge me). I love the switch in dynamic with Sirius taming Remus's wolf through, ahem, rough sex.

7. An unreliable narrator fic

Sea of White by @dividawrites [Harrymort, E, 8.6k] 🔥🤍 Deliciously hot, creepy, and strangely sweet. Love their dynamic here, the unrestrained lust. Harrymort "die" and lose their memories, so, of course, then they bang.

8. A fic that made me cry

Far Apart, Far Away by @unmistakablyoatmeal [Hinny, minor Drarry, T, 1.6k] 💔💍 Infidelity angst has never been this good. I love the layers of emotion in this fic. Quick punchy sections that really pulled me in.

9. A Muggle(?) AU fic

Pleasant Hope by @ac1d6urn, @sinick [Snarry, E, 41.6k] 💔⛪️ Pastor Severus!! The angst, pining, and self-discovery in this fic is superb! I love the interwoven magic and detailed world-building of this little town.

—

💫 RARE PAIRS 💫

10. A fav amongst faves

The Last Trial of Peter Pettigrew by @sleepstxtic [Prongstail, M, 20.8k] 💔 🐀 Holy moly, this fic!!!! Is this my new favorite fic?? Possibly. The concept is brilliant, so creative and nuanced. The Peter character study using outsider perspectives is genius. Seamlessly balances canon and new scenes.

11. A pre-canon fic

Careless by @tax-onomic [Luther, E, 1.5k] 🔥🪞 Lucius/Arthur my beloved rare pair!! I am captain of the Luther ship, and Tax's fic hits all the right spots. The pining, the sniping, the prickly personalities with emotional vulnerability underneath! And all in the middle of a hot smut scene. Perfect.

12. A canon-compliant fic

Scottish by thepadfoots [Chedric, G, 749] 💔🌟 Lovely Cho character study focused around her Asian identity and the boy she loved.

13. A fic rated G (more like T though)

Lion-Hearted Girl by MinnieQuill (odainath) [Minmione, G, 4.5k] 💔🦁 I know the large age gap might scare some, but their relationship feels very organic in this fic. The setting is grim, but there is always hope in the darkness!

14. A fic rated T

You're So Vane by @patriceavril [Romelina, T, 6.8k] 🌼💄Romilda is so delightfully characterized, I was smiling through the entire fic. Angelina is the perfect foil (and love interest) to Romilda's attentions.

15. A rare pair fic (less than 2000 fics on AO3)

Snakeskin by @cntrl15 [Bellastoria, E, 3.7k] 🔥👠 Talk about a rare pair! Astoria/Bellatrix only has 2 tagged fics on AO3: this fic and the drabble I wrote based on it. But read this fic, and you'll see why I felt the need to write more in this universe.

16. A fest fic

Master of None by @nanneramma [Snormac, G, 5.5k] 🌼🧘 Severus is so wonderfully cranky, and Cormac is fine AF. The surprise pairing of 2023 that I never knew I needed and now I'm obsessed with!

17. An under-rated fic

Sun, Shadow, Shade by @naomijameston [Snuna, G, 700] 🌼☀️ Post-war fluff. Sunshine Luna is the perfect match for sullen Snape. A short and sweet fic for this underrated ship.

18. A canon-divergent fic

but somebody's gotta do it by nocturn [Pangulus, T, 920] 😄🧟‍♂️ This fic will make you say WTF but also huh, okay that totally works. The concept is WILD but Lyra executes it wonderfully. Pansy drags Regulus out of the inferi lake and they flirt a little while he gets de-corpsified lol.

—

💫 POLY SHIPS 💫

19. A dark fic

In his embrace by @loneamaryllis [Snarrymort, het!Snarry, E, 48k] ⚡️👀 Dark and dirty but so so good. A Voldemort Wins AU where fem!Harry is taken as prisoner. Snape's mindset as he tries to save her (and is forced to rape her) is so twisted and mesmerizing. Mind the tags!

20. A thought-provoking fic

Icarus by @thistlecatfics [Millvansy, M, 20.0k] 💔🍾 War trauma, addiction, codependency! This fic is messy with emotions but has a strong, beating heart underneath. I am in love with Parvati as she deals with Pansy's addiction and Millicent's denial — three beautiful, imperfect girls.

21. A holiday fic

A Time, Dark and Divine by @moonflower-rose [Dronarry, E, 17.0k] 🔥⛱ HOLY FREAKING FUCK!! The sexual tension in this fic is off the freaking charts. Drarry seducing Ron while on vacation in Portugal. Sign me the fuck up!

—

💫 GEN 💫

22. A favorite fic under 5k

The Scrunchie by @saintsenara [Lightning Era Girls, G, 4.5k] 💖👭 Such a lovely look into some of the female background characters, all following the path of a single scrunchie. Lisa, Padma, Parvati, Hannah, Sally-Anne.

23. A fic with an ending I can't stop thinking about

Through the Middlegame by @sandervansunshine [Astoria & Peter, T, 6.6k] 💔♜ Devastating, heart-wrenching, tragic. 10000% would recommend. Kylee has already heard me screaming in the servers about this fic. If I could get a fic tattooed straight onto my brain, this would be it.

—

💫 BONUS RECS! 💫

A podfic

Plenitude by @wilfriede, written by eldritcher [Amelmione, M, 14 min] 💔🥀 Amazing voices, amazing music, amazing ambience. Wilfriede really brings one of my fav Hermione/Amelia Bones fics to life in this podfic!

A comic

War Prize by @mrviran [Snegulus, Reggiemort, M, Comic, WIP] ☠️🐍 The panels are awe-inspiring. I am HOOKED on this comic. The murder and the TENSION. Ughhhhh so good. I am so invested in Severus's arc!!

A self-rec (completely self-indulgent)

For I Have Found Salvation by @lumosatnight [Snarry, E, 7.1k] 🔥✝ My first time writing Snarry! Priest Kink, church sex, and blasphemous religious imagery. Priest Severus is oh-so-tempted by Teen Harry. So fun to write and even more fun to go back and read as a guilty pleasure.

—

⚡️ Want more fics to read? ⚡️

Try my rec tag: #lumosinthelibrary

Year in Reading, b-day oneshots, WLW Library

[saintsenara]

more @hprecfest!

day seventeen: a fic that makes you cry

the white road by @perverse-idyll harry potter/severus snape explicit | 48k words

why i recommend it:

well, it more than fulfils the requirements for this day of the fest, because it's made everyone i know who's ever read it cry and stare blankly into the middle distance...

it's an amazing premise - which i won't spoil - executed really interestingly. the worldbuilding is beautifully done, and feels sensuously and tangibly real [there is a scene in a marsh which is so visceral you can smell the dank air].

but where this fic really shines is in the emotional heft it delivers on the strangeness and unpredictability of love, in all its forms. the recurring metaphor of romantic love as an avenging angel always stands out to me, but it also deals incredibly movingly with platonic and familial love and how none of these things are perfect, but simply enough. 

the characterisation is also masterful. perverse-idyll is more dumbledore-critical than i am in my own writing, but they provide a great model for how to write dumbledore's more malicious side without descending into farce. its version of lily is also wonderful - and i love in particular how the fic delves into the fact that she's not a great friend to snape in canon, and that she never truly understands him, but without treating that flaw as anything other than a perfectly human mistake. but the heart of the piece is its snape: brave and cruel and capricious and greasy all at once.

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Harry/Severus Angst Masterlist | Works With 5-10k Words

find the full masterlist directory here

last updated: 09/17/24 | links last checked: 09/17/24

Breaking Barriers by DobbyRocksSocks [T, 6k]

Soulmate!AU. When Harry learns who his soulmate is, he strengthens his Occlumency barriers to breaking point. Can anyone get through to him? Will he ever get a happy ending? (pdf & e-book files available)

Covenant by AuctaSinistra [E, 8k]

Snape and Harry understand each other. (podfic available)

[consistentsquash]

love love love the imagery. esp the poison/smoke/mess/weirdness the super physical experience on each sense making the suspense/longing/noticing 100x <3

Aw, @ripeteeth - thanks for tagging me, my dear!

rules: share the last line you wrote, then tag some people and have fun

Writer's block is still going strong and I'm about to run around doing errands I don't want to do for the next couple of hours. But I did actually just write a line for my WIP! A whole line! What are the odds that I might someday, you know, finish a paragraph. 🫠

"But he also wanted Snape just like this, lying over him clothed head to toe, stained, sweaty workday robes fragrant with hemlock and frogspawn and smoky scar ointment blanketing and burying him, soaking up all the mess and ooze and weirdness and woozy, nervewracking bliss of this slow, slow build."

(This is as first-draft as you can possibly get. From Chapter fucking Eight of The fucking Afterlight.)

Tagging @danpuff-ao3, @saintsenara, @mia-ugly, @squibstress, @ac1d6urn, @loneamaryllis and anyone else who's still writing!

[memelovescaps]

Beneath the Surface Chapter 23: RECONCILIATION

In which Severus finally has THE talk with Minerva, and things are cleared up so he can move forward!

But this wasn’t the Minerva he’d known—the one quick with a sly remark or an indulgent eye-roll. Now, there was a measured reserve, a subtle distance he couldn’t ignore, as though recent events had carved out a side of her he’d rarely seen, and even less often been subject to.

He gripped the armrest tighter, willing himself to remain steady. But beneath his composure, there was only the old fear—that all he’d done would be twisted and discarded, just as he had been so many times before.

“I am… sorry, Minerva…”

He lowered his gaze, swallowing as he tried to go past the lump in his throat. He looked down at his lap, trying to form the words he so needed to say. 

“I… I don’t know what to say, other than I am sorry… for everything,” he rasped, each word pulled from him like stones sinking in the Black Lake.

There was a beat of silence between them, Severus resisted the urge to raise his gaze. 

“You know,” Minerva began, her voice softened, almost hesitant, “I don’t know what I expected from you.” Her gaze held a mixture of disappointment and something else—was it concern?—before the edge returned to her voice. “But this… what happened last year was not it. And I’m sorry, Severus, but apologies can’t undo everything.”

He heard her chair shift, and though he didn’t look up, he sensed her moving around the desk to sit beside him. Silence fell, heavy and sharp between them, as Minerva's gaze bore into him, unwavering.

“Tell me, then, what exactly are you apologizing for? For lying to me all that time? For making me think I’d lost a friend to Voldemort’s influence?”

Her words were firm, though her voice softened briefly before she caught herself, and he could hear the faint, familiar gruffness of her Scottish accent slipping through. His fingers dug into his robes, gripping the fabric to anchor himself against the ache rising in his chest.

“Or,” she continued, her tone sharpening again, “for killing someone I cared about deeply, making us all believe you’d done it out of loyalty to Voldemort? For making me mourn him, all the while thinking you’d betrayed us?”

Available on Fanfiction and Wattpad as well.

[siobhanhazel]

Serving Penance - HP Rec Fest 2024

Serving Penance by JocundaSykes (podfic version by JocundaSykes)

Harry/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 41,487. Werewolf Harry Potter, Depression/Mental Health Recovery, Praise Kink. Day 4 Prompt: comfort I knew I had to rec one of the many JocundaSykes podfics that I use as a comforting way to fall asleep many nights! This one screams comfort for me, as in the story, Snape moves into Grimmauld with Harry and a better life for them both develops so tenderly. There are so many lovely elements in the story (some are spoiler-y so I won't say!) and their relationship builds up so beautifully and naturally. Plus a few scenes with Andromeda and Teddy! What's more comforting than godfather Harry? If for some reason you have never listened to JocundaSykes, she has a butt tonne of podfics: Snarry as well as some Drarry so please check out her wonderful work! @hprecfest @jocundasykes090160

[consistentsquash]

Can confirm Danni's fics are just dirtybadhotwrong central <3 The characterization esp makes everything 100x hotter.

Safe is one of my favs! It's got the classic danni suspense sexposition buildup before a reveal you dont see coming <3

He is naked in front of people. And two people have their mouths on him. At least one of them is not Severus. Can’t be. Severus is allowing this? He couldn’t - he wouldn’t - it might be a spell. There are spells for this, he knows. There are loads of sex spells. Only this feels so real. Do the spells always feel so real? Can they mimic breath that way? They might. Advanced spells might. It must be magic. Severus would not let other people touch him this way.

Day 19: Fic with the hottest smut

Safe

danpuff on AO3 | @danpuff-ao3 on tumblr • 6k, E • Snarry

Harry is sure of a lot of things, until he isn't.

Rec: PWP, porn without preamble, sensory deprivation, CNC!!! hot hot hot. this was so sensual, so completely captivating. I love being able to explore things like this in fiction. everybody say thank you danni for putting a thing like this out into the world. ❤️🖤

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27903487

--

@hprecfest

[postmariannizm]

The best part of reading fics is getting inside of Snape's head

[consistentsquash]

HP Rec Fest - Day 8

Fest - @hprecfest, Theme - Canon Divergence

When the Rose and the Fire Are One by @perverse-idyll

Snarry. 81500 words. Rated E.

The ultimate Snarry for me! Snape is under house arrest after the war with some really horrifying wards. Harry defeated Voldemort. But Voldemort got a last curse in! Harry was cursed to bear the guilt of Voldemort's crimes. Can they help each other?In the beginning Harry's just using his power in the situation to make Severus suffer. But how much of his actions is his own and how much is because of the ghosts of Voldemort's crimes?

For one searing second, as pure and without conscience as a flame, a tiny smoulder in the corner that could burn down a house, Harry knew for certain he would someday fuck Snape. He wanted it, and he would make Snape want it, too. Even if it meant choking him into submission. Even if he had to use the collar to persuade him.

The fic is intense and complex. But it has a bittersweet and hopeful ending. Magical. One of the most creative plots I have read in this fandom really blending the whimsy + darker implications of the love is magic from the books!

Because the power to do so is based in the arithmantic complexities and interactions of emotions you can't control.

When the Rose and the Fire Are One has the Snape characterization for me. I'm kind of used to getting my heart broken for either Harry or Snape in Snarry fics. This fic got me crying for both of them. It's pretty common for fics with Snape as a MC to focus on his characterization more. He's definitely one of the most complex characters in canon so the fics focus on him more. This fic has brilliant and an unforgettable characterization for him. But it's also got an equally powerful and unique one for Harry which matches the intensity of the Snape characterization.

Sometimes a fic kills you with its intensity so much. This fic made me take a break from reading Snape centric fics for ages because I didn't want to read another type of characterization for him. It is just perfect for me.

Week 1 Recs

[consistentsquash]

some of my fav fics!!! this is an awesome list, Danni!!

Snarry-a-Thon 2011 Recs

Snarry-a-Thon is an annual fest of Snarry goodness that always brings so much creativity and joy in the Snarry community. I am forever blown away by how much talent and passion Snarry-lovers have. With that in mind, I wanted to create some special recs for a fest near and dear to my heart.

With that, here are my Top 5 picks for the 2011 fest! But first...

Disclaimer: my rec lists are created based on my personal experiences and preferences. There are plenty of other stories and authors who are quite good and deserve just as much love. This is not meant to be an objective “best of the best” list, but the subjective opinion of a longtime reader and fangirl.

Playing With Matches

by emynn. Rated: E. Words: 13,395. Matchmaking. Romance.

Harry Potter finds no greater happiness in life than helping others fall in love. But he can’t quite seem to summon that same joy when Severus Snape shows up and asks him to find his match.

Aftermath

by Femme (@femmequixotic). Rated: E. Words: 7,362. Minor Hinny. Past Drarry. Past Snaco.

Severus regards Harry for a long moment, then leans in again, breath trailing across Harry’s lips. "Choose carefully, Potter. This is no time for games."

I Was Adrift

by Necromanticnoir (@necromanticnoir). Rated: E. Words: 18,738. Underage.

After the war, Harry finds that Snape is alive - and in Azkaban. Unfortunately, the only people allowed to visit inmates are immediate relations - or their spouses.

Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic

by RoozetteR. Rated: E. Words: 5,279. Dubious consent.

When Snape taught Harry Occlumency lessons back in fifth year, he left an impression. Harry, being Harry, cannot leave it alone.

Catch and Release

by RoozetteR. Rated: E. Words: 5,541. Angst. Miscarriage. Romance.

Harry has a “tell,” when he needs affection. Ron never realized Severus had the same one.

Snarry-a-Thon 2011 Masterlist

[fable-and-folly]

fic recs

Novel length fics I love and wish were real books :)

The Curse of Anteros -- @danpuff-ao3 -- Snarry, 52k, E

When Harry is cursed, he seeks out Severus Snape. They have a long history behind them, after all, and they've always had so much between them. Who else would he go to?

Kept in Cages -- @sweet-s0rr0w -- Drarry, 76k, E

Deep in the heart of the Ministry lies the Beast Division: a hidden room where ancient beasts roam, and winged creatures soar, and grumpy giant ferrets eat all your biscuits unless you keep them well hidden. Draco Malfoy would know – he’s been working there for five years now, after all. Meanwhile, on Level One, ex-Golden Boy Harry Potter is stuck in another interminable policy meeting, completely unaware of the mysterious comings and goings just three floors below. But when a giant snake emergency requires the assistance of a Parselmouth, Harry finds himself thrust, unprepared, into Draco’s weird and wonderful world – and naturally, he can’t keep away…

A Lick and a Promise -- @tackytigerfic -- Drarry, 55k, E

Something sinister stirs in Hogwarts! When magical creatures and students at the school are hit with a debilitating blood curse, Minerva McGonagall approaches the Ministry for help. Star Auror Harry Potter seems to be the obvious choice to go undercover—as DADA Professor, naturally. He’s going to need the help of the Ministry’s foremost expert in blood magic to get to the bottom of the mystery, though, and he’s not entirely convinced that going back to Hogwarts with Draco Malfoy is a good idea. Things are complicated between them—what’s new?—but they know they have to learn to work together (and keep their hands off each other in the corridors) in order to solve this case. Luckily for them, Hogwarts itself wants to lend a hand. A tale of love, lessons, and learning to really live.

The Beauty of Thestrals and Other Unseen Things -- @writcraft -- Drarry, 63k, E

Harry has terrific friends, an amazing girlfriend and his job as Head Auror enables him to work on challenging cases and Ministry reform. He just wishes he could work out why he’s been so out of sorts. When Draco Malfoy is arrested for gross indecency, Harry’s comfortable life begins to unravel. He’s forced to decide if it’s worth risking everything for love in a world where following his heart is a criminal offence.

Nocturne -- @necromanticnoir -- Snarry, E, 54k

A Gothic Snarry version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, inspired by the dark and sensual tale from the Czech film version, ‘Panna a Netvor’. I follow some of the plot, but then diverge and do my own thing. Got to make it even weirder, right? An eerie, erotic, brooding, bloody, batty, haunting fairytale. ‘Underneath my skin there’s a human. Buried deep within there’s a human. Despite everything, I’m still human.’ - ‘Human’ by Daughter

A Guide to the Morphology of Magic -- orphaned -- Drarry, 64k, E

When Draco Malfoy is hand picked to investigate a string of curses cropping up in Muggle communities in North America, the last person he wanted to be traveling with was Harry Potter. Still, duty calls, and the two set off on an adventure chasing down mysterious curses, sleeping in cramped hotel rooms, and trying to navigate their newly formed post-War selves as they make their way through small towns and long, dark stretches of highway.

Soup-pocalypse and the Great Curry Cataclysm -- SquadofCats -- Drarry, 104k, E

Eleven years after the war, Draco Malfoy leads a quiet, boring, and perfectly respectable life, thanks very much. Or, at least he does, until a sudden and very unexpected veela awakening causes him to throw soup all over Harry Potter in the middle of the Ministry cafeteria.

Star Quality -- who_la_hoop -- Drarry, 118k, E

Two years after the war, and Harry’s content with his life. OK, so it’s a little annoying that he keeps winning Witch Weekly’s Most Eligible Bachelor award, and he’s really not looking forward to the unveiling of an enormous gold statue of himself, but he loves his friends, and he loves being an Auror. And if he yearns for something more, something he can barely bring himself to think about, well, he’ll probably get over it. No one’s happy all the time, are they? But then everything changes, and Harry’s thrown into a new and dazzling world he’s not sure he can actually escape from. And as time goes on, he starts to wonder: does he actually want to?

By the Grace -- @letteredlettered -- Drarry, 139k, T

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

On the Deficiency of Translation Spells -- @liladiurne -- Snarry, 41k, E

Divorced, single, and free, Harry lives a completely unapologetic life in Paris. Between casual hook-ups and an easy, comfortable job, he likes to think he is as close to happiness as he'll ever be. And when he gets offered a teaching job at the prestigious Académie Beauxbâtons, he thinks he may have found exactly what was missing. But Harry is thoroughly unprepared for what he finds there - a familiar face that's been haunting his dreams for six years.

Wild -- orphaned -- Drarry, 92k, E

“No,” Harry said, by way of greeting. Malfoy’s blonde head rose slowly, carelessly. “Get out.” “I feel as though we’ve already established this, Potter,” Malfoy responded. “And I feel that what we established was that you telling me to get out of places really doesn’t make me more likely to vacate them.”

Tapestry -- @kbrick -- Drarry, 91k, E

In 2017, Harry is on his way to Pansy and Luna's beach house. He’s a bit terrified of seeing Draco, to be honest. It’s been a while, and then there’s the little matter of Draco having married someone else in the interim. In 2001, Draco is drunk, wearing Pansy's mother's ermine coat, and afraid to walk into the Leaky because someone might throw a curse at him. So, of course, he runs into his ex-nemesis and hopeless crush, Harry Potter. This is a love story that isn't perfect, about two people whose timing is never quite right, and all the moments that come together to make something extraordinarily beautiful anyway.

The Secret of the Philosopher Stone -- @yletylyf -- Snoldemort, 115k, E

Voldemort gets the Philosopher's Stone, but finds himself trapped at Hogwarts and in need of rescue. Loyal Death Eater Severus Snape is on the job, but even he is not quite prepared for Lord Voldemort to return as Tom Riddle with a patched-up soul and no interest in war. And as for Tom? Well, it's not so easy to stop being a domestic terrorist.

The Left Words -- authoresswithoutwords -- Tomarrymort, 234k, E

Harry has some weird words on his left wrist. That must be one of those strange things that Aunt Petunia hates so much. But it's okay! He likes them. Then, it all turns even weirder. Hogwarts, magic, a Headmaster and a Dark Lord await Harry - he would prefer if they all just left him alone, thank you very much. But when has it ever mattered what Harry wants?

When the Rose and the Fire Are One -- @perverse-idyll -- Snarry, 81k, E

Harry's haunted by guilt. Snape's warded by roses. Each must free the other in order to free himself.

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Anybody got any fic recs for my suddenly very long layover? I’m talking absolute favorites, gut wrenchingly angsty, hilariously funny. Seriously. Any genre, any AU, any ship. Send them my way please

[consistentsquash]

I was going to rec Consanguinity on another theme but I am going to swap it for another Tryfanstone fic because your rec is everything <3 I love Consanguinity <3 I love Tryfanstone's writing so much and get into great canons because of their fics.

Father to the Man is brilliant. Some of my absolute fav Delphi fics are in this era of their Snilch.

Rapture is a brilliant gateway fic for Snarry and I just love seeing new folks react to it/fall in love with it.

HP Rec Fest Day 2

@hprecfest - Theme: a comfort fic

These are all fics I have read many, many times. Not only for comfort, but to have my heart wrung, to bask in the sheer fucking delight of writers who know how to use language and address the incomplete promises of characters glimpsed during their moments of plot utility. They make me happy, these stories. Oh, they hurt me along the way, of course, because I'm drawn so far in, so absorbed. I love that kind of immersion, and the pleasure of knowing a story so well. And these particular stories never lose their aesthetic thrill or the experience of the emotional journey. They're cathartic, though not flamboyantly so. I come back to them because they make me love these characters over and over again. And then I end up loving the authors, too.

Father to the Man by Delphi, Snape/Filch, 20,231 words.

I adore all of Delphi's Snape/Filch, but this is the one that gives the most comfort. It's a surgically precise, poignant, often witty, unerringly aware portrait of young Professor Snape making yet another mistake by yet again doing something he shouldn't be, thus hoicking his five-year-old self from the past into the present. That wasn't Severus' intention, and he's not happy to have this walking, talking, aggravating, bed-wetting reminder of his own abused innocence and embarrassing ignorance underfoot. Fortunately, Filch is there to save Snape from himself (literally, although he can't prevent one punishing trip to an abandoned Spinner's End). When it becomes clear the boy can't be sent back, Severus makes a decision that is both selfish and self-denying, a special kind of altruism (you'll see what I mean). And then Delphi, always scrupulous in how they weigh Snape's guilt, for once chooses hope over canon. And in a story about, among other things, forgiving oneself, that is absolutely the loveliest gift.

2. Consanguinity Arc by Jay Tryfanstone, Snarry, two short preludes and one main fic amounting to 24,351 words.

Oh, I love outsider POV, especially when the focus is my OTP. I love Muggles having to make sense of magical people, and wizards behaving like weirdos - ominous weirdos when viewed through a nonmagical lens - especially Snape and Harry, who in this fic are forced to unravel their issues in front of various captive audiences (therapist, lawyer, divorce court - all Muggle). (Imagine being Snape's solicitor!) The characterizations stand aslant to canon, which in this case makes them fascinating and adds to the sense of alienation from known things. Tryfanstone is one of those writers who can make characters and emotions spring fully to life, sparingly told but with the perfect detail. And again, wit! The courtroom scenes crackle. Snape and Harry spar, Snape and the therapist have a contest of wills (guess who wins), and the shadows of war and death and forgiveness that loom in the background build to a finish in which erotic sparks fly. This fic has one of my favorite concluding scenes in all of Snarrydom, brief but explosive, a hot, hilarious, breathtaking release.

3. Rapture by @mia-ugly, Snarry, 48,123 glorious words.

Rapture probably doesn't need a lot of introduction among Snarry readers, but it's been a beloved comfort fic of mine since it was first posted. The prose is beautiful, a cross between poetic and urgent, with spot-on humor for extra flavor (who can forget Severus' horrible aunt?). Harry time-travels at the whim of a pocket watch, unable to control it and with no ability to warn Severus of his impending fate. They meet on Severus' 25th birthday, when he's drunk and damaged and unprepared for kindness. Between one moment and the next, Harry's gone, and Severus is left to fall in love with a young man who keeps reappearing in his life without rhyme or reason and then leaving again. The story is, against all odds (it's Snarry, after all), devastatingly romantic, lyrical not only in words but in spirit, with Severus' recurring grief and angry, desperate heart on the one hand, and Harry's desire to love and save him on the other, twisting all the way through the narrative to the remarkable end, which steps outside the lines of storytelling and speaks, I think, for a lot of Snarry fans at that moment in time. I will always feel my heart being wrenched the same way it was when I first read this fic, but it's a welcome pain precisely because it's so beautiful.

[memelovescaps]

Beneath the Surface chapter 21: Returning to the dungeons

Gently, painfully slowly, Harry reached and nuzzled his nose. The touch was so light, so soft, it felt like the brush of a feather, the warmth of it delicate yet grounding. It was a gesture so tender and warm it made Severus close his eyes and breathe in, pleasant tingles spreading from the base of his spine.

There was no distance between them, Severus could feel Harry’s steady gaze on him.

The gentle pressure of Harry’s hand on his hair sent a shiver of warmth coursing through Severus. The scent of him, of parchment and ink, of home, wrapped around him, anchoring him in this moment.

“I see you did think that,” Harry murmured, “well, you heard Pomfrey, you are not totally recovered and the wound is not healed yet. That’s one.”

The silence stretched, their breaths mingling in the space.

Severus took a ragged breath. He opened his eyes and saw a fiery fire in Harry’s eyes. But it was warm. Warm and welcoming. He swallowed around the lump in his throat.

“And—what’s two?” he rasped.

Harry smiled and he pulled away, only a bit, to be able to see him. Severus kept staring at those glistening green eyes, he could get lost in those. The colour was clear and bright, and they were looking at him with such warmth he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

And then, Harry closed his eyes a split second before his lips pressed against the tip of his nose.

His nose.

One of the features he most hated about himself, one of the things that made him stand out in the crowd. He’d suffered abuse and ridicule about his nose for decades.

But Harry was kissing it.

Harry’s lips were soft against the sharp ridge of his nose, warmth blooming beneath Severus’s skin. As his lips brushed against the skin, Severus's heart raced in his chest, he could even hear it ringing in his ears.

He couldn’t tell if the world had stopped spinning or if it was whirling too fast for him to keep up. He wasn’t sure whether he was still standing or if gravity had ceased to exist, leaving him weightless.

The only thing grounding him was the fistful of Harry’s shirt in his hand; as if that alone tethered him to reality.

“Two… is that I want to spend time with you, as much as we can, before the term starts and we’re drowned in responsibilities,” Harry murmured. He paused, nuzzling his nose, and he smiled, “If you will have me, of course.”

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