mystickitten42

[mystickitten42]

HD HURT/COMFORT FEST RULES & GUIDELINES 

Below are the rules and guidelines for HD Hurt/Comfort Fest 2025 participants. Please direct any questions or concerns to our ask box, or via hdhcfestmod@gmail.com.

HD Hurt/Comfort is an 18+ anonymous prompt-based fest that welcomes creations from both the angsty and fluffy ends of the trope spectrum. Accepted works include fic, art, craft, and podfic categorized as one of these three main tropes:

Angst

Fluff

Hurt/Comfort

**NEW FOR 2025** This year, we have implemented an ‘untagged’ option for prompts and creations! See the rules and guidelines below for more details!

Interested in supporting fellow participants? Need to engage the services of a cheerleader? Want to lament about your difficult muse? Join our HD/HC fest discord community! Open to 18+ only. 

Important dates:

Prompting: Apr 7 - May 2 Claiming: May 5 - July 1 Submissions due: Aug 4 Posting begins: Sept 1 Reveals: End of September

Your HD/HC Mods, @peachpety, @vukovich banner art by @basiatlu

Rules & Guidelines below the cut.

PROMPTING

The prompting period is April 7 - May 2. 

You may submit as many prompts as you like. You do not have to create for the fest in order to post a prompt.

All prompts must be identified as one of the three accepted fest tropes: angst, fluff, or hurt/comfort combination. Any extra details are welcome. Please note, however, that these additional details are for inspiration only and creators are not obligated to adhere to them fully.

Self-prompts are allowed. There will be a space on the claiming form to add details for self prompts.

**NEW FOR 2025** This year, fest mods have implemented an ‘untagged’ option for prompts and creations. All prompts must be identified as one of the three tagging options: tagged, untagged, or ‘surprise me.’ If a prompt is submitted with the ‘untagged’ or ‘surprise me’ option, the creator is permitted to forgo the use of additional tags and specific archive warnings when posting to AO3. The work will remain untagged for the duration of the fest. Tags may be added by the creator after or during reveals.

Prompts will be available for browsing as soon as prompting opens on April 2.

CLAIMING

The claiming period is May 5 - July 1.

Due to the nature of potential content, this fest is for participants aged 18 and over. Please do not sign up if you are not 18 by the time of claiming.

Upon signing up, you agree to the Rules and Guidelines of the fest.

Only one prompt may be claimed at a time. Prompts are assigned on a first come first serve basis. As such, should you have your eye on a specific prompt but are unable to claim it once claiming opens, a proxy is allowed to claim on your behalf.

If you fulfill your prompt with enough time before submissions, you're welcome to claim an additional prompt. We only ask that you submit your first work as per submission guidelines before claiming another.

Collaborations are welcome! Please only submit one claim form per collaboration and include the details of all participants.

Writer sign-up cap is set at 60. There is no cap for art, craft, or podfic.

If you wish to create art, craft, or podfic based on an existing fanwork, please submit it as a self prompt during the claiming period.

CREATING

All creations must fit into the ‘angst’, ‘fluff’, or ‘hurt/comfort’ categories. There are many themes that fall in line for fluff and angst, but below is a short list of suggestions to help inspire. If you have any doubts or questions about your theme(s), please reach out!

Angst

Depression Addiction (alcohol, other drugs) Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, etc) Infidelity Death Grief

Fluff

Domesticity Slice of life Getting Together Meet Cute Found family Friends to Lovers

The main pairing for all creations is Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter. Participants may include any side-pairings, threesomes, and/or original characters, as long as the final submission is still a Drarry-centric piece. All ratings and archive warnings are accepted.

As this is an anonymous fest, please do not discuss your creations with anyone in a public forum outside the HD/HC Fest Discord, except for your alpha/beta readers and the fest mods until the reveals have been announced in September. Come join in our Discord fun here!

Ratings suggestions and additional details included for each prompt should be considered inspiration. Feel free to incorporate or ignore them as you see fit! Should you choose to gift your creation to the promptee, however, we ask that you honor any dislikes mentioned. 

Please tag your works appropriately (see below for the *new* untagged option!). Due to the nature of this fest, we want to ensure that everyone is informed of potentially triggering content. Please note, however, that all fluff entries must be HEA (Happily Ever After) and must not contain content that merits an archive warning.

If you’re unsure about tagging your work, please let the mods know, and we are happy to help. Please also note that we reserve the right to review your tags and warnings in relation to your content and may contact you to request additions and/or changes. While we can’t dictate consumption of our creations, we will strive to empower our readers/viewers with appropriate information to make an informed choice.

**NEW FOR 2025** This year, fest mods have implemented an ‘untagged’ option for prompts and creations. If your claimed prompt was specified with the ‘untagged’ or ‘surprise me’ option, the creator is permitted to forgo the use of additional tags and specific archive warnings when posting to AO3. The work will remain untagged for the duration of the fest. Tags may be added by the creator after or during reveals.

Author and Artist Guidelines

We will not accept works created with AI.

For fics, the minimum word count is 1000. We have elected to implement a cap on fics of 60k. 

All fics must be proofread and follow generally accepted SPaG guidelines. If you are unable to find a beta to assist, please reach out to the mods, and we can provide further guidance.

All fics are posted anonymously, however for art we allow artists to include watermarks on their creations if they so wish.

Podfic Guidelines

Podfics are most certainly welcome, as long as they fit into the 'angst', 'fluff', or 'hurt/comfort' categories! If you intend to podfic a work that you did not originally create, please make sure you get permission from the original author to record it.

For podfics, the minimum word count of the recorded story is 1000, maximum 60k.

All podfics must be proofed. If you are unable to find a beta to assist, please reach out to the mods and we can provide further guidance.

Podfics will be posted anonymously, but podficcers are allowed to state their name in the podfic recording itself (not within their notes on the post).

Drop Outs/Extensions 

Throughout the creation period, we'll send a couple of check-in emails—one month and one week before submissions are due. You're welcome to ask for an extension at that time. You're also welcome to contact the mods outside of the check-in period via email or Discord at any point to request one.

We know life likes to surprise us with the unexpected, so please know that if you need to drop out for any reason, that's ok! Just please let us know as early as possible.

SUBMITTING

Once you have completed your work, it’s time to submit! 

Submissions are due August 4. If you finish before this date, you are welcome to submit early.

All works must be posted directly [LINK TO POST] to the fest AO3 collection. HD Hurt Comfort Fest 2025. Podfics should be linked to the original work using the AO3 ‘Inspired By’ function, i.e: “This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work” and pasting the URL of the original fic. Please contact the mods if you have any issues submitting your work.

Submissions must be complete works created for this fest. Please do not submit incomplete works or works that are a part of a series or a prequel/sequel to an existing work.

Due to the nature of content present in angsty creations in particular, we want to emphasize the importance of tagging. Please take care to tag for potentially triggering themes present in your work (see below for the *new* untagged option!). If you have questions or need clarification on anything, please reach out to the mods, and we'll be happy to help!

Mods will also read through entries prior to posting to help ensure proper tagging. Should we believe any changes are necessary, we will reach out to you and ask you to make those.

**NEW FOR 2025** This year, fest mods have implemented an ‘untagged’ option for prompts and creations. If your creation is ‘untagged’, you are permitted to forgo the use of additional tags and specific archive warnings when posting to AO3. We will suggest the use of a fest tag for these works: HDHC2025Untagged. The work will remain untagged for the duration of the fest. Tags may be added by the creator after or during reveals.

Following successful upload of your work to the collection, please submit the completed submission header form below to hdhcfestmod@gmail.com to confirm you have posted to the collection. We will respond with a confirmation email in a timely manner.

Submission header:

For Art and/or Fic:

Title: Creator(s): Pairing(s): Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, <any additional pairings> Rating: Word count/Art Medium Warnings/Tags: Summary: Author's note: Link to work:

For Podfic:

Title: Podficcer: Rating: Length: Warnings/Tags: Summary: Podficcer’s note: Link to podfic: Link to original work:

POSTING

Entries will be posted starting September 1. 

In an effort to provide comfort to the hurt, a balm to soothe the pain, we will strive to post creations as pairs—one angst and one fluff per day. Each paired creation will have a stand-alone posting, but will include a link to its contrasting creation. 

Of course, it's difficult to ensure we've got exactly equal numbers of angst and fluff pieces, and we don't want to limit creators, so we recognize things will in all likelihood be a little unbalanced.

This is ok though! As mods, we'll do our best to arrange the posting schedule to ensure an even distribution of excellent content. 

Additionally, while we will not release a public posting schedule, we will inform participants prior to their anticipated post date.

Once your creation has been posted please be mindful not to reveal yourself as the creator through the duration of anon postings. After the mod reveals posting in September, you are free to claim your creation in personal posts to your heart’s content. Tag us @hd-hurtcomfort-fest in your posts on tumblr and we will reblog from the HD/HC Fest account!

While we hope that it will not happen, sometimes creations receive negative comments. If you receive a nasty or critical comment, please contact the mods asap. We are happy to work with you to address the situation, and will only step in to deal with it if that is your wish.

GENERAL/FAQ

Is this an 18+ fest? Yes, this fest is only open to creators over the age of 18 by the time of claiming (May 5 - July 1).

Untagged? How does that work? If a prompt is submitted with the 'untagged' option, the creator is permitted to forgo the use of additional tags and specific archive warnings when posting to AO3. The work will remain Untagged for the duration of the fest. Tags may be added by the creator after or during reveals.

I want to submit a MCD prompt, is that allowed? Yes! Major Character Death certainly counts as angsty content. Our list of suggested themes is only a small handful of ideas. So feel free to submit away! Also, be sure to select the ‘angst’ option when you submit your prompt.

I don’t want any hurt, only fluffy happy endings. Can my prompt be fluff only? Yes! Just be sure to select the ‘fluff’ option when you submit your prompt.

I love content that features both angst and fluff. Can my prompt be a combination of both? Of course! Just be sure to select the ‘hurt/comfort’ option when you submit your prompt.

Does my angst fic/art have to have comfort?  No! You can write/create 100% angst, such as MCD, or pain & anguish without a happy ending if that's where your muse leads you.

What if I want to write hurt & comfort? Go for it! 

I want to write/draw/create only cute & fluffy content, is that allowed? YES! We encourage creations of 100% fluff in this fest! Bring on all the meet cutes & sweet happy endings.

What if I don't want my entry to post with a corresponding [fluff||angst] piece? The entire premise of this fest is that angst and fluff pieces will get posted together. Although there will inevitably be an excess of one type of entry, resulting in slight augmentations to posting, there's no way we can make a fair commitment to post specific entries without a corresponding creation on the opposite side of the spectrum. We are happy to discuss your hesitation with you, but if you still have reservations, this particular fest might not be for you, and that's ok!

[mystickitten42]

this was a prompt suggested by one of my lovely patrons! because why in the heck would harry, a 90′s kid who went to public school, use a quill and ink?

go become a patron so you can suggest silly prompts for me to draw too!

☆ patreon ☆

☽ commissions  ☽

[mystickitten42]

interrogation room

[mystickitten42]

This one is sooooooo good (it’s @fluxweeed so of course it’s amazing 🤩). I loved every single detail about this fic.

Dronarry Fest Fic: Welcome, Peasants

Title: Welcome, Peasants Creator: @fluxweeed Type: Fic Wordcount/length: 15.4k Rating: Explicit Warnings: Polyjuice, mistaken identity, deception, dubcon Prompt nr: 62 Pairing: Draco/Ron/Harry

Ron was doing Draco a favour by agreeing to investigate him. Better Ron than someone who’d plant something horrific to get Draco sent to Azkaban—or some pervy Potter fanatic who’d spend the whole hour sniffing the dirty clothes on Harry’s bedroom floor. Even though Ron had to take Polyjuice and break into their flat to do it, Harry and Draco would understand. They’d appreciate it. And if Ron had done more “investigating” and less “snogging his best friend while Polyjuiced as said best friend’s secret boyfriend”, maybe it would have all been fine.

Read Welcome, Peasants on AO3!

[mystickitten42]

Some old sketch.

Harry&Draco in Game of Thrones. But without bad ending ahaha. You know…

White haired dragon boy with a big family name and insufferably noble hero with no parents who died and rise again. So I thought that these roles would suit Harry and Draco.

[mystickitten42]

A little 8th year, lazy afternoon Drarry in the Scottish highlands for my @cauldronzine submission!

[mystickitten42]

***Announcing HD Hurt/Comfort Fest!***

HD Hurt/Comfort is an 18+ anonymous prompt-based fest that welcomes creations from both the angsty and fluffy ends of the trope spectrum.

This fest was born from the idea that with darkness comes light, and that with hurt comes comfort. We believe that to every yin there is a yang, that every Jekyll has a Hyde. And through this fest we hope to achieve contentment with that balance. To that end, we will encourage and accept the following submissions:

100% angst

100% fluff

A hurt/comfort combination 

The main pairing for all submissions is Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter. Participants may include any side-pairings, threesomes and/or original characters, as long as the final submission is still a Drarry-centric piece.

Follow us for fest information! Rules and detailed guidelines coming soon!

Important dates to add to your calendar:

Prompting: Apr 2 - 30 Claiming: May 4 - July 1 Submissions due: Aug 2 Posting begins: Aug 23 Reveals: September

Your HD/HC Mods,

@orangepellets, @peachpety, @vukovich banner art by @basiatlu

[mystickitten42]

[mystickitten42]

Smug Draco is my favorite Draco.

[mystickitten42]

Practice drawing the boys :>

[mystickitten42]

Valentine Fics

A list of Valentine's fics for various ships! Snarry has their own list here.

Reclamation

by Arsenic. Draco/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 1,442.

Challenge: Draco/Snape, corsets, must include music.

A Spoonful of Snowflakes

by Belladonna_Lee. James Sirius/Scorpius. Rated: T. Words: 200.

Catching snatches of music and other people's conversations in the gelateria, James becomes aware of the silence between him and Scorpius.

Valentine's Tryst

by bellatrix_love. Regulus/Severus. Rated: M. Words: 200.

Severus learns how much Regulus loves him.

Valentine Sweet

by cruisedirector. Draco/Severus. Rated: T. Words: 200.

It's almost too good to be true.

Welcome to the Family

by danpuff. Ron/Lucius. Hermione/Narcissa. Draco/Sirius. Harry/Severus. Rated: M. Words: 4,615. Humor. Caught in the act.

Valentine’s Day goes from bad to worse when Draco discovers his parents’ secret relationships.

Slytherins Don't Do Valentine's Day

by fangqueen (@fangqueen). Blaise/Draco/Theodore. Rated: E. Words: 504.

At least, that was Draco Malfoy’s opinion. His...boyfriends of the past few months were of an entirely different one, it seemed. Which is why, when the dreaded day of hearts, disgustingly cute courtship, and…pink came along, the young man found himself standing just inside the Room of Requirement, jaw agape, the two fools themselves smirking like they’d done something especially clever.

A Slytherin Valentine's Day Love Story

by floweringjudas. Lucius/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 10,133.

"All right, if you're so certain, a wager." Lucius sat up a bit, giving Mulciber a smirk. "Terms?" "Fuck Severus Snape by St. Valentine's Day, and I'll give you my broom. Fail, and I take your place accompanying Narcissa Black to Hogsmeade for the rest of the year."

Roses May be Red, but Violets Are Actually Purple

by GMTH. Lucius/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 3,362. Infidelity. Rough sex. Crossdressing. Corsetry.

This was definitely not what Severus had been expecting when Lucius requested his help finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift for Narcissa.

Mating Habits

by Mad_Maudlin. Harry/Ron. Rated: M. Words: 1,162.

Ron and Harry are mates.

How to Ask the Question

by madeofbees. Draco/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 22,790.

Draco has wanted Severus since he can remember. On Valentine's Day of his eighth year, he finally works up the courage to ask for what he wants. Or does he?

Mutual Pain, Mutual Pleasure

by _Melodic_. James Sirius/Teddy. Draco/James Sirius. Draco/Teddy. Rated: E. Words: 981. Threesome. Infidelity. POV Alternating. Morally Ambiguous Character. Angst & Smut.

James and Teddy both need something they can't get from the other. Draco is only too glad to step in and assist.

J'adore

by MysticKitten42 (@mystickitten42). Albus Severus/Draco. Rated: T. Words: 200.

A love declaration in gemstones. ~Or~ The one where Draco has difficulty resisting his attractive potions assistant.

You're the Only One for Me

by MysticKitten42 (@mystickitten42). Draco/Harry. Rated: M. Words: 1,789. MCD. Unhappy ending. Heartbreak. Grief/mourning. Regret.

After all these years, Draco's still the one.

it's a day for grand gestures

by tryslora. Harry/Neville. Rated: G. Words: 836.

Harry almost walks into a wall of flowers on his way into the florist.

Sweethearts

by wynnebat (@wynnefic). Rated: T. Words: 791.

Harry embarks on a quest to find out if Tom plans to gift him chocolates on Valentine's Day. It's a very short and delicious quest.

[mystickitten42]

Is there any chance for cluefest 2024? My favorite fest!

Dear anon,

We're happy to announce that Cluefest will be back in 2024. As in previous years, prompting will happen in the second half of 2024, probably in autumn again.

[mystickitten42]

Upon reflecting this past year, I’m reminded of one area as a fandom citizen that i am lacking - reading fic. And so was born an idea to canvas my fandom family and friends to share with me a fic they've written, art they've created, a podfic they've recorded in 2023 of which they are most proud.

This two part 'rec yourself' list is the result.

Part One features Drarry creations (heavily featured since that's my OTP). Part Two (here) includes a kick-ass mix of various HP ships and ships from other fandoms, including Carry On, Check Please!, Good Omens, Teen Wolf, and Stranger Things. Also, and most importantly, each entry presents a smol blurb from the creator about why they chose their particular piece as their 2023 favorite.

For ease in reading, I've also placed all submitted works posted to AO3 into a filterable bookmark collection, Rec Yourself 2023. Be aware that there's a range of ratings and archive/creator tags, so please, take appropriate responsibility for your personal consumption. And please also be sure to shower the creators with kudos and lovely comments.

Y'all. This endeavor has been a fucking blast. One thing's for sure, I am blessed, humbled and honored to know a whole bunch of fantastic, brilliant, fun folks. Big love to you all, and thank you for participating.

So go forth. Indulge and enjoy! xo peach

* * *

✩ @pato-roldnart ✩ Quiet as a mouse HP | Viktor Krum x Ron Weasely | ART | G rating | Unleashed!Fest 2023 I'm quite proud of this one, I don't know how I made it, I had never drawn them before! My mind went full "oh yeah ronvik " Also, I like the idea of them bonding over their pets and Ron seeing that Viktor cares about something else that is not Quidditch.

✩ @tontonguetonks ✩ Coffee and a Croissant HP Next Gen | Scorpius x Albus | 903 FIC | G rating There are parts of myself and my lived experience in every story and character I write—how I socialize, how I take my coffee… I can’t help it. In *Coffee and a Croissant*, I put a lot of myself in my ace and autistic Albus. He is very dear to me in this story, and in my Fizzy Lifting Drinks drabble. The fic is just a toe-dip in the Soulmate waters where Albus grapples with what to do if he is someone’s Soulmate, but they’re not his. Parts 2 and 3 are in the works, but there is no timeline on either of them. Maybe in 2024?

✩ @crazybutgood ✩ I Bloom Pink For You HP | Narcissa Malfoy x Pansy Parkinson | 993 FIC + ORIGAMI COMIC | M rating | HP Bodice Ripper Fest 2023 This whole idea came about because I got so excited to fold a corset for hp bodice ripper fest, realised I couldn't just submit that one thing, and started brainstorming more loose ideas. It all clicked together when I was inspired by a fic by @schmem14, whose writing I adore. I was so grateful and even more excited when Em gave permission to make this. From there started the self-indulgent process of folding fancy things with fancier papers for this origami comic, and I couldn't have done it without Em and my lovely support team.

✩ @seekercass ✩ Something Cosmic HP | Cedric x Draco x Harry | 1.7k FIC | M rating | Polyship Week 2022 A self-rec that I am still extremely proud of is a short fic written for Polyshipping Week 2022 called Something Cosmic. It's a small coda to Something Good to Always Keep, another fic that I wrote for Quidditch Fest 2021 that I cherish very much. Even though writing is still hard for me these days, I often think about this 'verse and what life is like for Harry, Draco and Cedric after they graduated from Oxford. These three and slice of life bring me such joy. I hope to write more of them.

✩ @roseharpermaxwell ✩ Sounds Worth It HP | Hermione x Draco | 5k FIC | T rating | D/Hr Advent 2023 Being nominated for d/hr advent was a sweet surprise. It gave me a good excuse to remember how to write and the nudge I needed to create something this year.

✩ @basicallyahedgehog ✩ (They) Keep Me Warm HP | Hermione x Harry x Ron | 5.8k FIC | E rating | HP Trans Fest 2023 This was my transfest fic - I wrote it as a love letter to all my trans and Enby friends and as a way of processing some of my own feelings. It’s my first (and so far only) foray into poly golden trio and I loved playing with their dynamics with that added layer to their relationship.

✩ @lumosatnight ✩ For I Have Found Salvation HP | Harry x Severus | 7.1k FIC | E rating | Snarry AUctoberfest 2023 Although this is a smut fic at its core, I tried really hard to make the pacing flow, bringing in background characters, and creating memorable imagery. I am very proud of how it turned out. However, this is probably my favorite fic from 2023 simply for the fact that I had the most fun writing it!

✩ @sugareey-makes-stuff ✩ Feel You Breathing Teen Wolf | Derek Hale x Stiles Stilinski | 8.4k TEXTING FIC | E rating | 2023 Year of the OTP This is my fav 2023 piece because I learned how to create a custom text message AO3 skin, stylize things for plain text reading, and I wrote a whole story  that had some plot that was told through text messages. Also, I did not know I could achieve so much spiciness and throw in so many bad pick-up lines through this medium, but hey, the more you know! XD

✩ @schmem14 ✩ Mastermind HP | Harry x Ron; Draco x Harry; Ron x Draco | 10.7k FIC | E rating | Dronarry Fest 2023 This is one of the few times a story just flew out of me. Possessive stalker Draco sets out to win over Ron in this creepy thriller, but there’s a catch: Ron is already in love with Draco’s boyfriend, Harry.

✩ @drwhoisginnyholmes & @fledglinger ✩ Not Bad, For A 6000 Year Old Classic! Good Omens | Aziraphale x Crowley | 11.8k FIC + ART | E rating | DIWS Reverse! Reverse! Mini Bang

✩ @sniperjade ✩ The Sounds of Us HP Marauders | Regulus x Remus | 20.4k FIC | M rating | Remus Lupin Fest 2023; HPFC Spring Fling 2023 I've been thinking about this for a couple of days and whilst I would really love to say it was the drarry I wrote for this fest last year my favourite would have to be this moonseeker I wrote for Remus Lupin Fest last year. It's my favourite because I lived this fic. It became the entirety of my personality for a whole month because I desperately needed to get to the chapter where Regulus was riding on Padfoots back, through the forbidden forest, with only the light of the full moon to guide them, just to try and help Remus. It's also just because it's very musical and I'm very musical so that makes me love it all the more.

✩ @ghaniblue ✩ Sleeping With Ghosts HP | Regulus x Draco x Harry | 21.9k FIC | M rating | Harry Potter Rare Pair Fest IV I posted a Regulus/Harry/Draco fic last month that I'm very fond of. I started writing it more than 1 1/2 years ago, before I ever read a single Regulus fic. It's triad fic, and I'm pretty proud of the way the individual relationships develop. That was important to me, and I think I succeeded. Posting the first fic on ao3 with this triad tag doesn't hurt either.

✩ @celilasart & @wolfspurr ✩ Shifted Teen Wolf | Derek Hale x Stiles Stilinski | 25k FIC + ART | T rating | Sterek Reverse Bang This work was created for sterek reverse bang, a collaboration fest where the artists create first and the writers write second. wolfspurr and I just clicked when we talked about my art and the things that it inspired in their writer brain ;D the result is just an amazingly sweet and wholesome fic, that is still set in the teenwolf universe as we know it. but unlike many other fics which are full of violence and danger, this one starts with a bang and then it is a beautifully woven story of two people who just complete each other. also... the working title for my art was: tiny fox & sour wolf.

✩ @orange-peony ✩ At the speed of light Carry On | Basilton Pitch x Simon Snow | 26.3k FIC | E rating I picked [this fic] because I had a lot of fun writing it! It started off as a drabble and ended up 26k because I just had a blast writing it and the fandom support was so lovely. Last but not least, Pato made an absolutely stunning art piece for this fic, and it was the best present ever.

✩ @wynnyfryd ✩ i don’t know, you figure it out by @wynnyfryd Stranger Things | Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson | 35.4k WIP FIC | E rating bragging about yourself is difficult, but i’ll just say it’s my favorite because i’m proud of myself for sticking to one project for this long, i love all the artwork the fic has inspired, and i just think the line “the river styx must taste like pennies” fucks severely lmao.

✩ @decaflondonfog ✩ growing pains Check Please! | Eric Bittle x Kent Parson | 50k FIC | T rating i am not usually a long fic gal, which i think is in part lack of patience, but also how attached i get to a universe if i’m working on it for a longer period of time. i finished writing this back in june but this fic felt very “me” in many ways and i think about them so often still  so it’s definitely my 2023 creation i’m proudest of!

[mystickitten42]

Thanks so much @peachpety for putting together this fabulous rec list (and for including me 😘). There’s a few here I’ve read and loved, and so many more I can’t wait to read and enjoy. Thanks lovely 💋

Upon reflecting this past year, I’m reminded of one area as a fandom citizen that i am lacking - reading fic. And so was born an idea to canvas my fandom family and friends to share with me a fic they've written, art they've created, a podfic they've recorded in 2023 of which they are most proud.

This two part 'rec yourself' list is the result.

Part One (here) features Drarry creations (heavily featured since that's my OTP). Part Two includes a kick-ass mix of various HP ships and ships from other fandoms, including Carry On, Check Please!, Good Omens, Teen Wolf, and Stranger Things. Also, and most importantly, each entry presents a smol blurb from the creator about why they chose their particular piece as their 2023 favorite.

For ease in reading, I've also placed all submitted works posted to AO3 into a filterable bookmark collection, Rec Yourself 2023. Be aware that there's a range of ratings and archive/creator tags, so please, take appropriate responsibility for your personal consumption. And please also be sure to shower the creators with kudos and lovely comments.

Y'all. This endeavor has been a fucking blast. One thing's for sure, I am blessed, humbled and honored to know a whole bunch of fantastic, brilliant, fun folks. Big love to you all, and thank you for participating.

So go forth. Indulge and enjoy! xo peach

* * * ✩ @itsphantasmagoria ✩ Dating Draco — A Visual Novel Game VISUAL NOVEL GAME | M rating | Drarry Let’s Play Fest 2023 This monster of a project took me 2.5 months of writing, coding, drawing, and panicking. It positively killed me to not talk about it except to a very small handful of people until it released for DLP fest, and the response I got when it did made a really hard time in my life a whole lot brighter. I hope to add more to it next year, and maybe release another one not fandom-related eventually too!

✩ @cailynwrites ✩ Licking a Path to You by @drarryruinedme7 PODFIC | E rating | Draco Tops Harry Fest 2023 I've been having a really hard time choosing, but I think it might be this [one]. It's just fun, no angst, hot sex and sexy food talk. I did a lot of dark stuff this year: kill your darlings fest and parts of manacled in particular, and this was such a lovely palate cleanser. Not to say that it's bland, but rather a perfect antidote for whatever ails you.

✩ @getawayfox ✩ when we're lovers ART | M rating | HD Sudsfest Lite 2023 I’m pretty fond of my Suds submission because I wanted to create something hot and intimate without actually being explicit about it and I think I succeeded.

✩ @littlewinnow ✩ Scorp takes naps very seriously ART COMIC | G rating This is one of my favorites! I've never drawn comics that much before so I was really proud of how this turned out compared to my first attempts. The expressions, the colors, the simple background! It came out nice!

✩ @porcelainheart3 ✩ One Foot In The Grave ART COMIC | T rating | Harry/Draco Career Fair 2023 It's been close to 20 years since I drew for fun. One of those "childhood hobbies" that I dropped during the constant skin-shedding and reinvention of my teenage years. I loved Phantasmagoria's prompt and kept trying to write it, but the words didn't seem to capture what was in my imagination. So for the first time in decades, I drew a comic! And I am really pleased with the result.

✩ @dewitty1 ✩ November 2023 REC LIST When I first started reccing HP fic 5 years ago, I put out weekly rec lists. I had to scale back to monthly lists, and I think they've been going really well. I appreciate all the new followers and friends I've gained through my recs, and I hope to see you all spread more fic joy in the future with me. This list, all Drarry recs, is just one of the many examples of my "work" which sometimes includes other HP pairings. Enjoy, and Happy Reading! Xo, Carey

✩ @bubble-gumhead ✩ That Deep Magic 244 FIC | T rating This is a small story that I wrote rather quickly, but now has decided to grow. I've always loved the idea of magical cores and theories. What would happen if one's magical core started to fail unexpectedly? It's still one of my own little favorites.

✩ @mxmaneater ✩ Once Upon a Midnight Drarry 1.1k FIC | T rating This was one of the most batshit ideas I've come up as a fic idea, and I'm so happy I took this gag and ran with it (for a solid 6-8 hours) until I had recreated the exact meter of The Raven, only Drarry-fied.  This was a passion project that was both challenging (much like a puzzle) and so, so fun to write.

✩ @kittycargo ✩ Charlie 1.7k FIC | T rating | Unleashed! Fest 2023 I think this is my best written fic this year. It’s short and snappy but also builds how happy Draco makes Harry (while showing the inverse of how sad Harry is without him).

✩ @phoebe-delia ✩ Stars By the Pocketful 2.1k FIC | T rating | HD Wireless 2023 This is not technically my best work, both this year and in general, but I'm proud that I finished it. I went through a lot of different ideas before I settled on this one and I'm glad I was able to see it through. It's very soft and fluffy, and I love reading and writing those kinds of fics.

✩ @sleepstxtic ✩ All The Ways 3.1k FIC | T rating I wrote this when I was in the middle of a writing slump and wanted to write something but didn’t have the energy for a full fic. It’s a collection of drarry “What if” scenarios that I’d had stuck in my mind for a while and finally wrote down, and I’m quite fond of the way it turned out.

✩ @sweatersinthesummer ✩ Welcome to Schittsmeade 3.4k FIC + PODFIC | T rating | Voiceteam 2023 I only wrote a couple of fics this year, but I recorded a lot of podfics, but I think I'll go with something I wrote and recorded!  I just like it because it combines two of my favorite fandoms - HP and Schitt's Creek, and it just amuses me. Plus, I wrote and recorded it in 24 hours for a challenge, so I'm kind of proud of that part too.

✩ @xanthippe74 ✩ Under the Table 4.3k FIC | T rating It's my fave because I managed to finish it after abandoning it in 2021 (it was supposed to be for Wireless that year). I didn't think it was working at the time, but I finally figured out how to write Draco being the bitchy and somewhat unreliable narrator that I envisioned.

✩ @moonmanatee ✩ Sun Shower 5.9k FIC | T rating | Unleashed! Fest 2023 i posted my first fic this year, so i’m proud of being brave enough to share something, and of creating a world and characters that exist beyond what made it onto the page (which to me is how i know what did end up in the story is full-bodied and meaningful!).

✩ @thehoneybeet ✩ Desiderium 6.1k FIC | E rating | HP Poetry Fest 2023 I'm proud of everything I wrote this year, but this is my favorite because I was very self-indulgent when writing this piece. I wrote Desiderium for @/hp-poetry-fest inspired by Kubla Khan, and I really enjoyed the exploration of the liminal space between life and death, and the constant striving for a feeling or a state of being you may never experience again. This was also my first fic solely from Draco's point of view, after which I fell in love and wrote three more Draco POVs this year. If you enjoy yearning, legilimency sex, edging, thunderstorms, poetry, etc., you'll probably like this one. 

✩ @nv-md ✩ will you stay right here (shake this frost off my bones) 10.1k FIC | E rating | HP Law of Attraction Fest This is my fave for a few reasons. Creatures! I love a good creature fic and while I usually write vampires, this one features Veela Draco and Werewolf Harry. There was a single scene in my mind when I started this fic, it's towards the end, and I won't spoil it, but it features Draco's wings and it has been living in my mind rent free all year. Though it is but 10k, finishing this fec felt like finishing a marathon. Writing was so hard for me this year and I was so proud when I was done.

✩ @peachpety ✩ Birds Behaving Badly 10.5k FIC | E rating | Unleashed! Fest 2023 as i hemmed and hawed about whether to include a self-rec on this list, i finally said, yeah, imma toot my own horn bc that’s the fucking point, peach. y'all i had so much fun researching for this fic. pages — like 12! — of notes and photographs and seagulls, seagulls, seagulls!! And then this draco, gah, he just sprang up, exactly how i like him. And once i wrote the opening section (which imo is one of the best i’ve written) it was smooth sailing from there. the words, they flowed until i surprised myself with my longest drarry fic yet. So, yes, i’m super proud of this one. it reminded me how much i love writing, and writing these two idiot boys in particular.

✩ @peachydreamxx ✩ Take My Pure (Wash It All Away) 16.8k FIC | E rating | HD Sudsfest Lite 2023 I’m a sucker for vulnerable, fragile Draco, and this journey through his eyes felt incredibly intimate. Particularly writing about his sub drops.  I had the challenge of writing moments of communication between them when Draco was too vacant to speak. This fic weaves together Draco’s darkest desires with Harry’s possessive need to both control Draco and give him everything he needs while contrasting Draco's degradation and shame with the pure trust and longing they shared. Also describing the pretty soap shop and all the small things that Draco felt he didn’t deserve.

✩ @beyondtheclose ✩ a foundation on which to build 19.6k FIC | T rating | HP Trans Fest 2023 When peach asked me to give a self rec, I wasn’t sure which fic I’d pick—I couldn’t even remember what I had written this year. But then I remembered this one and I instantly knew my choice, and not even because it was the longest or most involved one I wrote this year. Foundation was written for the transfest and is about Harry discovering one of his parents were trans, something that had become a secret after they’d died. It also features Harry and Draco reconnecting after breaking up a few years prior. I had a good time writing this fic and exploring this universe and Harry and Draco’s reactions to everything and it is probably one of the fics I’m most proud of writing.

✩ @goblinmatriarch ✩ Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage 21k FIC | E rating | HP Bodice Ripper Fest 2023 I'd say my [favorite is my] bodice ripper one! Because it was a bit out of my comfort zone and required a ton of research, which was fun and led me to 12th century poetic debates about rimming!

✩ @nelweensfic ✩ Welcome to Kreb 24.1k FIC | M Rating | Lights Camera Drarry 2023 I think this is my fav fic of this year that I want to share. Because it has dragons, because it's my longest drarry fic ever, because I explored a lot of differents emotions and also a new side ship.

✩ @rockingrobin69 ✩ Of Magical Beings Being - Magic 30k FIC | E rating | Unleashed! Fest 2023 i suppose [my favorite self-rec] would have to be of magical beings being magic, which is half of my heart at the very least.

✩ @somethingveryodd ✩ Hole to Feed 34.4k FIC | E rating | Lights Camera Drarry 2023 It was the first fic I ever wrote for a fic fest and I got to writing it kinda late, because I didn't know the fest was even on until the last week of grabbing prompts. And it was like something took over my brain and my body and I've never wrote anything that quick with such consistency! It was my first time writing a dual timeline, which I fell in love with completely.

✩ @dodgerkedavra ✩ Lover, Where Do You Live? 38.2k FIC | E rating | HD Wireless 2023 It was really hard to pick one that was my favorite-favorite but this one for Wireless has a special place in my heart because I get to think of it every time I think of the song, and because I felt like I got the pining exactly right!!

✩ @oknowkiss & @babooshkart ✩ The Waiting 43.5k FIC + ART | E rating | HD Wireless 2023 okay first of all we need to commend boo for her INCREDIBLE art. please zoom in on the bulletin board. that genius is all her. we're not worthy, tbh. re: the fic... this story was difficult to write. both in the sense that i was struggling to literally open my laptop and move my fingers over the keys, and also that i did not particularly want to engage with the content (of my own story, i know). i didn't mean to write a short novel about grief, or more accurately about running away from grief, but once i started i couldn't stop. writing this harry was therapeutic, even though it often felt like pulling teeth, which naturally means it's now my favorite thing i've written this year/possibly ever. this fic helped in expunging the grief, yes, but also in reminding me (and hopefully my readers) that through sadness there is joy, and love, and humor, and people who want to help. there is a great deal of pain in life, but there are also oranges and friends. that's worth holding onto.

✩ @slyth-princess ✩ You’ve Got Owl Post 50.4k FIC | M rating | Lights Camera Drarry 2023 For one, I actually had an entirely different fic planned and plotted. But it wasn’t working. So I scrapped it and started from scratch and I’m so glad I did. I got to include so many fun details from the movie but made the story its own. In the end, the story ended up a lot stronger and it’s probably one of my favorite things I’ve written. It also was a huge point of pride when the woman who has been editing me for years said it’s the best thing I’ve ever written. And, mind you, I moved, got Covid, and started a whole new job while writing this. Even though I scrambled at the end, writing about 40k in like a week, I didn’t cut corners. I think this fest has brought out the best in my writing ability and this is so far one of the pinnacles of my fandom writing history.

✩ @the-sinking-ship ✩ Nights With You 58.2k FIC | E rating 2023 was a year for writing, not for finishing. The only thing I published was this lighthearted rom-com, but writing it made me so happy and it was never once a chore. And I’m glad that if I finished anything, it was this gift given to and inspired by one of my favorite people, @fictional.

✩ @gnarf ✩ At the end of our world 61.2k FIC  | E rating | PART 1 of a 5 PART COMPLETED 126k SERIES I'd like to rec the first part of the now finished series because that's where it all started. I want to rec this work because this is my favourite, my baby, I love it. I wrote it because I wanted to read it, and I wanted to see how a zombie apocalypse would play out if you had magic as I've always been very obsessed with movies and series and games that featured the end of the world and/or zombies. And for the off chance that other people might enjoy it I claimed the prompt for career fair 2021 that gave me the perfect excuse to finally write it and pull through. This series has been in the making for a long time and is now finally finished, and even though the end may not be as dramatic as it is in movies I truly love it. I don't think I'll ever write anything that I'll enjoy more than this. So if anyone wants to read a drarry zombie apocalypse, here you go!

✩ @mintawasalreadytaken ✩ Yellow Is The Colour (Of My True Love’s Hair) 64.2k FIC | E rating i'm proud of myself for writing an irredeemably unhappy ending with this one. it was hard not to have them ride off into sunset. the ending came to me first, and i wrote the rest around it, which ended up becoming an overly ambitious attempt at a Deathly Hallows re-write. luckily it hit home: i've never had so many commenters scream at me that i owe them $ for their therapy bills, or that they're actively sobbing. so it achieved its purpose, in the end, hahaha!

✩ @mystickitten42 ✩ A Thousand Shades of Green 97.4k FIC | E rating | PART 3 of 'OLD MAGIC' SERIES (ONGOING) While I’ve loved writing each part of the Old Magic series, A Thousand Shades of Green was the one I most wanted to write. HBP is my favourite book of the HP series and I love having Harry and Draco all alone (well, not entirely alone) in Grimmauld Place where they can focus on each other as well as their endeavours. Adding Ron and Hermione into the mix was so much fun—I live for angsty Romione. I loved the potential for Hermione to give in to rule-breaking without Harry being the instigator, and her magnetic pull to Pansy is irresistible, as is Narcissa’s entire predicament. This one was a beast to wrangle and I’m so proud of it. But I also view it as the calm before the storm. There are two more parts to come, and not everyone gets out alive.

[mystickitten42]

I love this so much!!! It’s gorgeous, so deeply moving, and captures the vibe of the song so perfectly. I’ve looked at this so many times and notice new things each time. It’s amazing 💖💖💖

I can finally reveal the comic I did for @hd-wireless this year! See it here!

Alive (digital art/comic, rated E), a gift for @mystickitten42

🎵 Song Prompt: 'Alive' by 'Sia'

🎵 Summary Harry is lost after the final battle, but he finds comfort from an unexpected source.

Also go check out the other creations in the fest because they were all AMAZING. 🔥🔥🔥

[mystickitten42]

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 Burst of Love

🎵 Explicit, 3,805 ❗ Warnings/Tags: Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Non-Linear Narrative, POV Alternating, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, social media influencer draco malfoy, Instagram, Jealous Harry Potter, Anal Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Bars and Pubs, Coming Out, Gay Draco Malfoy, Getting Together 🎵 Song Prompt: Jealous by Nick Jonas

🎵 Summary: 

The year after the War is both the worst and best one in Harry and Draco’s lives. Draco somehow becomes one of the most requested influencer on Instagram, Harry is finally free and discovers he has quite…a passion inside himself. We all know how this is going to end.

Read on AO3

[mystickitten42]

I drew Drarry having sex under the invisibility cloak.