#23k words in the vault...

[xxswagcorexx]

there are so many fics in my files and yet i struggle to do any of them ever </3

[sdktrs12]

2 7 & 14 for ff reader asks pls!

Thanks for sending love! 💕

2. What's your seventh favourite fanfic?

I mean, I love all my children equally, so here's a random pick -

like tea made from rain by lilithenaltum

rated e | multi chapter 23k+ | fluff + smut | canon divergence - season one

Here's an excerpt -

Two months after he tells her to go home, she gets one last text message.

She knows it’s from him without even needing to text back and ask, the cadence of the message mimicking the cadence of his voice (she can’t get his voice out her head yet) and she mouths the words, short as they are, over and over until the text is burned into the back of her brain.

It’s not a lot, but it feels like everything and she lets out the first real breath in a long time (eight weeks, sixty days, two months, she hadn’t started counting the hours but she was close). She doesn’t say a word to Annie or Ruby. She doesn’t bring it up during girl’s nights in or the rare hen party out. She keeps it to herself, close to her chest, deep down in the pit of her heart. It’s in the same place she stores the memory of his gun on her chest, his hand on the back of her neck, the heat of him that close. She keeps it in a little vault locked tight along with the fantasy of him she’d developed and rewound and rewritten during her brief career as a money laundering housewife.

The day after she gets the message, she gets a package in the mail, no return address, though she doesn’t expect there will be. She knows what’s inside that package before she opens it, knows she’ll pull out a string of pearls that she had once hung on the door of an old warehouse one night. And she knows, along with the text message, that this is a promise that she can use if she ever needs to.

7. Is there a trope you cannot understand why anyone would like?

Not really? I'm not personally into like, 'sex pollen' or 'bang or die', but I don't really care about why others enjoy it. To each their own and whatnot.

14. What fandom or pairing do you WISH there was more content for?

I wish there was more Rio&Annie content and/or Rio&Annie&Ruby content. The show writers were cowards who deprived us and I'd read the fuck out of an OT3 fic.

Fanfiction Reader Asks!

[hogwartsfirebolt]

Hello there! I’m finally here with the third and last part of my favorite drarry fics I read in 2019!!! In the first part and in the second part I recommended 10 stories that made my year, and in this post I’m recommending 10 more that I absolutely adore. The banner art is by @spielzeugkaiser who was really kind and let me use this GORGEOUS piece, which you can (and totally should) reblog right here. Now, without further ado, here’s my,

FAVORITE FICS I READ IN 2019 PART THREE

1. The Company of The Rose - @lower-east-side - 31k - E - Six years after the war, Draco Malfoy has been restoring magical estates, while sidestepping his mother’s plots to marry him off and resolutely avoiding his issues. An advert in the Prophet takes him to a remote island, where a mysterious stranger has purchased an abandoned retreat. But the house has a few secrets of its own, and Draco will be forced to deal with not only his past, but the possibilities of the future.

We’re starting out this list with one of the last fics I read last year, and undoubtedly one of my absolute favorites. It’s gorgeous, sweet, breathtaking, a dozen other adjectives I can’t even think of. Stories that take place in beautiful, secluded places have a special place in my heart, and with a sure hand the author leads us through some of my favorite aspects of the trope: slow forming friendships, the feeling like they’re living in a world of their own as they get to know each other for who they really are, wonderful, delicious sexual tension keeping me breathless until the moment it snaps. The sex pollen element is also worked in a way I had never read before, with an exploration of what happens in the aftermath, addressing the issue of consent it creates. It’s just absolutely phenomenal, every single word of this. 

2. I could be wrong, I could be ready - @harryromper - 57k - M - At first Harry wonders if they’ve managed to destroy his vaults and are trying to tell him in the most oblique way possible. But when he turns the page he realises they’ve found a vault. A vault in the name of Lily and James Potter.The parchment trembles a little in Harry’s hand. He takes another gulp of wine. Harry Potter left Britain after the war and didn’t look back. Ten years later, when Gringotts discovers a vault containing his parents’ belongings—including their badly spell-damaged wedding rings—he’s forced to face up to friends and family who’ve grown in ways he could never imagine, a wizarding London rebuilt beyond his expectations, and the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the entirely unforeseen problem of Draco Malfoy. Featuring pureblood wizarding traditions, ancestral magic, open mic nights, marriage equality, a diner in Brooklyn, and the return of Fleamont Potter.

Explorations of Harry as a character and his post-war issues never fail to hook me right in, and this beautiful fic takes us with him on a journey where he changes so, so much, and at first he does it by running away, thinking everything will remain unchanged as long as he doesn’t acknowledge it, which, of course, isn’t the case. We see him having to face his past, reconnecting with his friends, finding and coming to terms with pieces of himself that he forgot about, or never knew existed in the first place, and it’s absolutely exquisite. The tremendous amount of character development, the regaining of trust in himself and others, the way we can witness a love story blooming slow and steady, and see Harry grow into a confident, wonderful man. God, I have feels for this one, for every detail, every character and setting and emotion. It’s absolutely fantastic. 

3. What Real Thing? - @l0vegl0wsinthedark - 12k - E - They don’t cuddle, they don’t talk about their relationship (or lack thereof) and they certainly never fall asleep in each other’s arms.

This was my year of falling in love with l0ve’s fics. I had read some of her work before, but it was a few months ago that I found myself deep into her ao3 page, nearly weeping with the amount of emotion every single one of her stories stirs up within me. Picking just one was extremely difficult, but I finally chose this one, because the way she paints the relationship between Harry and Draco is masterful, their dynamic shifting and changing little by little, baby steps that become full-on sprints, single-minded and hesitant all at once, until we see them elbows deep into a feeling they don’t even know they’re experiencing, and it’s just brilliant, scorching hot, all-encompassing in a way that made me feel caught up in the whirlwind that is their relationship. If you haven’t yet read anything by l0ve, then I strongly, strongly recommend you start right about NOW. You won’t regret it. 

4. Teeth - @amelior8or - 5k - E - Potter’s been practically begging for it, for months, constantly staring until the air crackles with the intensity of it. Draco always stares back, until all it takes is a brush, a spark, before they go up like flash paper. The crash into each other is inevitable. Draco’s heart has got teeth. And there is nothing he won’t do to keep up the fight with Harry fucking Potter.

I am absolutely, 1000% weak for werewolf stories, and in just 5k words this one managed to enchant and entrance me. It’s hot and fast-paced and intense in the way I love, with their relationship charged with emotion and intensity that transform bickering into passion in the blink of an eye. The moment I reached the end, I went back to the top of the page and reread it that very second, because I had to experience it all over again. Amazing characterization, banter to die for and explosive chemistry are all present in this gem. I kid you not, I’ve read it about six times at this point and just keep going back to that moment in the showers because THAT DIALOGUE IS JUST- wow. 

5. Hush, darling - @magpiefngrl - 23k - E - Draco is in trouble. To get out of it he needs to seduce Harry Potter.

My god what a story this is. Absolutely unique, 23k words that felt like so, so much more because of everything they made me feel. There isn’t a single line of dialogue in this story that doesn’t feel purposeful, the characterizations constructed with such skill that every step the characters take rings true to their essence and gives us another clue to add to the puzzle that is Harry Potter, vulnerable man, powerful man, and Draco Malfoy, in all his darkness and his light. It also features some of the best sex scenes I have read, EVER. I could go on and on about this one, so let me just refer you to my long, individual rec for some more flailing. 

6. The Pirate and the Prince - @nerdherderette - 49k - E - Draco can't believe that fate and circumstance have made him a stowaway on the Master of Death's ship. He doesn't know what's worse: the dread pirate's legendary vendetta against the aristocracy, or the fact that his captor is the most infuriating yet irrefutably fascinating man Draco has ever met.

YES!!!!! YES!!! The moment I saw the cover art for this fic on tumblr my entire being just screamed YES, and it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more. Listen, there is nothing I love more than fics where I get to see Harry as a powerful, ruggedly handsome man who’s not afraid of getting his hands dirty, and in here there’s some of that and MORE, because he’s a freaking PIRATE. And not only did I adore that aspect of it, but the writing pulled me right in, the setting so vibrant I could feel it in my bones, and I just genuinely enjoyed every second of reading this so, so much. There’s ships and adventure and fighting for what’s right, there’s lovely kisses, heated kisses, secret identities and parrot Hedwig. Just, all in all, a great freaking time. 

7. Falling for a Golden Boy - @rockmarina - 44k - E - Merlin. Why couldn’t Draco have moved to a forgotten village in the Alps? He could have turned into a shepherd, learned to make his own damn cheese and given up his damn magic. But no, he’d had to come back to his Eighth year, hadn’t he? And this was his life now. Draping himself over Potter to hear words from him that he knew Potter wouldn’t ever mean.Great. The school year ahead of him looked simply great.“All I know is—when I’m with you, I…” Potter, the heathen, grunted when he read the rest of his line. “Do I really need to say this?”“What, scared of believing your own words, Scarhead?” Draco spat.“Boys,” O’Neill warned them.“All I—all I know is you’re the most amazing person with weak ankles that I've ever met, Meg.” Potter scowled. He was blushing again. “And when I’m with you, I feel less alone.”

My favorite eight year Drarry of all time, probably. I had never before experienced such a beautiful balance of the aftermath of the horrifying events of the war and how they impacted each character, and the light feeling of youthful fun. There are so, so many things to love in the 44k words that make up this masterpiece, so many details that warmed my heart and made me melt inside, so many moments that had me laughing or clutching my chest. In here, you’ll find quite a lot of Hercules references, wonderful teachers, drama club, healing, characters learning to trust, learning to love, learning to cope, beautiful friendships, hopeful romance. It is everything. I talked more about this fic in this individual rec, and I will absolutely talk MORE about it if given the chance. Everyone should read this. 

8. Tease Crossed, Eyes Dotted With A Little Heart - @diligent-thunder - 18k - M -  Draco's a curse-breaker, Harry's an Auror, and they're... something? Maybe? It depends. Harry definitely wants to get laid, Draco wants to follow procedure, and their work wives just want them to stop hiding from the truth. 

I hope you’re not sick of my rambling yet because oooooh boy, THIS ONE. It’s funny, in the way that makes you cover your mouth because you’re about to burst out laughing on the bus, it’s hot, in that casual way that makes you clear your throat and shift your phone just a little, just so the screen can’t be seen by the person sitting beside you because like HELL are you going to stop reading now, it’s sweet, in the way that makes you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, and it’s so detailed and all around so, so much fun to read, in the way that grips you and doesn’t let you go, only to release you when it’s over so you can go and recommend it to your friends, IT’S. SO. GOOD. Real quick: auror + cursebreaker pairing, are-they-friends-with-benefits-or-more, guess-they’d-have-to-actually-TALK-to-know-that, teasing each other in public, getting trapped together for a bit there, powerful female characters, should you guys really be flirting right now? and MORE. Listen, just go read it now and thank me later. 

9. That which hurts (and is desired) - @shealwaysreads - 19k - E - Draco was lying still, and pale, on a bed in a private room in St Mungo’s. The sheets were white, clean, enchanted against stains, vanishing the blood that kept spilling out of him. He hadn’t moved in two days. Not a twitch of his elegant fingers. Not a blink of his fierce eyes. Harry couldn’t even see the faint flutter of his pulse in his throat from where he stood at the foot of the bed, helpless, impotent, furious.

This fic is written so, so beautifully that it aches and leaves such an impression that, thinking back on it, every emotion hits me just as hard as it did when I was reading it. Everything Harry felt, I felt, every moment where he found himself just a little bit more in love with Draco, I was there, every moment of his frustration when Draco is hit with a curse nobody can decipher, I was there for it. With non-linear storytelling, it is evocative, a masterclass in narration, pacing, characterization and beautiful, lyrical writing. I nearly have no words for it. It features: auror partners that work together seamlessly, a dash of pining, a helping of very, very hot sex, and a love story that feels soft like a dream and thrilling like a race. This was the very last story I read in 2019, and I could not have ended the year on a better note. Definitely check this one out.

10. For Thine Is The Kingdom - @kedavranox - 66k - E - On a secret mission, Draco is Turned. With no memory of what happened, he learns that to save his missing Auror partner and regain what he’s lost, he must uncover the long-buried secrets of the vampire covens. To do that, Draco must open his mind and heart to what he has become, the new-found family that surrounds him, and the man who has remained steadfast at his side through it all.Harry spent five years avoiding the man he fell in love with, but when Draco needs his help, he cannot refuse. As they race against the clock to find Draco’s partner, Harry discovers that the bond they share is nothing to hide from, and that he'll never outrun the pace of his own heart.

And last but absolutely not least, there’s this freaking diamond of a story. I swear I want to squeal whenever I remember it. I’ll be brief: it is one of my absolute favorite fics of all time. In here, there’s vampires, unspeakables, a big investigation, wonderful side characters and information given in small little doses as we learn alongside the characters and piece together an entire picture. It’s dazzling, incredibly detailed in every way, with shades to each character and nuances to every interaction and bit of magic we get to see. I feel like anything I can say is not enough, I can never do this story justice. I have tried before, and written the gushiest individual fic rec of my LIFE but just- I honestly have no more words to express how much I think everyone needs to read this. Please, check that rec out, please, check this story out. There is absolutely nothing like it.

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And that wraps it for 2019! Thank you to all who take the time to check out my lists, and THANK YOU specially if you give these incredible stories a chance, because they deserve all the love in the world. Once again: All the way from here, behind a username and a few tumblr posts, I can honestly say that these 30 stories made my year. I hope they can make yours, too ❤️ If you ever want to discuss these (for tag concerns or plain flailing) (or any story really) my DM’s are always open!!!

[stargazing-enby]

Fics I wrote in 2019: masterlist

I wanted to do this on New Year’s Eve, but I decided to wait till @hdowlpost reveals so I could add the fics I wrote for the fest, too. Lo and behold: the fics I wrote last year!

My most popular fics posted in 2019:

Highest kudos: Everything a Word Can Mean (Drarry, 2.3k, 1023 kudos). The soulmate AU I never intended to write! I was so sure this fic wasn’t anything special that seeing all the love it got baffled me so much, but upon re-reading it (and listening to @hptruefan-cheekytorah‘s podfic 😍) I realised I loved it too!

Highest comments: Falling for a Golden Boy (Drarry, 44k, 93 comment threads). My wireless! This fic gave me so many headaches and so many moments of happiness, but ultimately I’m just proud I could prove myself capable of writing a long fic in English--and I’m also so proud of my OC, O’Neill, because she wrote herself out of nowhere and she’s honestly the best.

Highest hits and bookmarks: the above fics again! 2019 clearly has two winners 😂

Below the cut are all the Drarry fics I wrote in 2019 (minus some unfinished collabs), the sole fic I wrote that wasn’t Drarry (it’s Fleur x Cho), and finally the fics I wrote in Spanish. Enjoy!

Drarry fics

Not Rated:

Of Ink and Rhymes (231 words). A collection of Drarry poems written for this year's inktober prompt list.

General Audiences:

You’re the Universe I’m Helpless in (411 words). Draco and Harry stargaze.

Matching Hats (323 words). Harry likes bickering with Draco, but not as much as he likes hugging him.

I Want... You (470 words). Draco and Harry slowly discover that feeling safe has a lot to do with allowing yourself to feel respected. And that includes being allowed the little things in life.

Crumb(ling Willpower) (706 words). Are they just Auror partners? Are they an old bickering couple? Who knows — definitely not them.

As Long as We’re Together (1.9k). Draco and Harry are going through a rough time as parents, but it's okay — they've got each other.

How to Ruin the Perfect Proposal (and Still Get it Right) (2k). When Draco's plans for Harry's birthday end up showered in (quite literal) blood, Draco has to find a quick solution. Featuring spaghetti, hot-air balloons and a proposal ring. (A collab with @drarryruinedme7! 😍)

So You May Remember This (486 words). Draco meets the wrong end of a curse and has to reacquaint himself with his life for a day. (A collab with @tepre 💕)

We Fall Apart, We Rise Together (102 words). The story of how Draco and Harry get together, as told by tree leaves.

Teen and up:

New Year, New Harry (223 words). In which Harry learns that life is a series of starting points.

An Enlightening Session (2k). Harry confesses a secret and makes a decision. 

A Golden Ball of Fluff (375 words). “In my defence, Luna said dogs helped with anxiety.”

Hatred? Not Quite (346 words). Just two idiots fighting in detention.

Are You Okay? (1.5k). “Could you come over?”

Only Each Other (419 words). Harry's as lost as the boy crying in his arms. All he can do is hold on tight.

Crucio (3.4k). "It is our choices that show what we truly are." But what about those who don't really have a choice? This is how their journey together starts: with an Unforgivable, a confession and the incessant dripping of a faucet.

Lost Boys (1k). When the first shriek pierced the air, Harry muted it with a groan and a punch to the wall. Draco's pain hurts Harry beyond relief, and Harry's pain hurts Draco, too. At least they have each other to hold on to.

Just Them (100 words). About how painfully easy it can be for them to get together.

What it Takes to Stay and Fight (1.1k). Harry's had enough of Lucius's words worming their way through Draco's head.

Constant Flux (527 words). Harry Potter is the one constant in Draco's life, only each time in a very different way.

The Art of (Not) Being Broken (308 words). Draco reads an article that explains a few things. And so he shares it with Harry.

700 (280 words). A string is broken.

What They Need (388). A few days after the Sectumsempra incident, Harry decides to go to the hospital wing to apologise.

To Save a Soul (376 words). Draco's and Harry's souls bond the moment Harry saves Draco from the Fiendfyre flames. Before any of them realises, Draco is Disapparated to Azkaban, and their soulbond—their souls—broken.

Pumpkin Boy (6.4k). It's Halloween night, and the line that separates Harry's world from the one he truly belongs in dissipates when he meets a peculiar, white-blond boy.

Help Me Remember I’m Free (412 words). Of what happens in Draco's mind during a PTSD flashback.

Everything a Word Can Mean (2.3k). In a world where magical people are born with the nickname their soulmate will call them by tattooed on their skin... what does it mean that the word on Harry's chest is the thing he hates to be called the most?

What Can Be Found (in a Game of Truth or Dare) (8 words + memefic!) Here's what happens when Draco is dared to give Potter a love bite... as told through memes.

Mature:

A Pointy, Posh Grindylow (1.5k). “Why don’t we duel, Malfoy? Just you and me, tonight, in the Room of Requirement.”

Who We Are at Night (708 words). “Just… hold me. Please. That’s what I need.”

A Dream About a Boy (445 words). Draco Malfoy had a very particular dream once. A dream about a boy draped on top of him.

Stubborn as a Cursed Vault (1k). Harry and Draco are assigned a case together. Feelings ensue. 

Amortentia [FANART] (203 words). 'I'm going to be just right for you.'

(Mis)calculations (5.6k; WIP). This is how they find each other: at 2 am, in the Eighth year common room. Draco wanting to fall, Harry wanting to sink, and both of them in need of someone to hold on to.

Floppy Socks (359 words). Harry arrives home one day to Draco wearing peculiar socks. Bickering ensues.

When Green Shines (2.4k). The legends say that a fine, red string of fate connects those whose souls are destined for one another. And the legends are true, except the string isn’t always fine and it isn’t always red. It’s different for everybody. For some it’s silk, for some lightning. Some people are connected by a ribbon of clouds, and some by electricity.

So why does Harry’s have to look like the bloody Killing Curse?

Explicit:

Alone at Last (1.9k). All they'd done so far was make out behind library shelves and the occasional groping in the Quidditch showers when they both arrived earlier than their eighth-year team. But today — today everyone had left for Christmas and they had the Gryffindor dormitory to themselves. And so Draco was naked on Harry Potter's bed.

Falling for a Golden Boy (44k). Merlin. Why couldn’t Draco have moved to a forgotten village in the Alps? He could have turned into a shepherd, learned to make his own damn cheese and given up his damn magic. But no, he’d had to come back to his Eighth year, hadn’t he? And this was his life now. Draping himself over Potter to hear words from him that he knew Potter wouldn’t ever mean.Great. The school year ahead of him looked simply great.

“All I know is—when I’m with you, I…” Potter, the heathen, grunted when he read the rest of his line. “Do I really need to say this?”

“What, scared of believing your own words, Scarhead?” Draco spat.

“Boys,” O’Neill warned them.

“All I—all I know is you’re the most amazing person with weak ankles that I've ever met, Meg.” Potter scowled. He was blushing again. “And when I’m with you, I feel less alone.”

Or where a drama play, a grumpy pompom and a bunch of well-intentioned friends help Draco and Harry find peace—and each other—after the war.

Traditional (3k). Harry makes a discovery. Draco makes a promise.

A Glance at the Past (In Our Journey to the Future) (7.6k). It's Christmas Eve. It's also Lucius and Narcissa's last chance to accept Draco and Harry's relationship before they stop trying to make the Malfoys come around and move on with their lives.

Draco also happens to have a plug up his arse. One that Harry can control with his mind.

(You’re a) Revolution (23k). “Will I—Will I see you around?”

Malfoy snorts.

“Careful, Potter,” he murmurs, almost to himself, as his fingers linger on the doorknob. “One might think you actually enjoy my presence.”

Eight years after the end of the war, Draco Malfoy stumbles into Harry’s shop in the middle of a storm—no wand, no backstory; no signs of having lived in the country since the Battle of Hogwarts.

During their first encounter, Harry promises Malfoy—and the words sound like an old mantra—that he'll figure out Draco's secrets eventually.

And then he does. He does, except…it doesn't quite feel like a victory.

Other ships

Smooth as Ice (Fleur/Cho, Gen, 398 words). Cho slips in more than one way.

In Spanish (Drarry)

Estaciones (641 palabras, Gen). Dicen que todo nace, crece y muere.

Como un ciclo.

Como las estaciones.

De tal palo, tal astilla (8.1k, Teen and up). A veces es necesario echar un vistazo al pasado para comprender el presente… y el futuro. (O donde Draco conoce a alguien con quien quejarse de Potter).

Recuerdos que duelen (318 palabras, Teen and up). Dos chicos rotos hablando sobre los recuerdos que los persiguen.

El chico de mis sueños (481 palabras, Mature). En una ocasión, Draco Malfoy soñó algo muy particular: soñó con un chico recostado sobre su pecho.

Calcetines de gelatina (369 palabras, Mature). Harry llega a casa y se encuentra con que Draco lleva puestos unos calcetines peculiares.

Flujo constante (562 palabras, Teen). Harry Potter es la única constante en la vida de Draco, pero de muchas formas diferentes.

Pumpkin Boy (Español) (6.9k, Teen). Una noche de Halloween, la línea que separa el mundo de Harry de aquel al que realmente pertenece se diluye cuando Harry se encuentra con un niño rubio bastante peculiar.

[shera-dnd]

Ethermania

Listen up, punks, you have heard of modern AUs, coffee shop AUs, D&D AUs, but today you’re gonna meet the biggest and meanest AU of all: WRESTLING AU!

You thought that wedding fic was long? Then get ready for 23k words of pure ass kicking!

Brought to you by the greatest tag team of all times: This blog’s admin and our very own buff anon!

So buckle up, because this is gonna be a wild ride!

“Welcome welcome, ladies, gentlemen and all the inbetweens. Tonight will be a night to remember, for tonight is the night of Ethermania! My name is Sea Hawk and joining me at the announcer’s table tonight is my amazing co-host, Entrapta.” Sea Hawk dropped down from atop the announcer’s table and sat down next to Entrapta, who was jumping in her seat.

“Thank you, Sea Hawk. Tonight we’ll have the most amazing matches between the greatest fighters from all over Etheria. Members of the Horde and Rebellion alike meeting in epic confrontation, to cap it all off we will have the final no holds barred match between the chosen champions from each side and the winner will receive the coveted title of ‘Defender of Greyskull’” Entrapta grabbed Sea Hawk’s suit and started shaking him “I’m so excited!”

Sea Hawk did his best to continue talking as he was being shook by his co-host “And who are these champions? you might ask. Well, you’ll have to watch and find out.”

Entrapta calmed down a little and cleared her throat “Ah yes, our opening match will be between two Horde wrestlers, fighting for the right to become the Horde champion”

“That is right, the Horde champion will have to be in two matches in the same night. Well, I don’t know what crazy tricks Hordak has in store for us tonight, but he sure must put some faith in his staff” Sea Hawk quickly glances over his papers “And how do you feel about his choice of contestants?”

“Felina and Shadow Weaver” Entrapta cringed a little as the words left her mouth “It won’t be a pretty match. Those two have a lot of baggage to work through and I have a feeling they are gonna do it the most violent way possible”

“And with She-ra away from the Horde it is almost like those two changed personalities in these last few months. Shadow Weaver has been going savage in the ring, especially when her former pupil was involved”

~~~

Of course they would find a way of making this about Adora. Everything has to be about Adora. It didn’t matter, she had her own plans for tonight and she couldn’t afford to lose her temper with something so stupid.

She wandered around backstage, looking for her next adversary and, knowing Shadow Weaver, she would be looking for her too. The pre-show had barely started when she stumbled across her target “Ready to get what you have coming to you, Weaver?”

Even with her mask on Felina could still imagine the scowl on her face that brought her so much joy “You!” Was all she said at first, but it was loud enough to start attracting attention. Good. “Do you think you’re being intimidating? That you can scare me? You’ll be the one being put in their place tonight.”

Felina just smirked as she saw a cameraman coming their way “Put in my place? That’s cute coming from the woman who shouldn’t even be in the ring in the first place. Attacking her own team. You even make me look good!”

“I will not stand here and listen to a stupid little girl blame her own incompetence on me. You’ll be defeated tonight, I’ll be Horde champion and you will cease with these foolish accusations” Oh, Shadow Weaver was pissed. That was way too perfect.

“Fine then,” Felina shrugged “since you’re so sure you’re gonna win. How about we raise the stakes a little? Let’s make this a Mask vs Mask.” Felina noticed Weaver hesitating for a second. If she failed here she would suffer the ultimate humiliation. Felina gave a quick nod towards the cameraman behind her and she knew she had made her point. She would have to accept her terms or admit to the live audience she didn’t know if she could beat Felina.

The grunt of frustration from her was so satisfying to hear. “So be it. I have nothing to fear from you.” Oh, but she had, and Felina would be more than happy to remind her of that.

~~~

“Entering the ring now for our opening match...fighting both for the right to become Horde champion and to maintain her honor as a wrestler, we have Shadow Weaver” As soon as Sea Hawk finished his announcement the lights around the arena began to slowly dim and the crowd quieted down. The sound of roaring cheers replaced by sinister chanting.

In one moment the only lights in the arena were that of the crowd’s cell phone screens, in the next a beacon of red light emerged from the ground and in the middle of it stood a dark figure. Covered by a cloak and surrounded by fog, the figure slowly made her way down to the ring as the chanting grew louder and the red beacon followed her.

Her entrance to the ring was deliberate and calculated. She was fearsome in everything she did and no one dared boo her. When she reached the precise center she shed her dark cloak with a single movement and, with perfect synchronization, the lights returned to the arena, but instead of the cheer and applause she expected all she heard were gasps of surprise.

Felina was already behind her, waiting for her in the ring. Not only had she stolen Shadow Weaver’s entrance, she had made her message very clear ‘I could have beat you there and you wouldn’t even notice’. Words failed to describe her indignation, all she could do was wait for the ref to officially start the match and then show this foolish girl the mistake she had made.

Felina was grinning at her as they waited for the ref to start the match. Oh she would wipe that self satisfied smile from her face. No, she had far more important things to wipe from the girl’s face.

At first it had all gone according to plan. Felina’s first attack was pushed back with a kick and when she insisted in trying it again she was stop by a knee to the face. Another kick to the back of her knee and Felina was already on her knees. Shadow Weaver could barely contain her laughter as she kicked Felina again and again as she tried to get up and until the ref pushed them apart she had no plans on stopping, but Felina did not need the ref to stop her.

Felina grabbed Shadow Weaver’s foot and twisted herself around, forcing her opponent to the ground. Before Weaver could get up she rolled forward and finished the movement with her knee - the same knee Weaver had kicked - firmly placed against her foe’s neck. Without getting up she posed a little to the crowd so she could humiliate Weaver just a little more. She even caught a glimpse of someone in the front row with a sign saying “Felina can climb MY top rope!” Good to know there were still wrestling fans with good taste.

When she finally got up and allowed Shadow Weaver to move again, she saw that her foe was trying to be quick and brutal. She attempted to rush Felina down, put her on the ground and pummel her with abandon again, but Felina was expecting this. She dodged under the first attack with a split, then vaulted over Shadow Weaver to avoid the second and soon she was dancing around her opponent, laughing at her failure.

Shadow Weaver had grown distracted in her rage and as she turned to strike her foe again she was met by a foot solidly planted against her chin, and as she hit the ground she was vaguely aware of Sea Hawk shouting “Felina with that Chin-tah’s Paw”.

Shadow Weaver had beat her up again and again trying to break her, to get her to quit, but what she had called torture Felina had called training, and now she was showing how much stronger that training had made her. She was the strongest fighter in the Horde and she did not need Weaver or Adora anymore.

From that moment on there was no question on who would win, there was only one option and when the match finally ended Shadow Weaver waited patiently on her knees. She was an awful human being, but even she knew what she had to do and she would do so with dignity. Perhaps that was some part of her Light Spinner persona still showing. When the camera focused on her face she slowly removed her mask and made her way out of the ring.

~~~

Felina did not see Shadow Weaver backstage again, but she didn’t care about her anymore, she got what she wanted. “Hey, boss, guess who just got themselves a new champion?” she announced entering Hordak’s office.

“Good,” Hordak allowed the word to hang as if tasting the satisfaction it carried “you have once again proven more than capable of destroying whoever the Rebellion choses as their champion.”

The man knew how to give an ego boost, Felina had to admit that, but she still had a question in mind. “Now care to explain why you booked this for the same night I would have to fight their Champion? Couldn't we have done that before just to guarantee the victory?” She knew she would still win, but she would have prefered a day or two to rest before her big match.

Hordak laughed a self satisfied laughter “It is all very simple. The Rebellion is too honorable for their own good. Whoever they send will also have fought tonight, after all that is the fair thing to do. So I have instructed your colleagues to leave victory as a secondary objective tonight. Their main goal will be to hurt and maim their enemies, so no one will be fit to stop us!”

~~~

Adora had arrived late for the event, everyone told her to rest at home until she was healed, but she couldn’t just sit and watch the massacre playing out on her screen. The Horde had lost 3 consecutive matches, but never without wounding their opponents in some way. Even if she couldn’t fight today she had to be there to help them, to give them some support. When she finally arrived at the First One’s Arena it was just in time to catch her best friends and new tag team making their way to their big match.

She was waiting at ring side when the lights began to dim. One after another black light spotlights turned on, revealing the letters B F S written on the ground and when the final spotlight shone two silhouettes came into focus. Glimmer and Bow posing dramatically, their black light clothes glowing in their classic purple and white, with Bow’s heart and Glimmer’s hair brighter than anything else. They jumped and flipped and danced their way to the ring as their fans shook glow sticks to the rhythm of their theme song. A trampoline waited for them at ring side and they entered the ring with one more flip and one final pose.

They had huge smiles on their faces when the lights turned back on. Adora loved those two dorks so much. Already in the ring were Scorpia and Kyle. Adora had to admit that she felt bad for missing their entrance, she didn’t want her former colleagues to think she didn’t care about them and, as if summoned by Adora’s stray thoughts, she heard one of said colleagues calling her “Hey, Adora, here to watch your friends get crushed?”

“Felina.” Adora answered, “Shouldn’t you be resting before your big match?” Adora was legitimately worried about her former tag team partner, but of course that was not how she saw things. Felina could only see this as Adora looking down on her, so she answered the only way she could.

“Shouldn’t you be in a hospital bed? Like the one I put you in.” Aggression was Felina’s favorite way of expressing her feelings, something that lent itself well to her wrestling career, but that meant interacting with her could be very tiresome. Thankfully they were both distracted by Kyle being tossed against the ropes next to them.

Apparently Glimmer had been spending the last couple of minutes handing his ass to him and before Scorpia could tag in, Glimmer jumped between the middle and top ropes, grabbing them for support and using the force of her jump to spin around and hit Kyle on the back with both her feet.

“Seriously, Kyle?” they both said together and laughed. They could not believe that the first time they laughed together in months was because of Kyle, but while Adora had shown that disbelief through more laughter, Felina did so through anger. She was supposed to make Adora feel miserable, not make jokes with her. It didn’t matter how good she looked in her casual clothes or how beautiful and earnest her smiled seemed. No, she had a mission here and she was going to complete it.

“And what do you think you’re doing here?” That’s it, angrier. “Do you think you’re gonna just get your injured ass into the ring and magically save the day?”

Adora sighed loudly “No, I’m here to give moral support. Something that you used to do too, before you got so obsessed with revenge.”

“Well, excuse me if I don’t take well to being betrayed and left behind!” At this point they were shouting, and were it not for the match going on right next to them the cameras would probably all be aimed right at them.

“Hey, hey Felina, look at what I can do!” Scorpia called from the ring while holding Bow upside down. She lifted him up and proceeded to do squats while holding him in place.“ Hey Felina, isn’t this cool?”

Bow struggled to talk, with all the blood flowing to his head and his lungs being crushed by Scorpia’s powerful arms “I don’t think she is paying attention...”

“Oh, she does that sometimes,” She said as she lowered him again. “I’m gonna pile drive you now.” That was all the warning Bow got before his head was driven straight into the ring. His struggle went completely unnoticed by his ringside friend as she was still focused in her argument.

“Do you really think I wanted to leave you?” Adora’s voice was quieter now, almost too quiet to be heard over the crowd “I cared for you, I still do.” and for a moment there Felina believed, she wanted to believe that, that she could have her Adora back, but as her eyes darted away trying so hard to avoid Adora’s gaze, she caught a glimpse of that sign from before, but it was being flipped around and now it said ‘Suplex me She-ra!!!’.

“No!” She pushed Adora away “You just want me so you can feel better, so you can always be the best, but I’m done playing second fiddle to you!” And with that she made her way backstage, leaving Adora by herself. Questioning what to do now.

“Are you seeing this?” Entrapta’s shouts snapped Adora back to reality. In the ring Glimmer was standing on the middle rope, using the top rope for support, while Bow pulled her back “It’s the Sparkling Arrow!” When Bow released the rope Glimmer went flying right into Scorpia’s chest, knocking her to the ground. They were announced victorious soon after.

~~~

“Absolutely not!” Angella announced firmly.

“But mom,” Glimmer tried arguing back, but one look from her mother was enough to shut her down.

“She-ra will not be our champion for the final match. She should be resting at home and not risking herself here!” Her tone made it all sound very final.

“Please, you have to understand. This may be the last chance Felina has.” Adora begged.

“She is a Horde wrestler. Are you seriously asking me to put our chance at the title at risk for the sake of the enemy?”

“Yes!” Adora shouted this time “I used to wrestle for the Horde too and haven’t I changed for the better? Why can’t she do the same?”

Angella shook her head “That girl wants nothing to do with redemption. What makes you think you can just walk in there and save her soul?”

Adora stood tall again and spoke with certainty “I cannot save her. The only one that can do that is her, but she can’t do that unless we give her that chance, a chance to prove that she doesn’t need to live in my shadow anymore.”

Angella sighed.

~~~

Felina was fidgeting in place, the room she was waiting in was dark and the only company she had was a member of staff responsible for giving her the go ahead signal. This was gonna be her big match as champion of the Horde and she couldn’t afford to mess this up. No, she shouldn’t be thinking like that, she would not mess this up and she knew that.

She adjusted her lion fur cape one last time - the fur was fake, she was a heel not a monster - and lowered herself, preparing for a running jump. The staff member next to her started counting down on their hand. When the count reached zero she ran.

Outside a loud roar boomed through the speakers as she jumped into view. Ripping apart a thin paper wall on her way out. Her music was loud and angry, just the way she liked it and by the sound of the crowd her fans loved it too. As she made her way to the ring she jumped and clawed at the people near her path, she was scary and those people loved scary.

When she reached the ring she stood outside the ropes, posing one last time for the camera, before backflipping into the ring itself, leaving her cape behind. Her fans might have cheered, but everyone else was booing her now and she looked down at them with smug superiority. Poor bastards, can’t accept that their favorites are all about to lose. No matter who they send out she will just crush them. She casually leaned against the ropes and waited for her challenger to appear.

“For the Honor of Greyskull!” The way too familiar voice echoed through the arena, the sound nearly deafened by the roars of the crowd.

“What!?” Felina exclaimed. She shouldn’t be here, she shouldn’t be able to fight, but here she was and Felina was left stunned, watching her entrance unfold before her.

A show of colors seemed to flow towards a single point and from the bright white light it formed emerged Adora, or rather She-ra. Her body covered in armor and her sword held aloft, she smiled and waved to the crowd before pointing her sword towards the ring. That same show of colors began again, but this time it formed a rainbow bridged between the two of them. God, Felina hated that entrance.

After waving and high-fiving for a disgustingly long time She-ra finally got to the stage and began to take off all her armor pieces. This was a no holds barred match, but of course She-ra was too good to take her props into the ring itself. Now came the part Felina hated the most, She-ra took off her cape and tossed it into the crowd. Felina was willing to bet that after tonight that thing would be on sale on ebay for a stupid amount of cash. She was very motivated to reduce the value of that cape now.

As soon as they had both entered the ring all screens immediately changed to show Light Hope in her office “Champions of the Horde and Rebellion, you have proven to be the strongest amongst your people and now you’ll have your chance to prove who is truly the strongest of them all. Strong enough to bear the ultimate title: The Defender of Greyskull” the screen changed again, this time to the image of a large belt, adorned by a silver skull with two large fangs sticking out, around it in the language of the First Ones were written the words ‘Defender of Greyskull’.

Light Hope herself signaled the start of the match and that was not a pretty start. Felina was much more aggressive than she ever was before, she knew that Adora had grown much stronger in her time as She-ra and even wounded she would have to give her all to take her down.

With kicks and punches she tried to wear She-ra down, to keep her on the defensive, but that wasn’t working. Why did she wait to get this strong only after betraying Felina? Fine, if hitting her wasn’t doing the job then she would just have to leverage her weight. She jumped, trying to lock her legs around She-ra’s head so she could toss her around again, but this time she was waiting.

She grabbed Felina before she could get a firm hold and tossed her to the ground with force. Felina barely had any time to recover her breath when She-ra came crashing down against her elbow-first. She-ra tried to pin her down right there, but a quick elbow to the nose was enough to dissuade her.

Felina lost no time and quickly used the ropes for impulse on a good dropkick to the chest. She-ra was thrown off balance and Felina rushed in to capitalize on that, but she let her guard down. She-ra grabbed her arm and spun her around. Next thing she knew she was locked in a bear hug from behind and that could only mean one thing.

No matter how many times it happens to you, you never get quite used to the feeling of getting suplexed. She could vaguely hear Entrapta going on about the details of the ‘Eternia Suplex’ and how it was passed down by generations of She-ras, but that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was taking down this She-ra.

This time she held back, her style was more defensive anyway. She hated to admit, but she knew the only reason she was being so aggressive was because Adora was messing with her feelings and she knew she couldn’t win if she continued to allow that to happen.

This time she allowed She-ra to come at her and began to have her fun. She-ra may be the strongest, but she was too slow and too stupid to actually get a hit on Felina. Time after time she dodged everything that came her way and soon her wounded former-partner was panting and gasping for air. Now she just had to make use of it.

Felina positioned herself just right and started goading She-ra on. She ran at her in wild fury and once again Felina vaulted over her, but this time She-ra had no time or energy to stop herself and Felina was positioned perfectly to have her run straight into the turnbuckle.

She-ra tried to get up, but Felina slammed her head down and slumped back against the turnbuckle. Felina walked around the ring, looking for something to play with and she was so happy to find out that She-ra was stupid enough to just leave her sword laying around next to the ring. Sure, that thing was closer to a bat than to a real sword, but that was just perfect for what she wanted.

She was cackling when she hit She-ra’s back for the first time. This would be her revenge...for leaving her alone, for making her feel weak, for stealing the one person she cared about. She-ra would pay. She hit her again and again and for every hit she listed another thing she had done to her. This was her victory, her ultimate victory. But then, why wasn’t she feeling any better? Why did this hurt so much?

She-ra had to pay, she told herself. For everything she had done to her. or stealing her Adora. But she couldn’t do this anymore. She dropped the sword and stumbled back. There were no cheers or boos from the crowd, only stunned silence as they watched She-ra slowly rising up again and dragging herself towards Felina. She-ra stumbled, falling to her knees in front of Felina and she couldn’t stop herself from lending her a hand.

For a moment there it felt just like the old times, like Felina was tagging in to help Adora finish someone off, and they just stood there, looking at each other while holding hands, it would be almost romantic if they weren’t so bloody from beating each other up. Unfortunately She-ra had to put an end to this.

Felina was pulled close and slammed back first into the ring by a clothesline. This time she didn’t know if she could get back up, but she didn’t have to worry about that, for She-ra collapsed next to her immediately after.

“I’m sorry,” She-ra said, without moving from her spot, but this time Felina knew it wasn’t She-ra, it was just Adora. “I know it must have hurt to be left alone all this time.” Felina couldn’t help but laugh.

“Couldn’t you have said that before beating me up? Actually nevermind, I wouldn’t have listened.” She sighed “I guess I’m sorry too. I was just so angry and….look can we have this conversation later? I feel like the crowd doesn’t wanna watch our therapy session.”

“Yeah,” Adora laughed, getting up. “I guess that wouldn’t make a good show.” Adora helped Felina up and they both took their time getting ready, but before they could restart the match they were interrupted by a ground shaking bass.

“Oh crap...” Felina knew there was only one person who would start their entrance like a damn movie trailer. She looked up to see the Horde logo taking over every screen and soon several Horde soldiers were marching down towards the ring escorting a very large man, with a very long cape.

Hordak walked with a casual pace, like he had all the time the world and nothing to ever worry about, his soldiers on the other hand rushed around him making sure everything was in order. They placed stairs in his path to the ring, handed the ref some weird paper and  removed his cape before he got in.

The ref started talking to the soldier who handed them the paper and started signaling something to the announcer’s table “It appears Hordak is cashing in a contract with Light Hope and choosing himself as a second champion for the Horde!” Entrapta announced, as confused as everyone else in the arena.

“It looks like this just turned into a handicap match.” Sea Hawk pondered “But who really is at a disadvantage here?” Was Sea Hawk seriously implying that Felina was going to betray her boss? No way she would do something that dumb.

The ref restarted the match and Hordak got to work with impressive efficiency. He delivered a quick punch to She-ra’s - already very wounded - nose; the pain taking down her defences as he took the opportunity to toss her over his shoulders, hooking his arms around her and then pulling down. The sounds of agony she made as she was subjected to Hordak’s personal Hero Breaker was enough to convince Felina that she was about to do something very dumb.

She jumpkicked him in the chest, throwing him off balance and forcing him to drop She-ra. When he got up again he simply stared her down and stated “I expected better of you, I will not make the same mistake again.” At least now Felina wasn’t lacking any more motivation to kick his ass.

She-ra had yet to get up, her body didn’t seem to have any more strength, and though she could still hear the sounds of Felina struggling against Hordak, she simply couldn’t move. She heard a loud thud and managed to look up just a bit. Felina had been thrown around like a ragdoll and landed right in front of her. She couldn’t allow this to continue. She had to do something. Mustering all her strength she got up on her knees, she looked Felina in the eyes and gave her a reassuring nod. She knew what to do.

Felina jumped up and ran towards She-ra, jumped on her shoulders and then lept once again, front flipping right onto Hordak. Before he could get up again she ran back to She-ra and started pulling her up “Come on, that brick house ain’t gonna stay down for long.”

She-ra was going to remark on how odd it was to see be working with Felina again, but she had more important things to handle. She pushed her partner aside and prepared for impact. Hordak was trying to run them both down and she would not let that happen. Lowering her body she grabbed him by the waist, right as they slammed together. She was about to toss him over, but he simply grabbed her as well and lifted her above his head.

She had accepted that this was gonna be the end for her, when she was saved in a way she simply didn’t expect, by having a cape hooked around. Felina pulled on Hordak’s cape in the opposite direction that he was about to throw her and now both She-ra and Hordak were falling again.

Unfortunately Hordak had yet to tire himself out and got up very quickly. He gave his cape a quick pull, forcing Felina close to him so he could toss her aside with a backhand. Now She-ra was pissed. She grappled with him again, forcing him down and slamming both her fists against his back. She grabbed him, successfully this time, and began to lift him, her knees faltering for a second. He was struggling and she stumbled around trying to hold him, she brought him closer to the ropes and started lifting him again, this time above her shoulders. “Felina, now!”

Felina didn’t have to hear that twice, she took a running start and jump kicked her boss for the second time that night. She-ra let go of him just as she made contact and he was sent flying right over the top rope and by that cracking sound, right through the announcer’s table.

“Ouch, that was a rough landing.” Entrapta said, holding her mic and standing a good 5ft away from the possibly unconscious Hordak. The ref climbed out of the ring and went to check on him. “Well, it looks like Hordak will be needing some medical care, because he is out! No really, guys, we should get a doctor here”

She-ra struggled to get up again and she could see Felina wasn’t doing any better, but they had somehow done it, Hordak had been defeated. They couldn’t help but laugh again at the absurdity of it all, but the ref had to remind them that the night wasn’t over, Felina and She-ra still had a match to finish.

“Felina, I want you to know that you deserve this victory more than anyone else, without you I wouldn’t-” Felina held out her hand to silence She-ra, her eye roll was almost audible.

“Just pin me, you dumbass. I don’t want Hordak to lose the match and still get what he wanted.” Felina said dropping to the ground.

“You know you could just forfeit, right?” Was this somehow another trick?

“Yeah, but I still want you to pin me.” There was something else in her voice this time that made She-ra go red, Felina just laughed at her reaction “God, you’re so dumb sometimes. Fine, I forfeit!”

The crowd was extremely confused by what just happened, but still cheered when She-ra was handed the belt. Felina was standing right besides her, slowly clapping and shaking her head. “Are you sure you’re ok with losing the title?” She-ra asked one more time.

“Would I let you win if I wasn’t? Besides, I won something even better.”  She pulled She-ra in for a quick kiss “Yup, definitely better.”

[gabolange]

For the fanfic meme: 5, 8, 9, 16

For the new year fanfic meme!

5. Which WIP is first on your list to complete this year? Will you post a snippet?

I don't actually have any active WIPs at the moment. I have a couple good ideas, but they are still in the percolating phase. Hoping to have time to actually write them down soon! (But if I did have a WIP, I wouldn't post a snippet. Sharing too early scares the story and it runs away and I get very sad. It's complicated, and my beta is a saint. But the *fandoms* are Wheel of Time (you know the pairing) and Leverage (and you definitely don't).)

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

Oh, if I could, I would write the big B5 AU where John stays dead at Z'ha'dum. Like, I know what happens to the Drakh (obviously this is key). I know what happens to Susan. I really know what happens to Delenn. I'm still figuring out what happens to Ul'kesh, which is obviously the thing keeping me from writing this down. And so is the part where it would be...tens of thousands of words where my longest published story is 23K. And would require a lot of plot, which is...um. Who writes plot? So IDK. Maybe 2022 is the year. Never say never.

9. Short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in January?

Things are very busy in RL, so I mostly am hoping to survive January. But it would be nice to at least start drafting one of my stories. WoT first, because Moiraine has IDEAS.

16. Do you have that one fanfic that you wrote a ton for, ages ago, but never posted? Will this be the year, come hell or high water, that it WILL get finished and posted?

So, funny story. Last year, I published my one big unfinished story: fly away and see the world is this big, unfinished wandering outside POV story for John & Delenn that I started in 2007 and...then put down and got distracted with everything that came next. Then Mira Furlan died last January (oh god) and I didn't know yet that I would spend the entire year watching B5 and writing B5 and talking about B5 to anyone who would listen (which is, amazingly, a list that is getting longer--I love you guys). So...I published the story out of love and in memory and with the barest of a does-this-not-suck? read from my beta.

And it doesn't suck, and folks really like it, and I am utterly charmed that my most popular story of 2021 doesn’t have an ending and was written in 2007, by a great young writer. But I grew up and my style has changed a lot since then, so I don't think I'll ever finish that story. It rests exactly as it is meant to.

BUT. I connived to have Susan Ivanova show up specifically so outside POV Elizabeth Sheridan could have a different foil, and sometimes I think about writing just the conversation that was all meant to set up. It's about what it means to live through things no one else understands, and keeping secrets you don't want to know, and what it means to be family.

Maybe. We shall see.

Ask me more!

[maqicool]

hey broski do u have any drarry fic recs

Oh, pal, boy do I! I have a short list of long recs here. I’m going to try to make this list more concise than my last, but with more recs. Here’s my effort. These aren’t in any particular order.

Chaos Theory by Brief_and_Dreamy ( 43k )

Summary:  When an ancient spell book is discovered in an abandoned vault, Harry–a Curse-Breaker–and Draco–an Unspeakable–are called in to examine it. Draco does everything in his power to resist Potter’s advances, despite his growing crush. Potter just wants sex, he assumes, and Draco doesn’t want to be used. He discovers, however, that some things simply aren’t within our power to control.

It’s been a while since I read this and I know definitely that it’s been seventy-four fics in the time since this one so my memory might be a little spotty. What I do remember, however, is so much tension (it’s almost palpable — you could probably hold it and cradle it in your hand) and snark and hermione being a bamf. Draco/Ron friendship. Also I’m pretty sure Harry smokes weed in this one. “For pain.” Warning: if you do not have an ao3 account, you may not be able to view it.

Better than an Origami Bird by chibaken and jadepreseley (3k)

Summary: A series of letters in which Harry and Draco argue, play truth or dare, get kinky, and are a couple of very naughty (or very good, depending on who you ask) boys during class.

I enjoyed every single word of this alright? The writers have such a great grip on the characters and write them so believably. I appreciate the hell out of the format which reminded me a bit of chat rp. I loved it. 

Can You Feel the Silence by toasterpapa (12k)

Summary:  “He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.”——————————————————————————————————He wasn’t mute. He could speak perfectly fine, thank you very much, he just decided to only speak when absolutely necessary. Why waste his breath if it wasn’t worth it? If these people didn’t want to listen to his words, he wouldn’t give any to them. It was just better that way. It was easier. It was peaceful.

Let me be the first to say that I did Not Cry. Not at All. This story is filled with the BEST quotes. Either they’re relatable or deep or funny or just pretty. I applaud the writer. Writing a silent character is extremely difficult and some writers can’t do it well. It takes from the character and prevents people from connecting, but THIS PERSON HERE did it splendidly. ( and can i can a hallelujah for draco slowly opening up and being comfortable around harry because i am HERE for it )

Bound to You by agentmoppet (28k)

Summary:  Hag magic is capricious and unruly, and Harry and Draco are bound to stay by each other’s side until they can solve the riddle. In between long car trips, misty rain, and midnight star charts, they begin to understand each other.

This is a story that sat around in my library for a while before I thought fuck it i’m gonna read it today and then I was upset that I’d waited so long because it’s AMAZING !!! There’s a mystery and falling in love and secret beaches and adorable tots. This fic right here is golden. And it has a background/past ship that I’ve always imagined but didn’t think anyone else did and I took solace in the fact that it’s included in this and I am validated. Warning, it’s painful. 

Welcome to the Broom Closet by incapricious (23k)

Summary:  Harry thinks he knows how his life will go: Become an Auror. Marry Ginny. Have a family. But then he sees an advertisement in the paper that no one else can see, and his life is turned upside-down. The Broom Closet: you can be anyone you want while you’re there, but you won’t remember it in the morning.

As stated in my previous list, identity porn is my shit. I love secret identities. I find that they’re amazing. And the reveal is even more amazing. Not to mention in this fic, Harry and Draco essentially fall in love again every night. Man. Wow. Holy. It’s a rollercoaster let me tell you. First oblivious!harry. Then snarky!draco. then anonymous hookups ( with feelings ). Then a surprisingly sad story of a ghost who I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. 

Packing the Flat by marguerite_26 (6k)

Summary:  Months after their explosive break-up, Draco insists Harry return to their flat to remove his belongings.

Hoooo boy- this. This. This. This. I needed some happy ending angst and BOOM this fic appeared. It’s everything. It’s short, emotional and honestly Draco is an idiot I want to fight him, but I have a rule against fighting adorable people so. This has such a satisfying ending, though. Despite the ride it took my emotions on, I was very happy with it. I had this kinda fuck wait awww FU-AWWWWWW  feeling at the ending paragraphs and I loved every moment of it.

Party of Two by fireflavored (13k)

Summary:  Drinking, sex, and a total misreading of the concept of fuck buddies.

This was really cute. It was so cute. I don’t think I stopped smiling or laughing while reading this because these dorks honestly. They’re so cute and clueless. There’s so much to love in this fic. Oblivious!drarry, pining, friends to lovers, aurors, a fuck you to the daily prophet. man it’s so much. I appreciate this fic so much.

Strangers in a Dark Room by shiftylinguini (3k)

Summary: Harry clenches his jaw, sets the files down on the desk between them. “Remind me what you were picked up for again?” he asks pointedly, hands resting over the smooth paper.

“Oh,” Draco shakes his head dismissively, “who can remember. Loitering, was it?”

“Soliciting, Malfoy!”

I have died everyday waiting for this fic. I didn’t know I needed this in my life until after I read it. I’ve read it maybe four times and I still love it so much. I usually don’t go for established relationship because I like to see it develop, but this right here. Oh lord. I love their dynamic and the little blurbs where they break character are so adorable. Draco is such a little shit and Harry loves him for and Draco loves him for loving him for it. This fic is a Yes.

Paradigm by dysonrules (57k)

Summary:  Harry Potter is an Auror and Draco Malfoy is a rentboy, but this is not a typical rentboy story.

I read this maybe six or seven months ago, and I still think about it. Draco is a genius and he’s the most slytherin slytherin there is. You gotta feel bad for Harry though. But you also don’t, because everyone’s having fun. Except maybe … nevermind. Spoilers. But listen, there’s deception and secrets and auror!harry. Draco’s just trying to rebuild his life after the war, okay? The wizengamot were dicks here. I mean, more than usual.