#mintawasalreadytaken

[drarry-reccage]

Stormy Weather by @mintawasalreadytaken (17k, M)

Tags: Angst, Power Imbalance, Roleplay, Under-Negotiated Kink

“I'm losing it, Potter. Please stay. Just, five minutes. Two, two minutes—“ “Stop.” Malfoy raised his chin. Pride shone in his pinched face, though his chin wobbled. Ever the little prince on his throne. Harry didn't care. He was numb. In and out. In and out. He unfurled the parchment and ticked the boxes, scribbling something approximating a date and time. In the foyer, he refused to look down the hall at the sound of the fridge door opening. Glasses tinkled as he tied his shoes. The pop of a cork from a bottle had never before sounded lonely, and he was thankful for the gale outside to strip further sounds from reaching him as he shut the door and stepped back out into the storm.

(rec by @mallstars)

[thedrarrylibrarian]

I know I always say this, but it’s always true - I am so excited for this month’s guest reccer! To say that Grace, who writes as @mintawasalreadytaken, has excellent taste would be an understatement - she is a tastemaker. I realized as I was looking through a server that we’re both in that I read Coyote Ugly (which I recced a few weeks ago) based on her recommendation first! She’s also an accomplished writer herself, so if you like her rec, be sure to check out her works.

I leave the format of the rec up to the guest reccer - sometimes people use emojis, sometimes they give the rec as bullet points, and sometimes people prefer to write paragraphs. Grace asked if we could have a conversation about this fic together, and I eagerly agreed! I’ll be TDL below, and she’ll be Grace. Just as a heads up, there are minor spoilers for the fic below the cut.

Without further ado, I present the May Happy Hour Recommendation - in conversation with @mintawasalreadytaken!

I Do Not Love You by @writandromance (228,290 words, Rated M)

In 2013, a carefully-designed Obliviation leaves Harry reconfiguring his life and identity without any memories of true love; an act that's essentially erased Draco Malfoy from his mind despite a wedding band and shared home.

In 2000, Draco had expected Pansy's relationship with Luna to bring the Gryffindors a bit closer to his orbit of quiet, carefully pacifistic existence, but he never expected to navigate such a transparent embrace into a unit of family, friendship, and love.

A mystery, two love stories, and a reminder that learning to love never has an end date.

TDL: You picked I Do Not Love You for this month's rec. Would you start by telling people who have never read it why they should give it a try?

Grace: I think I speak for a lot of us in the world of fanfiction, specifically Drarry fanfic, that we're not generally known for being chill about our obsessions. So, as someone who's read a lot of hurt/comfort and angst, I Do Not Love You stands out to me because it does a number of interesting things with its key trope, amnesia. It's a love story told backwards, and a love story that's as much about hate and how hate destroys as it is about love and how love builds.

TDL: I appreciate that you brought up the love story told backwards - I think that's one of the best parts of this story. The way, especially at the beginning, that the two plot-lines contrast makes it stand out to the reader about what Harry's lost, even when Harry himself doesn't realize.

Grace: Mmhmm, agreed. We start very firmly rooted in Harry's POV, with an eventual back and forth POVs between Harry and Draco, at opposite ends of the timeline of their relationship. So there's this wonderful tension there, right from go.

TDL: I think that's something very smart and enjoyable about Writ's writing. She's very good at creating that tension and then trusting the reader with it. She’s excellent at showing one perspective, and letting the reader infer the other perspective. It would've been easy to write from Draco's POV and get all of his angsty heartbreak firsthand, but instead she writes it from Harry's POV and we get his anger and are left to come to our own conclusions about Draco's hurt. It makes the conclusions more powerful to the reader.

Grace: Trusting the reader is certainly one of her strengths. Part of my deep enjoyment of this fic is how it begs to be re-read. It's only on the re-read that certain details, "tells" in Draco's behaviour, for example, become clear indicators of what will happen. But you need to learn them from Harry's POV first. It makes for a very fun circular read, in that way. Another way that trust is established masterfully is the contrast between Harry's anger in the present and the vignettes of his empathetic, whole-hearted earnestness in the flashback scenes. The distance between the two Harry's emotional states is enough for the reader to draw their own conclusions of how much it must pain Draco to go through this experience.

Though I will say, the angsty heartbreak moment we do get to see firsthand gets me every time. It's the most delicious stab in the heart!

TDL: I know it’s a spoiler, but will you be specific? What part exactly are you thinking of?

Grace: “I lost my husband.”

TDL: I put that quote down in my notes too - and "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

Grace: It gets to the heart of the worst part of a beautiful relationship: the fear of loss.

TDL: So we've done our favorite angsty moments. This fic, while angsty, is also really full of fun and funny moments. Does anything stick out to you along those lines?

Grace: Two stick out to me immediately. One is a callback to the Pablo Neruda quote off the top, from which the fic takes its title. "Your hand on my chest is my hand,” only Harry adds his own sexy twist to it, lol. The second is this incredibly tense moment mid-fight where Harry snaps about how long it would take to fall back in love with Draco and Draco's deadpan response of "You said 'when'" which is peak Drarry to me. That stubbornness in the face of literally anything, even the other avowing their supposed hatred.

What's your favourite funny moment?

TDL: Oh it’s got to be when we find out later that Pansy laughed at the toothbrush incident. It's just such a best friend thing to do. It felt like something I'd do to my sister or that she'd do to me and I think it added a realness to their friendship. They’re ride or die for each other, but they also laugh at each other, even in the hard times. I also love any scene Jules is in!

Grace: Agreed! The toothbrush moment was hilarious. And Jules is one of my favourite of Harry's familiars/pets-with-speaking-roles, ever.

TDL: I'm obsessed with the idea of a chameleon speaking Parseltongue! I also feel like Jules' character had a lot of thought put into it - what would be important to a chameleon? What would a chameleon notice and think in this situation?

Grace: Yes, his take on death and his sense of humour about it – that bonds Harry to him. The lens of his understanding of the relationship between Harry and his "ice queen" and the purpose of molting. It was all so well done. The fact that Jules can infer Harry's emotional state and then decides on whether and to what degree to argue about what kind of feed he requests is so spot on. Amazing characterization work.

TDL: With all of Harry and Draco’s friends and family, this fic had an ensemble of characters. Were there any other favorites?

Grace: My two favourites live on opposite sides of the spectrum. Ron, for his stoic, constant style of quiet and level-headed support. And Blaise, a true wild-card, who is ruled enough by ego to do things that endanger his relationships with both Harry and Draco, just never too much. They love him for it, even though he can be a chaos monster.

TDL: Blaise was on my list too! I thought his shenanigans brought a lot to the fic and I thought it was cool to see him portrayed as an equally important friend to both Harry and Draco that Harry saw him as someone to turn to for help, not just “Draco’s friend” but “my friend.”

Grace: The melding of friend groups, as most often happens when you're in a long term relationship, was done masterfully here. and the lines drawn in the sand becoming murky in places and crystal clear in others when a break-up looms, too.

TDL: Which brings us back to that relatable fear of loss - this loss is not just one person but friendships, community, a life and a future.

Something else that I want to mention is how immersive this fic is, even in a re-read. I knew what was coming and was still hooked.

Grace: True! It begins with a focus on interiority. We get the emotional punches first, and then the plot to underpin it. But in my view, the plot comes second to the feelings. It's a fic that invites you as the reader to put yourself into Draco's shoes. We all experience loss and so when we get thrown into this situation of experiencing what, for both of them, they consider a world-ending loss, we relate. The troubles only begin there, because after that there's still waking up every day and trying, again and again.

TDL: For a fic whose title refuses love, what better description is there for love than waking up every day and trying, again and again.

Is there anything else you’d like to add before we end this rec?

Grace: Just to say thank you for entertaining this, and for your thoughtful questions! And to thank Writ for writing this masterpiece of a painful, quietly beautiful love story. And to end on a quote – one of the ones I come back to constantly, as a reminder to self of the usefulness in trying at the things we find the most difficult: 

"Aw, don't get smart to wash off all the vulnerability, you wore it so well," he replied, eyes sparkling. As he backed towards the doorway, his arms opened wide. "Bask in the beauty of a difficult, emotional conversation." 

xoxo minta / grace

❤️ As always, if you enjoy this rec, please bookmark abd leave the author a kudos or a comment! ❤️

Lots of Love and Happy Friday!

PS - If you're interested in knowing what Grace and I are reading next, @writandromance just started posting a new Pride and Prejudice based fic. It's not complete, but chapter one went up today and we are so excited!

[sitp-recs]

I adore your blog. Any good new(ish) 8th yr drarry fics to recommend?

Thank you, anon! I didn’t read much in 2024 (or 2025 for that matter 😅) but here are are some new 8th year recs for you. Enjoy :)

Special treatment by @fastbrother (T, 3k)

Draco Malfoy has a tough eighth year.

Glory by @mintawasalreadytaken (E, 3k)

Every boy at Hogwarts knew about the hole.

When You Unfold Me by @hephaestiions (E, 7k)

Harry’s high. He knows this because Draco Malfoy has stars in his eyes.

So You Sprouted Wings! By @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 8k)

Draco’s 1983 Veela Puberty guide didn’t say anything about what to do if you accidentally seduced your roommate. Oops.

soft by @garagepaperback (E, 10k)

The first time Potter had said: harder, more, meaner—meaner, Malfoy, fuck, I thought you’d be— until Draco was, exactly, whatever he wanted him to be. Draco could fit any shape it took to keep two hands devout between Potter’s shivering, spread legs.

Equally Cursed and Blessed by @moonflower-rose (E, 18k)

Harry's back at Hogwarts to attempt his final year, again. This time he's sure there'll be no shenanigans. Well. Maybe there'll be a few.

Heartbeat by @saxamophone (E, 23k)

Harry hates Draco. Draco hates Harry. Only it's not hate, not even a little bit.

All These Winding Threads by @starquestingfordrarry (E, 35k)

The tides of Draco’s accidental magic pull him under and leave him gasping. There’s a hungry ache that sits deep in his bones, growing worse every day. Soon it’s all he’ll be, a starving skeleton clawing at its throat.

A Wizard’s Guide to Co-Parenting with Your Ex-Arch Nemesis by @thecouchsofa (T, 38k)

Harry had expected a few things when returning for his Eighth Year. Rooming with Ron, a cheeky Firewhisky down at the pub, leaving his assignments to the last minute – those were all but certain to occur.

Pillar of Salt by @epitomereally (E, 62k)

From the lake in the Room of Hidden Things, Draco knows three things:

before a fall by @eleadore (E, 64k)

A stubborn lock of hair gets tucked behind Malfoy's ear twenty-six times. Harry only counts because what else has he got to do.

Beholden by Faith Wood (E, 123k)

Draco Malfoy might not be a killer, but it turns out he's an effective painkiller. If stopping pain was all Draco's touch did, things might not be so complicated, but either way Harry can't afford to be choosy.

[saxamophone]

reading, lately

Go give all these a look, they're phenomenal.

Eat Your Death, Draco by @sillywives T | 3k

What if Draco was really excited to join the Death Eaters but then found out they eat death? Literally. On a plate. Draco being Draco is hilarious in this one. (Written for @hp-abandonshipfest)

Seven Year Itch by @mintawasalreadytaken E | 5.6k

Please read @vukovich's prompt for this at the start of the fic, and then oh my god. What minta does with it is so, so good. Ugh! I don't want to say much because I don't want to spoil it. But it will hurt so good. (Written for @hd-hurtcomfort-fest)

Crush by @citrusses E | 8k

Harry's a mess but someone has a crush on him. What's the best way to ensure he can keep their attention? Asking Draco Malfoy for help, of course! Gosh, I love this. Funny and sweet and sexy. I love everything citrusses writes.

When the Flood Comes by @academicdisasterfic E | 10.3k

Draco is a lawyer, back in England to stop oil drilling legislation in the North Sea. Harry is a stoic Auror, set on seeing something through. There's political manouvering, powerful women, and men who are terrible, as always. But Harry's one of the good ones, as always. I love this fic sm, and maybe I'm biased (I am, but I'm also right) but you should read everything by academicdisaster. (Written for @hd-wireless)

Rookie Moves by peu_a_peu E | 75k

Harry and Draco are Auror partners. Harry attempts earnestness, while Draco remains Draco ('Get fucked, loser,' is an amazing response to when someone tries to shake your hand.) Hilarity ensues. Ron and Hermione blame themselves. Need a sample? @littlewinnow drew an amazing rendition of the above-mentioned 'Get fucked, loser.'

Also not a rec, per se (because it's widely known) but my comfort fic lately is Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love. Hilarious, smart, and full of the best romcom tropes.

[garagepaperback]

okay trash tuesday <3

this was a scrap of smut written for javelin before it became obvious the legilimency scene had to lean toward trauma instead of sex :,)

“You should have said,” Draco murmurs. The sound thrums inside Harry's skull like a palm wading. It’s another memory. A little drunk and pleased, fingers thread through the heavy wet of his hair. Harry presses his forehead against the marble grace of the bath. “It’s embarrassing,” he says—said. Low. A gentle waver in the eucalyptus evening, under the thick wash of night. Draco’s fingernails press a prayer into his scalp, scratching sweet and perfect, the way Harry always thought he'd love, only no one— He’s hard. Humiliatingly so, mouth slow and wet and too turned on to peel his face up from the pretty pale, up to it, whatever.  “Is this what you like the most?” Harry sinks further into the warm thrum, the lush tide of lazy want. This is just after they’d gotten married, he remembers, and remembers, and remembers. Then, now, a knot-throated knowing. Harry hums something of an acknowledgment and Draco’s fingers tend slower and softer, scrubbing the balm in. “Cedarwood, can you smell that? Tonka, orange flower, vanilla. Do you like that, Harry?”  It’s not. He knows. Under the clear water in the open night, Harry’s let his hand wander between his legs, nothing really, just— “It’s lovely, don’t you think? It’s a nice thing. Do you like that? Being given something nice?”  It smells good, but that’s not— “Oh,” Draco breathes, stroking down the bent nape of Harry’s neck, the pads of his fingers skimming his shoulders. His grasp traces through the velvet black of Harry’s own squeezed shut eyes to get the water, like he had—when he had. In a pooled palm that Harry feels without seeing, knows by heart, Draco rinses, reaches, rinses. Harry had looked up before, years before, and he looks up then, the fat of his lip bitten to shit. He’s been hard for a while, waiting for the need to dissolve, for the want to take a less obvious shape and it hasn’t worked. It never does. The opposite is true; his cock’s aching, so full it’ll barely take a few strokes to get him there. Another hungry, weak sound seeps out. “No.” Draco’s voice is low enough to sink between the brimming bath. Warm, dulcet, too much. And still, it's the simplicity of it that's making all the words congeal, too many and too vague to unburden from behind his teeth. His mouth's a little open anyway; he might be drooling, everything feels damp. Draco smiles, and cups his hand. Another just-enough douse pours over his head. Harry shuts his eyes against the decadent rhythm, the humid woodscent and the syrup of his voice, of being cared for so plainly.  Draco’s hand finds his cheek, thumbing the curve of bone like it’s unbearably soft. “It’s—oh. Harry. Darling.”

show me something that didn't make it, or is otherwise lying in wait, please <3 gently tagging @eleadore, @yiiiiiiiikes25, @kamaela, @hollyhawthorn, @dryrsheet, @letteredlettered, @tackytigerfic, @oknowkiss, @citrusses, @jtimu, @mintawasalreadytaken, @sweet-s0rr0w + everyone who might have an ill-fitting thing hanging around ::)

[kamaela]

a year of fandom in recs

cutie pie @garagepaperback tagged me in a 2024 fandom wrap up post and so yeah, i'll hop on the sentimental train. i've been inspired by so many things this year and i shall do my best to honour them in the rambling list below!

--

having previously been an avid lurker, i've thoroughly enjoyed making friends with some truly inspiring people in this fandom. without a doubt this has been a bright, bright spot on my year and im so grateful! you're all so wonderful and i love you and hope you know that.

@kk1smet has been a source of joy and inspiration from the start. my first ever fic (Got Me Started) was inspired by their prompts, and then my first ever fest fic (Mirror, Me) was sparked by their stunning art. THEN they honoured me with my first ever fanart for my fic (To Be Punished). im so blessed to call them a friend!

i can draw a straight line from every single word i've posted on ao3 to the fanworks that inspired them. ive read/seen sooo many wonderful things this year and it's impossible for me to name them all. ive picked out a few below the cut that are directly responsible for lighting a fire in me so strong i had to write that shit down. if you haven't already, please give some of these fanworks a go, they're all top notch.

+ @yiiiiiiiikes25 wrote cruising altitude from the raven cycle fandom and it fucking rocked my world. i am telling you right now, i have never read anything like it. it is an absolute masterclass in craft. every single word is thoughtful and precise. i thought i knew what voice and diction and pov were and how they can be used to tell the story you want to tell but really, i had no idea. yikes has this way of pulling you so deeply into a characters pov that its honestly disorienting to come out of. i fell in love with these random boys from a fandom i'd never read nor cared for, and i keep going back. i don't care if you are drarry monogamous, if you want to experience some of the best this dumb hobby we're all addicted to has to offer, i implore you, go read cruising altitude. go. GO. and then go read the rest of yikes catalogue bc ofc they also do drarry impeccably.

+ @garagepaperback i read this heaven of mud and haven't been the same since. then i read javelin and ive been permanently altered once more. not only is garage directly responsible for exes becoming my all time favourite trope, but the way they explore the deep, long-lasting effects of trauma (in these and all your other fics) is second to none! its incredibly beautiful and impactful and has left such as lasting impression on me. and all that is wrapped up in some of the most poetic and stunning prose ive ever had the pleasure of reading?!?!! get out of here (but also please dont i value our friendship dearly)

+ @mintawasalreadytaken i read All I Want For Kwithmath and then i went on a tear and read most of their Dead Drarry: Do Not Eat series and honestly had the BEST TIME. they write some of the greatest toxic, kinky, fucked up drarry, but somehow make it so i really fucking care about these two idiots, and want the best for them?? minta is so good at hooking you right from the top and then pounding those hooks in deeper and deeper. the end result is that i now cradle toxic drarry in my hands and wont ever let them go (and sometimes I even try writing them)

+ @eleadore's as the plant that never blooms and everything i could ever want helped to shape and sand the edges of the drarry dynamic i love and want to write! el writes some of the hottest, most rewarding, prickly to tender drarry out here. pls run don't walk.

+ @faiell and i shared our drarry fic debuts on ao3 this year and their fic, Purple, absolutely blew me out of the water. it's expertly written, hot as fuck, contains the shifting power dynamics that are at the core of what i love about drarry, and has SUCH A satisfying ending. i was grinning and cackling for about 3-4 business days after reading. (also peep their tumblr to scream at their art) fai, i've said it before and ill say it again, i'll follow you into fire, i really will.

this post is getting far far too long but i cannot end it without also mentioning some (not exhaustive) of the STAND OUT creators i've had the pleasure of experiencing for the first time this year. i'll include a rec (all drarry unless stated otherwise) + whatever unhinged drivel i put in my bookmark for each but it goes without saying that the talent runs deep and id rec multiple creations from these guys if this post wasn't already novel length.

@citrusses' Our Objective Remains Unchanged: THE drarry muggle au. reread a 100x material

@oknowkiss' draco malfoy's substitute murder service: this made me laugh out loud at several points and its only 10k!!!! also draco is simply lovely, i love him so so so so very much i want to be his friend and just listen to him talk and be insane. this whole thing is thoroughly enjoyable.

@mono-chromia's Red Wine Supernova: everything about this is wonderful, the relationship development, the sex, the writing. you'll want draco to step on your face after reading.

@putridpommes' [ART] Step by step (NSFW): sub harry. draco stepping on face. neon and sweat. what more do you need.

Helenish's A Soft Spot For Lost Causes (draco/ron): trauma treated kinda unserious but still seriously. gorgeous dialogue.

wild (orphaned): Okay so the banter/dialogue is unmatched, the relationship development bw draco and harry is soooo realistic and so delicious. a study on learning about yourself what it means to forgive

corvuscrowned's An Emerald In The Sky: stretched and pulled taut by this story, perfect longing/pining/yearning, heartbreaking and beautiful

peu_a_peu's The Superfluous Man: utterly delightful, hilarious, i want to stay in the feeling this fic gave me forever and ever. never not thinking about flustered yet domestic draco, endless quotes. An mpreg?? WHAT?? it's peu.

@stratigraphywrites' Untouched: this is delicious!!!! the push and pull between draco and harry is expert. extremely extremely hot

@lemonlimelea's we'll start anew: yeah this is wayyyy stunning, gorg writing, long time span capturing all different facets of harry and draco's relationship

@hephaestiions' It's You: one of those ones that leaves you panting and scratching the walls, crying for more.

okay if you read all this, thank you i love you. happy new year!

No pressure tagging any of the above plus @dryrsheet @its-the-allure @phoenixortheflame @smehur. would love to read about your year in review!

[horriblegoosefest]

HONK

With twelve incredible works the inaugural HP Horrible Goose Fest has come to a close. Thank you to everyone who created, goosed, hyped and encouraged this fest. We have had so much fun, and are so proud of the hard work put in by our creators.

Without further ado, see below for the Masterlist for HP Horrible Goose Fest 2024. You can also find the full collection here.

My Roommate is a Cow by @waterfalls-moon Drarry, G, 899 + art

What We Fought For by @skywatcherrose Minerva McGonagall/Poppy Pomfrey, M, 23.1k

Fragile Development by @amethystheart2421 Regulus Black/Remus Lupin, M, 28.8k

Stormy Weather by @mintawasalreadytaken Drarry, M, 17.3k

I Think You Can In Europe by @gallifrey1sburning Drarry, T, 17.8k

To Build A Bower by @eveningstruggle Hermione/Draco, T, 8,7k

A Purr'fect Coincidence by @sybilevergreen Hermione/Draco, E, 9.2k

Pubic Relations by @andithiel Drarry, E, 22.6k

The Gray in your Eyes by @etteishere Drarry, T, 8.2k

Potter and Associates Inc. by @daniskatra Harry/Severus, E, 39.6k

A Design For Life by @maesterchill Drarry, E, 76.9k

My Grandparents House by @annanother-thing Drarry, E, 192.7k

A huge thanks also goes to our wonderful Geese, you honked and encouraged and (lovingly) pestered, and this fest wouldn't have happened without you.

[the-sinking-ship]

Never Mind the Bollocks by The_Sinking_Ship

Pairing: Draco/Harry

Rating: E

Wordcount: 118K

Collection: H/D Erised 2023, @hd-erised

Tags: found family, friends with benefits, slow burn, they were roommates, reluctant celebrity Harry Potter, not-so-reluctant celebrity Draco Malfoy, clubbing, drinking, smoking, drugs, parties, running from the cops, Harry rides a skateboard, jealousy, action, banter

Characters: Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Viktor Krum, Oliver Wood, Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, George Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, Astoria Greengrass, Dean Thomas, OCs (seriously, the gang's all here)

Summary:

If someone told Harry six months ago that by autumn he would be single, living on whisky and toast, and dancing the night away with Draco Malfoy, he would have told them to get their head checked.

And yet, here he was.

Notes: This fic was written for @shiftylinguini as a part of the Erised 2023 gift exchange! Big thanks to my betas @mintawasalreadytaken and @drarrymyheart for corralling this monster and the Erised mods for their patience and hard work.

READ ON AO3

[twnkwlf-writes]

last line taggy

thank you @the-forbidden-forest for the tag and that little delicious morsel

the game is: drop your last line and tag as many people as there are words

He’d been squeezing his eyes shut for the entire journey to Potter’s lap.

13 words = 13 tags

@wolfpants, @smugrobotics, @mourningliliesmorningglories, @skeptiquewrites, @citrusses, @noctilucous, @oknowkiss, @kamaela, @sweet-s0rr0w, @fastbrother, @mintawasalreadytaken, @slightweasel, @astralrainn

[citrusses]

last line friday

@tackytigerfic was very rude and ruined my entire day by posting an omegaverse dronarry snippet that overheated my computer and brain (run, don't walk). I have very little to offer in the way of writing right now, here is something from my abandoned dronarry that may see the light of day... at some point...

Well, fuck him. He doesn’t know Harry half as well as he thinks he does. Fancying Malfoy, as if. Like he’s jealous that Ron’s gone and had a mental breakdown? Not bloody likely. If he’s jealous of Ron it's for normal reasons. For example: Ron has a fucking family that loves him, and he’s very tall, and he’s really grown into his jaw, and he has a horse-sized cock, which is the kind of information you just know about the person you shared a bedroom with for seven years.  

tagging everyone tacky tagged + @lemonlimelea @ghaniblue @beloved-child-of-the-house @garagepaperback @twnkwlf-writes @mintawasalreadytaken @jtimu

[oknowkiss]

first sentence patterns

rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern! thank you for the tag, @wolfpants !! what i've learned from this is that i love to drop the reader into the middle of conversations and/or a moment of contemplation.

à bon chat || drarry || 35K || E

The thing about almost getting caught is, when done correctly, it’s invigorating. A rush of blood to the head, chaos unspooling around the eye of a storm.

jerk/off || drarry || 7K || E

Harry doesn’t remember how it happened, when he wakes up in Malfoy’s room.

the waiting || drarry || 43.5K || E

1 JUNE, 2015. 8:45 AM BRITISH SUMMER TIME Harry grips his mug of tea and doesn’t notice when the heat sears into his fingertips.

proven lands || drarry || 3K || E

“You’re late,” Draco calls down the long entrance hall. Harry squints, darkness sharp after weeks in the blinding winter sun.

the sun, shining above you || dronarry, dron, drarry || 14.5K || E

“Draco?” Harry says, in that way he does now – quiet and fond and a little unsure.

draco malfoy's substitute murder service || drarry, harry/charlie || 10.5K || E

When Harry joins the Curse Breakers shortly after his twenty-fifth birthday, he’s surprised to find himself assigned to the Department of Creatures, Cryptids, and Associated Calamities.

historians || drarry || 30K || E

“Now, don’t get upset, Harry,” Hermione said, looking at him in a way that was deeply upsetting.

100 beats per minute || drarry || 14K || E

Draco checked his watch. Again.

the long ways || drarry || 10K || M

The first time Harry sees Draco after the war they’re still at Hogwarts and he thinks, At least I’ll never have to see you again.

the july tree || drarry || 51K || E

Unlike Hermione and Ron, when Harry decided to return to Hogwarts for Eighth Year, it was less a decision and more of a compulsion. 

tagging in @citrusses @skeptiquewrites @sweet-s0rr0w @tackytigerfic @sorrybutblog @dodgerkedavra @geesenoises @basicallyahedgehog @thecouchsofa @nv-md @vukovich @mintawasalreadytaken @phoebe-delia @oflights and anyone else who would like to play, consider this an open tag!

[thehoneybeet]

thanks @hollyhawthorn for tagging me in this lovely chain of what our harrys and dracos are doing for christmas (you can find theirs here) here are mine!

Summoning: Harry knocks on Draco's door, late and flushed, long after Pansy and Blaise have already left. Draco opens the door in his robe.

"I was at the Burrow," says Harry, crowding into him when the door opens. Draco can smell the mulled wine, yule log on his breath.

"Oh?" Draco says. He drinks in the sight of him, as he always does to tide himself over when Harry inevitably leaves again.

"Yeah. I couldn't stop wondering what you were doing. Wanting to - be here, with you."

Necro-romance: Pansy and Hermione have a winter wedding. Draco is tired, so tired, but he's there. Harry is there too, holding him up.

the eighth sin: After Draco wakes up, Harry takes Draco to see his mother's grave, then Draco insists they visit Harry's parents as well. And while they're there, Draco wants to go in the church. They sit in the back pews and listen to the choral service. Draco is transfixed by the music; Harry is transfixed by Draco's face.

everything is relative to you: The Intelligence Department is having a Christmas party so Draco drags Harry and Pansy to it to hang with Zelda, Ambrose, and all other the elderly people who work there. Somebody's playing a record from the 1930s. Harry invites Ollivander, who somehow knows everyone there already.

Euphoria: They go see A Winter's Tale in the days before, then spend a quiet Christmas in Draco's flat with his cat, Colette. Then they have sex by the hearth until their knees are sore.

tagging @lemonlimelea @stationintern @kbrick @sorrybutblog @mintawasalreadytaken @vukovich @beloved-child-of-the-house @nv-md @epitomereally and you (yes you!) if you're reading this! (and please tag me if you do it, I'd love to read)

[sitp-recs]

Hello!! Thank you for this blog really its been so lovely reading fics from the master list I've discovered drarry because of you! My favorite "trope" so far is draco who's struggling a lot but manages to preservere and even find humour in the worst situations. I find his character that way truly inspiring. Do some fics like that come to mind? I'd love to hear your recommendations and to read more fics like this

Hi anon! Welcome to Drarry, I’m so happy to see you enjoying the lists 💜 I love a struggling Draco who’s still proud and snarky and a little shit, that’s such a great take on the trope! Here are some recs focused on Draco’s resilience and perseverance. You can also check GallaPlacidia’s archive, who usually explores this trope in a sweet and light-hearted way. And if I can add something on the angstier side, Take A Chance On Me by @mintawasalreadytaken and Winner Takes It All by @skeptiquewrites are two underrated masterpieces among my top favorite down & out Draco fics. I’ll come back to add more titles as they come to mind. Enjoy!

Rebuilding Draco Malfoy by khasael (E, 11k)

Draco wants to do something to get his life back on track, but no-one seems to be taking him seriously – until he finds himself in an Auror training session led by Harry Potter.

The Year of Non-Magical Thinking by whiskyandwildflowers (E, 13k)

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Potter. I'll think of something. So will you. But this is my journey to self-actualization," Draco managed to smirk. "You can fuck off and get your own."

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things.

The Vanishing Department by @dictacontrion (E, 47k)

The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, even if that involves a lot more form-filling, bickering, covert glancing, miscommunication, and flying furniture than we might expect.

Heal Thyself by astolat (T, 47k)

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.” “What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

Kept in Cages by @sweet-s0rr0w, @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm (E, 77k)

Deep in the heart of the Ministry lies the Beast Division: a hidden room where ancient beasts roam, and winged creatures soar, and grumpy giant ferrets eat all your biscuits unless you keep them well hidden. Draco Malfoy would know – he’s been working there for five years now, after all.

The Liars Department by @dorthyanndrarry (T, 103k)

This is a story about Harry meeting up with Draco Malfoy four years after the war. And a story about Harry, well, not hating his job per say, but it's not like he has much to compare it to and it seemed fine. His whole life seemed fine. Then Malfoy came along with and his flashy suits and fast car making everything seem dull in comparison, and Harry... Harry couldn't just leave well enough alone.

By the Grace by lettered (T, 140k)

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

Whatever You Want, Draco Malfoy by DorthyAnn (E, WIP)

Draco lost his home and the only society he knew after the war. He ended up living in the muggle world, making new friends and new connections and maybe some sort of peace. Even if that peace was usually found at the bottom of a bottle. It was enough for him. He was content to just exist. Then Harry Potter decided to ruin everything.

[hephaestiions]

'24 retrospective

thank you, @kamaela & @hollyhawthorn for the tag on ruminations from 2024, we're going to pretend i'm not a whole week late to it.

sometime in— march?— i got high and thought— wouldn't it be fantastic if draco and harry did that too? started writing what became almost 7k words of porn with feelings about harry being taken care of, which marked a return to ao3 and my first fic since 2021. win! i posted some shorter, quicker stuff to tumblr, of which i particularly enjoyed writing this auror partners transfer request, about harry, lettuce & embroidery yarn, and grace.

it's been a year of figuring out style & character, what works, what doesn't, what holds weight & water, slips, comes back. which is mostly to say it's been a year of drafts, writing & scrapping, letting things marinate in docs, coming up with several thousand wips & resisting the urge to take down older fics and repost them in a style i agree with more now.

2024 was also the year of getting into reccing, which i've enjoyed far, far more than i expected. my three author reclists for plor, wolf & tacky were my favourite to do, i loved the immersive invite of them. given my need to devour back catalogues of every author i adore, i'm hoping to continue these; we are well and truly blessed with enough writers here to keep me going for a lifetime.

writing (mostly) individual recs for hprecfest was also absolutely glorious. i have so much to say about works that stick with me, and saying it all to get others to go delight in them was brilliantly fulfilling. the process made me write my own love letters to reccing & reccers & the light they are in fandom, which may be my own most cherished post. i don't always have the bandwidth to write or read new stuff, but showing love like this keeps me involved, immersed, and importantly, very happy.

i've read a lot this year & listing everything will unfortunately have us cataloguing the colours of the sky. instead, i'm going to make a list of what i consider my priority tbr of fics & authors, people & works i wanted to get around to this year, couldn't, want to gorge myself on soon.

@garagepaperback wrote 300k words in 9 works this year, and i need to read every one as soon as possible. their style demands savouring & i've saved up so much garagefic for when i have the time to do them justice. @eleadore writes such a deliciously abrasive, petulant drarry dynamic; i'm really, really looking forward to being in A Mood to cut my teeth on their diamonds. (additional shoutout to the remaining reads these two's pile with @yiiiiiiiikes25, reserved for when i need a good smut fix). i read @kamaela's got me started earlier in the year, fell in love with their sharp characters & sharper writing & now everything else they've written, but especially mirror, me is up, up there in needing to be read asap. everything i've read by @sleepstxtic has been fantastic, fantastic, but rush was especially spectacular & i am foaming at the mouth to get to the other two sports fics in the series.

@dodgerkedavra's clear, warm light looks absolutely epic, can't wait to sink my teeth into it (and everything else from dodger's catalogue i haven't read yet). @epitomereally's LA, who am i to love you? has some fantastic tags, a fascinating summary & been on my mfl for an age. this is also maybe-perhaps-potentially the year to work through @mintawasalreadytaken's tit for tat which sits at almost 400k & promises my favourite things (angst & porn), but even if not, it is the year to read the rest of minta's catalogue that i haven't gotten to yet.

& finally, i'm bad at wips, but i'm so very, very excited for @tackytigerfic's first watch of night to finish posting so i can swim around in it.

this is a v small sampling of everything i hope to read this year, i've left out so many wonderful, wonderful authors whom i will end up loving. the goal is to read slower, read steadier, take my time with craft & phrasing, work through catalogues i admire & leave myself space to appreciate with care & specificity.

in the other life of odds and ends and grad school and employment, it was a weird year, kind of a— nothing year? scales weren't tipped too far in either direction, which is different, which demands recalibration, which has left me time & energy in measures i usually don't have. dawn has broken over this fresh swivel around the sun and i'm allowing myself some slivers of tentative, brittle hope. it's new, and i'm putting stock in that being a good thing.

paging everyone i've mentioned above to tell me what you're hoping to do more of in 2025 (fandom/otherwise) if you'd like! cheerleading all of you from here <3

[garagepaperback]

the eternally sweet @sitp-recs tagged me in her end of year post, and i thought i'd make a strange version of my own <3

i tried writing for the first time this past january and basically didn't breathe or stop until a little over a week ago. i hit my arbitrary and ill-advised goal of 300k; it's been a real lovely, enormously transformative pursuit and i hope to never do it (to this rampant full-throttle extent) again ::)

honestly, i was expecting to make some dulcet little phrases that i could roll myself around in, but i wasn't expecting to meet so many wonderful folks or to have found a few truly dear friends. even less, to have them sculpt the wet mud of my brain. i feel lucky and thrilled to know and be known - by pals, by anyone who finds my work, or by anyone's work that i'm lucky enough to be found by.

because i'm a wildly nostalgic person and avid romanticizer, i made you a mixtape. here's every forever-loop of song that i played while writing this year:

this heaven of mud everyone i know, grizzly bear djohariah + untitled, sufjan stevens

coyote ugly e is for estranged, owen pallett

ready, able make me an offer i cannot refuse, sufjan stevens

isn't a kingdom for scott kelly, returned to earth + silver ladders, mary lattimore lay all your love on me, caroline shaw (a gift sent from @yiiiiiiiikes25) masterpiece (solo), big thief

a barely lit path when i die + family curse, beirut a barely lit path, oneohtrixpointnever :,) impersonator, majical clouds a lungful of air by the fist ne me quitte pas, nina simone objection everywhere we go, bootleg of the sufjan stevens ballet javelin (to have and to hold) string quartets 1 - 4, phillip glass + carducci string quartet

soft doomed, moses sumney

i'm tagging @eleadore, @yiiiiiiiikes25, @flightspathfic, @citrusses, @sweet-s0rr0w, @tackytigerfic, @faiell, @kamaela, @hollyhawthorn, @thehoneybeet, @mintawasalreadytaken + everyone who comes across this. i wanna know what you listened to a lot, or even what you read, watched, felt shifted by in anyway while you wrote or drew or sat very still and were still undeniably perfect.

okay thanks love you too much bye

[kamaela]

last line (or couple of lines) tag game. ty for the tag @tackytigerfic, @garagepaperback, @hephaestiions, @sorrybutblog! im left panting for more with all of the lines you shared!

i have several other writey things i should be doing rn, but instead this bill/harry/draco fic is coming out of me?

It’s almost as if he forgets how bad it is, in the weeks between phases, how weak he is to resist it. But it comes back every time, full-throated and demanding. BiIl’s only human, mostly, and Harry—with that serrated scent of sweat, blood and adrenaline, near-naked and eyes bright with the leftover thrill of the chase—is the worst kind of torture: self-inflicted and easily remedied.

tagging anyone who sees this plus @dryrsheet @noctiloucous @its-the-allure @faiell @tripably @lemonlimelea @mintawasalreadytaken @greattemptation @phoebe-delia if you're writing something atm and feel like sharing :)