#romione is the best ship ever

[radiohead-spiderman]

The “Romione doesn’t work because they argue all the time” argument doesn’t work because they were A. Teenagers with confusing feelings for the other and B. Their bickering and bantering over a course of seven books is WHY they work so well, bickering and bantering in a relationship are CRUICAL, even more, the differences in their smarts make them work even better, while Hermione is book smart, Ron is street smart.

Ron needs responsibility and control in his life, Hermione needs to let loose and needs LESS control in her life, THEY’RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER. Even more so, Hermione is career driven and stubborn, while Ron is family driven and laidback, they work so well.

[fanfic-lover-girl]

The Marauders fandom seems to be a clown show

I once saw a Sirius Black fan way back when saying that if they wanted to enjoy canon Sirius Black posts, they had to look in the anti-tags. Like, what??

And of course, there are the delusional marauders' fans who can't tell fanon from canon. And it seems the fanon and canon pairings are at war with mistagging. As someone who hates Jily, I find this mess kind of amusing but nevertheless it's not cool that Jily fans have to endure that.

But it's a sad day when you have to look at anti-tags to enjoy canon.

[vivithefolle]

You seem to be really against Hermione for the bird incident, but don’t seem to care much about Harry sending Hedwig to claw at Ron and Hermione during the summer preceding fifth year, why is that?(/gen) You also seem to ship Ronarry. Is it just because she’s the canon love interest that you’re so upset? I know Harry regretted telling Hedwig to do what she did afterwards, but I don’t remember him ever apologizing to Ron and Hermione. How can we know that Hermione didn’t apologize to Ron after he came back in Deathly Hallows but before the battle of hogwarts?(I agree with your opinions on Hermione in general, I’m just curious.)

If you don't know, I've made some jokes about how Harmony shippers are right about Harry and Hermione having something in common, which is that they both sent birds to attack Ron.

Harry doesn't interest me nearly as much as Hermione because to be frank he's pretty much just... the most boring character in the series to me. I like him for his Ron-loving potential which is pretty off the charts when Rowling isn't actively using Ron as a stepping stone for Harry and Hermione to look better.

I'm actually a pretty big Romione shipper even if I myself get confused about what I'm mad about sometimes. Honestly, it's just that I've kinda had it with people constantly writing Ron fucking up and having to make it up to Hermione, I want her to be fucking up and making it up to him and it not being considered a Crime Against Women Everywhere because yeah, women fuck up and hurt men too, men also get abused or shat on by women, it happens. Hermione as she is has a pretty toxic mentality, what with her often using violence completely casually (her first "big heroic moment" in the series is to set a man on fire) coupled with that shitty tendency of Rowling to use "Hermione on the verge of tears" as a kind of sedative to make the average reader go "who cares what Hermione did before, she's crying NOW and that's UNFORGIVABLE, PROTECT HER".

But, Harry himself also has a system like that, by virtue of being Our Poor Orphan Protagonist. Honestly, I hate to say it but Potterheads read another book because yes, Harry is nothing new, when an author wants you to root for their protagonist they give them a backstory that makes you want good things for them, yes Harry's suffering is just all destined to make you attached to him and meant to make you think everything that ever happens to HIM personally is automatically The Most Horrible Thing Ever To Happen To Anyone Ever and I'm kinda done with that as a whole because of fandom experience. I can only tell people to pay attention to what Ron goes through only to be rebuked by a "but look how hard Harry had it, in comparison Ron is a baby" so many times before I get completely soured and decide that the character they feel so sad for doesn't need any more people to feel sorry for.

... I don't know if I'm being clear. But yeah I function mostly through pure spite nowadays.

I know Harry regretted telling Hedwig to do what she did afterwards, but I don’t remember him ever apologizing to Ron and Hermione.

He did say a token sorry to Ron specifically:

He showed Harry the index finger of his right hand, which sported a half-healed but clearly deep cut. ‘Oh, yeah,’ Harry said. ‘Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know –’

(I say "token" because yeah it's not really an apology given how it's immediately followed by a justification.)

Hermione however?

‘He seemed to think it was best,’ said Hermione rather breathlessly. ‘Dumbledore, I mean.’ ‘Right,’ said Harry. He noticed that her hands, too, bore the marks of Hedwig’s beak and found that he was not at all sorry.

WOOP WOOP FEEL THE HARMONY YET

How can we know that Hermione didn’t apologize to Ron after he came back in Deathly Hallows but before the battle of hogwarts?

Honestly she can have apologized anytime, I'd just like it to be shown to me, and I'd like it to mean something.

While for example @divagonzo believes that after Malfoy Manor Hermione realizes her own mortality and blunts her sharper edges, I still remember the scene where Ron isn't sure they can trust Griphook and Hermione immediately insult him for being racist. Yeah, if that's blunting her sharp edges then I sure hope she's got other ways to do it otherwise she's gonna need a lot more Malfoy Manors.

As it stands, Harry and Hermione are really underdeveloped and bare-bones. If Harry has a character arc then I've missed it entirely because while he does realize that Snape has reasons and shit he's still kinda hating on him all through OOTP, HBP and DH until the Epilogue pulls the rug from beneath our feet. Hermione has moments indicating there's some things happening - her arc with Luna in OOTP is neat, in DH she finally learned to thank Ron for complimenting her - but aside from that she never is confronted to actual failure, to actual dilemnas, to actual problems without a true "I'm right you're wrong" solution - we only see her "being right" without anything exploring what she COULD be beyond "being right".

Which leaves Ron to shoulder the burden of having to do character development for two static characters that amount to "male role model" and "female role model". Ron IS confronted with failure, with actual dilemnas to which there's no easy answer or solution, Ron IS confronted with his personal character flaws... in pretty much every book, he's kept in a loop of "complete character arc" -> "oh no JKR needs drama to happen and she can't have Role Model 1 & 2 do it because they're supposed to be Above Mere Mortals" -> "backtrack on Ron's character arc so he can cause the drama so she doesn't have to strain her brain too hard", which is pretty obviously a disservice to Ron's character. And sadly, the fandom picks up on it but takes the wrong message from it: instead of realizing "wait, Rowling is violating the rules of good storytelling by constantly backtracking on her one good and complex character's development all so she doesn't have to risk Harry and Hermione's popularity by using their character flaws to create conflict", the fandom instead goes "ugh Ron is always causing messes while Harry and Hermione always have their hearts in the right place and always want what's best and anyway if they ever did something bad it's because they were forced by the situation".

It's... upsetting.

[samesanegirl]

Rating Ron and Hermione Moments from The Books

1. Their First Kiss: I mean......no other moment in this list can beat this right? Ron made fun of S.P.E.W. for majority of the series but this all changes when Dobby saved their lives, at the expense of his own. It is also adorable considering that he is the first one to suggest the safety of the house elves instead of Hermione. Also, if Harry wasn’t with them, they would have not stopped kissing. Damn him for interrupting their moment.♾ ♾ ♾/10

2. Ron Getting 12 Fail Safe Ways to Charm Witches Book to Date Hermione: OMG! This is actually such a small scene in DH but its so damn adorable!!! I love that Ron took Fred and George’s gift seriously and started to read it to woo Hermione. I love that Hermione is “pleased and confused” at his politeness. This man really is putting in the effort to get the girl he loves. 307487482042/10

3. Hermione Confunding Cormac: Considering Hermione’s character and her hating breaking the rules, it is a big deal. She gets mad at Cormac for insulting Ron and therefore makes sure his arrogant ass does not make the Quidditch team so Ron does. She breaks the rules for her MAN. 150/10

4. The Malfoy Manor Scene: Honestly this scene was so damn tragic, all Romione fans were crying their eyes out in this scene. I hated seeing Hermione being hurt and hated seeing Ron stressing. However, because I am an emo bitch, I put it on the list. Ron who is calm under stressful situations was screaming her name over and over again and even offered himself to be tortured in Hermione’s stead. I am literally sobbing. the most infinite number in the world/10

5. Ron Pushing Hermione out of the way in the Cafeteria Fight: *sobbing* If you want a good partner, make sure you get one that will push you out of the way when spells are being thrown at you (if you happen to be a witch, too). Ron’s first instinct is to push her out of harm’s way instead of protecting himself. That’s called ‘actions are louder than words’ 100000000000000/10

6. Falling Asleep While Holding Hands: I honestly wish to know what led up to them holding hands in their sleep. Such a simple gesture but romantic nonetheless. It is even cuter considering that they weren’t actually dating when this happened. They are the best ship to ever grace the planet. 789/10

7. Ron Telling Snape to Fuck off after he Insulted Hermione: Ron has always made fun of Hermione for knowing everything but he also admired her intelligence and work ethic. However, once he sees how Snape’s insult affected Hermione, he roasts him (as he should). And earns detention for speaking against Mopey Snippy Snape. We love an overprotective king. 1000000000/10

8. Dancing at Bill and Fleur’s Wedding: Imagine Ron and Hermione dancing, him twirling her and having their happy moments before everything goes to shit.  I just know that they embraced and enjoyed every single second of their dance!! It is so damn romantic! Also can we appreciate Ron’s character development here???? He went from asking Hermione to the Yule Ball at the last minute to asking her to dance with him immediately???? ♾/10

9. Hermione kissing Ron’s Cheek: Its so adorable considering Ron was dazzled by her kiss and his mind was in another dimension when it happened. I  also love that Hermione puts effort into wishing him luck with the kiss and doesn’t bother even wishing the rest luck. She merely just says good luck to Harry. 90/10

10. Ron telling Hermione he loves her: Yes, they weren't dating. Yes, Ron was still dating Lavender. But this doesn't make it any less romantic. It’s so cute because you know that when he tells her he loves her, he means it. Hermione believes its a joke but blushes anyways. (Let’s also acknowledge that he told her she’s the most wonderful person he's ever met in fifth book when she helps him with his work) 10/10

[hpmaniac]

opinion on popular hp ships(according to AO3)

Yes I am well aware that nobody asked for it

1.Drarry (Draco X Harry) -100/10

Fuck off

no

ew

they are literally enemies throughout most o/ the series

they try to kill each other

2.Wolfstar (Remus X Sirius) (-10000/10)

NO. THEY ARE FRIENDS

YES I AM AWARE THAT I’M REMADORA BIASED SHUT UP

BUT SERIOUSLY 😒

SIRIUS TRIED TO USE REMUS TO KILL. IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL LOVE

SIRIUS MADE FUN OF REMUS’ LYCANTHOPY

3.Dramione (Draco X Hermione) (-100/10)

Y’all (the shippers) are just a bunch of horny teenagers desperate for some pretty boy and pretty girl sex smh

they are enemies

0% chemistry

4.Jily (James X Lily) (7/10)

Finally smth normal

it’s not bad, just a little.. strange..

Lily had 0% interest in James until Snape called her a mudblood and then somehow she likes him now?

it’s a good ship, not the best

5.Romione (Ron X Hermione) (9.7/10)

NOW WE’RE TALKING

Literally so good

Best friends to lovers YES PLEASE

CHEMISTRYYY

6.Snarry ( Snape X Harry ) (-100000000/100)

I genuinely did not except a ship here to have a lower ranking than w*lfstar

BUT OH MY LORD

Y’ALL ARE ACTUALLY MAD

I HAVE NO WORDS-

AGAIN HORNY TEENS DESPERATE FOR SOME DARK!GAY!ROUGH!SEX FANFICS

7. Hinny (Harry X Ginny) (10/10)

IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BOOK! HINNY THEN YES. YOU ARE ON MY TOP 3

MOVIE!HINNY? No thanks

But book!hinny>> (any ship except Remadora and Molly X Arthur lol)

8. Snamione( Snape X Hermione) (-100000000000/100)

AGAIN HORNY TEENS DESPERATE FOR ROUGH SEX SMH

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS WAYYY HIGHER THAN REMADORA OH MY GOD

WHAT HAS THIS FANDOM BECOME

9. Harmony (Harry X Hermione) (1/10)

It’s not the worst thing ever ig

no chemistry

mid

too predictable

10. Jegulus (James X Regulus ) (1/10)

Again, not asss bad as like W*lfstar

but is there a chance of this happening? No.

mid

no chemistry

11. Newtina (Newt X Tina) (10/10)

aaa love it

TAKE NOTE THAT I HAVE ONLY WATCHED FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

Cutee

idk what else to say lol

12. ✨REMADORA (REMUS X TONKS)✨ (♾/10)

OTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTP

THEIR PERSONALITIES COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER SO WELL

THE LONELY, TIRED WEREWOLF FALLING IN LOVE WITH A CHEERFUL, LOVLEY METAMORPHAGUS? YES PLEASE

SO UNEXPECTED AS WELL

THEY GAVE US TEDDY

”IT’S YOU WHO NEEDS ME TONIGHT”

”HE ALWAYS GOT THE WOMAN.” “YOU’D KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHO I’D FALLEN FOR, IF YOU WEREN’T TOO BUSY FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF TO NOTICE”

YESS

CHEMISTRY

*INSERT 1000 MORE COMPLIMENTS*

13.Fleur X Krum(?) (-1/10)

Ok?

?

never heard of it

14.Charry (Cho X Harry) (1/10)

Not the worst thing ig

it was just a teenage crush

so awkward

15.Nuna (Neville X Luna) (9/10)

Good

it would work

they’re both crazy about something

so yeah ig

[incalculablepower]

some fics i've liked lately

it's been a weird year. when i made this list of recs back in january i fully intended it to become a monthly thing, but life happened and then i guess it just kept happening. in early 2023 things were ramping up in my new career, i was practicing and playing a lot with my band to prepare for our first show, i was settling into dealing with depression and anxiety with medication, i was getting over a miserable breakup. then i fell in love. i lost my job (the best and most favourite job i've ever had) abruptly this past may. this is my longest period of unemployment since i was a teenager and while you think it would be the best time to lose yourself in fandom, i felt the opposite. fandom was such a lifeline to me when i had a miserable job and was in a bad relationship and needed an escape but i was very present in my own life this summer. i took my partner to visit my family and spent a lot of time with friends and played shows (and recorded some music... shameless self promo once again) and in between i watched so much star trek on my couch. this is such a long preamble to explain why i haven't been fandoming as much lately and why idk if i'll write anything again anytime soon (let's say, once i have a job i want to procrastinate at) but -- i HAVE been reading fic! not as much as before, but i have been, and there's enough for a fic rest list so that's what i'm giving you today. when times are dire [podfic] - @aibidil

drarry. i have such a soft spot for middle aged draco and harry falling in love, the relationships they have with their friends and their grown children. @aibidil reads her own podfics and it's an utter delight. i usually only listen to podfics or audiobooks when i'm doing work around the house but i can going on walks with my headphones just so i could listen to more of this one.

purple haze by @ashesandhackles

romione. i was so so honoured to see this pop up in my ao3 gifts during @thethreebroomsticksfic pride fest this year. it turns the well tread romione ground of shell cottage and the yule ball over a bit, using them as settings to explore a confusing mix of jealousy and sexuality for ron and hermione. ashes knows i love mess with these and it captures that teenage chaos wonderfully, then lets them laugh at it as secure and settled adults.

crookshanks by @ala-baguette

gen. warning that this is a tearjerker, especially if you've ever loved and lost a pet. i think the pure and simple expressions of love and gratitude from crook's pov here would be a comfort to any pet owner.

at some point this year, i got REALLY into the idea of a one-sided dramione. it's hard to look for, especially since it's such a popular ship but i managed to find a few that scratched the itch until i find the time and/or motivation to write one of my own new years eve by 2daughtersofathena, the guardian angel by mylifebelongstothebbc, and a boy of hans by elixirsoflife. the last one being my personal favourite, a grim take on the hanahaki disease trope.

every mother is a grave by witchofimber

this was recced by @whinlatter in @thethreebroomsticksfic discord (btw i feel like no one on my followers lists needs anyone to remind them to read beasts -- but please read beasts) and when i saw "gillian flynn treatment" in the tags i slammed the mark for later button. this is probably the most balanced and realistic portrayals of molly weasley and her role as a mother that i've ever read in hp fic. it's not weasley family fluff but it doesn't devolve into something so flat as bashing either. molly is regular mother with flaws and strengths like anyone else and how they amplify and shift with love and grief and pain and stress and duty and pressure. every single relationship she has with her children is uniquely expressed and the way it ties the past to the direct aftermath of the war is so well done and a great way to organize this giant, messy family. particular care here went into fred and george, giving them their own identities in a way that can be difficult, given the source material. a favourite line:

“Probably have tried to make us name the twins after them.” He stopped laughing, sucked in a breath. “Do you want to?”  For a second she considered it. It would be wonderful, getting to use those names again like living things. But -  “No,” she said. “I - if they were alive, I’d have said no, so I’m saying it now. Let the boys be their own people.”  The truth was that she didn’t want to lose her brothers. To have their faces erased in her memory, painted over with her sons. To have to say no, not THAT Fab, I mean UNCLE Fab - he died before you were born. Anyway, she liked the names Fred and George. It was easier like this. 

the scrunchie by @saintsenara

another fic i've meant to read for ages and finally got around to just yesterday. the background drama of these side characters as a cheap scrunchie from boots floats around them is so perfectly teenage. reminds me of the other series i loved as a teenager around the time HP was coming out: georgia nicolson and gossip girl. i could also compare it to derry girls a little, how despite the environment surrounding them these girls are still being girls, arguing about stupid things and getting crushes on boys and having the absolute most ridiculous blowout fights with your sister (parvati and padma's portrayal here is probably my favourite i've ever read!)

i also can't leave without reccing @saintsenara's wip, one year in every ten. i can't get enough of a good case fic. tomarry/harrymort (both versions of this ship, oddly, apply to this fic) is not something i've ever sought out but i really think the way it's handled here could win over any non-believer. it's sharp and funny in a way that makes it turns into poignancy hit even harder. i screenshotted two full phone screen pages of chapter 27 so i could go back and read them over and over. it might be one of the best things i've ever read from ron's POV (emphasis mine):

It had been a long ten years, with a chair at their table always left empty and a hole in their hearts always unfilled. Grief was exhausting and boring and dully painful, like a slightly sprained ankle which you can still walk on, but which always bothers you a little bit.  But there had been love among the grief. There had been love before the grief - indeed love had caused the grief - and there had been love after. His love for his parents and his siblings had changed, the way wine left in a barrel changes and becomes richer and deeper. There was more sorrow in the love, as he threw a quaffle around with George and saw the tired lines at the corner of his eyes. There was more recrimination, more struggle with the mistakes they had all made in the past, as he finally sat down and had a real chat with mum and dad about how a lifetime of corned-beef sandwiches and maroon jumpers had made him feel. But there was more joy there too. And with joy came forgiveness and understanding and hope and fun.

image used is wildflowers (1915) by tom thomson

[saintsenara]

ship ask game, Boring Edition, because I truly don't think you could be boring if you tried.

Hinny?

having rashly promised you i was going to answer this weeks ago, here is now is...

i have now found myself friends, entirely by accident, with lots of hinny girlies [shout out to @whinlatter, who's in the trenches]. you are all trying your best to win me over, but i will not be moved.

so let's do this.

why don't i enjoy hinny?

let's get some common objections to the pairing out of the way, because i think a lot of them are quite unfair and i can see why they bother hinny fans:

i don't think there's anything inherently less interesting about liking canon ships. the fact that hinny are endgame in the books doesn't make their fandom less imaginative or talented, and i think those of us who prefer non-canon pairings need to get over the superiority complex about our creative genius which i have seen a lot of. i like many of the other canon couples a great deal - romione, remadora [which, in an unpopular move, i actively prefer to wolfstar], bellamort [if ya nasty] etc.

similarly, i have no objection to het ships [see above], and i do think those of us who largely read and write slash need to be very careful to avoid a tendency to portray queer pairings either in a tokenising way or a heteronormative one, particularly if we want to say queer ships are just as plausible or supported by canon as the books' het pairings. that said, i do definitely prefer stories in which harry identifies as queer - the fact that he's bi/pan is canon, fight me - and, while that could [and should!] feature in het pairing stories, it almost never does. hinny authors are not the only - or the worst - offenders on this point [i've had some really illuminating conversations with remadora enjoying friends about the way that anti-wolfstar feeling has erased both lupin and tonks' queer-coding in their fandom], but i think hinny is the main victim on this point of my active refusal to engage with harmony.

come on lads, harry doesn't have an oedipus complex. red hair comes in more than one shade, and since lily doesn't have a personality in canon it's impossible to say whether she and ginny are alike. harry does have daddy issues though, which might lead him into the path of men who are also tall, thin, and dark-haired...

ginny is not a deranged fan who stalked harry. she was eleven with a crush and she acted embarrassingly, exactly as - i'm willing to bet - the vast majority of us did at that age. by the time she was fifteen she was out of her blushing era, and good for her. i loathe the way she gets slut-shamed, both in the text and the fandom, and i hope when her relationship with harry ends she fucks literally everyone in sight.

now, the big one: their relationship doesn't come out of nowhere. there are signs even in order of the phoenix that harry has started to notice ginny, and ron has been shipping it for years before they get together - but, also, even if it does start very intensely, that is the case for lots of teenage flings.

so, why don't i back hinny?

well, a lot of the reasons are to do with harry. none are canon, but i do think they can be justified by the text in a way that allows the crashing-and-burning of harry's canonical great love to feel logical, even in otherwise canon-divergent fics:

harry spends the books never seeming to see ginny as a real person. and sure, teenage boys are self-centred, and he may very well have matured as an adult, but it's incredibly easy to write a hinny break-up where she points out that he's only ever seen her as "harry potter's wife"; that he's paternalistic [i'm thinking here of a great conversation with @ashesandhackles about how harry never seems to acknowledge that ginny spends deathly hallows as a resistance leader in her own right - and if i were her i would never forgive him for not including me in plans for the horcrux hunt]; and that his saviour complex canonically drives him to reject other people's input and feelings [even as he matures across the series].

the trio are intensely codependent, and while i think it's plausible that they expand to a quartet/ginny becomes harry's priority once they're together, it's also entirely - and i would even say much more - plausible that they don't.

in canon, ginny is the person who generally initiates their romantic encounters. sorry, babe, he's just not that into you.

harry's all-or-nothing approach to life means that he could very easily become suffocating or neglectful, depending on how you want to write him. the idea of auror potter spending the majority of his time at work, because he won't let evil roam free, leaving ginny at home, makes sense, i'm afraid to say.

and a tomarry-specific reason, because why not: harry literally doesn't give a shit about ginny's experience with tom riddle. i know, i know, he remembers it in half-blood prince, and that's progress from order of the phoenix, but he still sees ginny worrying about the prince's book and totally ignores her concerns. if you're the sort of person [gestures at self with thumbs] who wants to take harry's canonical interest in the mystery of voldemort, canonical belief that he understands voldemort, and canonical belief that his connection to voldemort is a good thing [snape’s right - harry does think it makes him special!] and run with it, ginny is going to be pretty rightfully pissed, and, even if you're not, harry's lack of interest in ginny's own trauma isn't a great foundation on which to build a relationship.

ginny deserves a hot quidditch star partner with precisely one braincell, and i will always make sure she gets them.

they're just never harry.

[anagpotter]

Last night I was thinking how great is fandom, and how I’m very lucky to know (even if only online) great authors that don’t try to push their ships or stories as the “canon” ones.

One of my favs author (btw she has THE BEST POST WAR HINNY STORY EVER) hates Hermione and in her new fic won’t have Romione at all; other one writes about Hinny, and slightly AU (whom let me inside Dramione’s), at the last one but not the least fav show me a whole new world about Socmedia AU, so now I’m addicted 😂

After, couple years - ok I’ll be honest almost 15yr- being in this fan world I can’t believe that people still arguing about “which is the correct”, c’mon! People the right thing is what you feel comfortable (reading/writing/painting).

So to all the great artists that share their stories/drawings/metas THANK YOU! You are what make fandom nice!

I’ll not tag everyone because you are too much,and I usually gonna miss someone

[mightbewriting]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ❤

oh goodness, hi anon! self-rec is not my forte; i feel deeply self-conscious when doing so. but for you, i shall persevere! i have a soft spot for pretty much everything i've written (and a visceral sense of cringe in equal measure), but at the moment these are the ones i think of most fondly (in no particular order).

she thinks: this one is probably a surprise to a lot of people. i know, i know, romione isn't what 99% of you follow me for etc etc etc. but this soft, horny, romantic little cottagecore fic has my whole heart and i make no apologies for it. i'm also incredibly proud of the number of folks who have told me they don't normally like ron in a romantic lead but love him here. this fic is my personal testimony to the idea that with the right story, any ship can be enjoyable.

season pass (to this ass): i've gone on a bit of a journey with this one, tbh. i wrote it totally on a whim, with very little effort or planning, and it blew up in a way second only to wait and hope. that felt weird? something i put very little effort into was liked so much more than things i put *way more* effort into. BUT i've gotten over that weird, self-confidence shakiness and am back to loving it for all the reasons i loved it when i wrote it. himbo draco is a blast. widely accepted fanon characterizations aren't the be all end all. and everybody loves an enthusiastic partner in bed.

well said, hermione: FIRST PERSON IS FUN, OKAY? inhabiting horny draco headspace for this silly, ridiculous little fic was so much fun. and to this day, i think it's some of the best smut i've ever written. plus there are shakespeare references. and a sexually liberated hermione. and golden snidgets. from brainstorming to posting, i had a blast with this fic even if folks widely refuse to read it because of the pov lol.

a season for setting fires: i get it. i scared people with darkfic after apparently convincing them i'm all soft and fluffy romance only. this is my ~divisive~ story. do i still get a spike of anxiety when i see comments in my inbox for this fic? yes, i sure do. but when i separate my experience with it's reception from the fic itself, i still love this one. i tried new things while writing it, including letting myself do whatever i wanted. i'm proud of the story it tells, done apologizing for it, and thrilled by everyone who got what i was trying to do and enjoyed it as well!

wait and hope: if nothing else, a girl's got to be grateful for the community it brought her, let's be real.

[chaztalk]

Hello, I want to ask you a question. Do you personally hate Romione and Hinny because of the movies, or you personally don't see the chemistry, or just hate the shippers, or do you just ship Harmony/ Harmione more, or all of it, or other reasons?

Hello, and thanks for the ask!

I wouldn’t necessarily say I “hate” the canon pairings because I do see some potential with them. What I do dislike about them is how they are written. One has a lot of problems to work out while the other is shallow and underdeveloped. If I I were JKR, I would’ve started the Hinny development around PoA or GoF and have Romione start developing around GoF and OOTP, with Ron starting to grow up and help Hermione with prefect duties. Add drama the builds character and relationship development, something JKR lacked badly. But none of that ever happened in the books. We get unwritten scenes of Hermione and Ron resolving their conflicts, Harry’s “chest monster”, Ginny being reduced to “Harry’s perfect wife” and a lot more things that I didn’t like about how the canon pairings came to be.

Some other things I don’t like about the pairings is that there’s no legit reason they like each other, and when people do think of reasons why they like each other, it doesn’t feel like a deep relationship. For Hinny, it’s just 2 hot quidditch players. For Romione, it’s that they both like fighting with each other that they are made for each other. I’ve never seen these reasons being thought of in other relationships in different fandoms.

JKR puts characters down for canon pairings. Krum ends up being a creep, Dean ends up being shamed for being too chivalrous, Lavender gets shamed for too lovey-dovey towards Ron, and Cho becomes disrespected by the narrative as well.

And lastly, a lot of their fans are annoying. People will say their ship is fantastically written even though we never see how those 2 interact one on one with each other for the majority of the story. They’ll say it’s one of the best romances in fiction even though they’re lacking in “missing pieces”.

[adenei]

Fearless

@cruelsummer-ficfest blessed me with the fluffiest of fluff for my second fic for Era 4 and somehow I could not get my brain to bask in the happy (don't worry I forced it anyway!)

Enjoy some no-voldy au missing moment fluff at Bill & Fleur's wedding <3

Song: Fearless

Ship: Romione

Read on ao3

‘Cause I don’t know how it gets better than this

You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless

And I don’t know why but with you I’d dance

In a storm in my best dress, fearless

It was a beautiful celebration. Not even a little bit of rain could dampen the love and joy radiating in the atmosphere that evening. And thanks to magic, the entire party area stayed dry. But there was something about the way the raindrops glistened on the grass in the wandlight, adding to the fairytale essence that Fleur had been going for. It reminded Hermione of pixie dust, and she couldn’t help but find herself making a wish. 

The ceremony had ended hours ago, and the party was well underway inside the massive tent. Even though the band carried on, Hermione decided to take a break. Her feet were killing her, so she found a quiet table on the outskirts of the dance floor and watched as the horde of Weasleys showed off their moves. Bill was twirling Ginny around as Fred and George passed Fleur back and forth. Even Percy was out there with his girlfriend from the Ministry, and Charlie was shuffling back and forth, perfectly content to dance by himself.

Only Ron stood on the edge of the makeshift parquet, running a hand through his hair as he watched the rest of his family let loose. Hermione couldn’t help but stare. It was moments like those where she realized just how much she wanted him. How much she hoped they were moving toward something more.

It didn’t take long for Ron’s gaze to scan the room for her, and when their eyes met, a wide smile spread over his face. He made his way over to her and held out his hand when he reached her, which she gladly took.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, and when she nodded, he dragged her away from the tent and into the dark, quiet night.

Fireflies blinked and frogs croaked in the distance. Their fresh rain soaked their feet as they walked, but Hermione didn’t care. The only thing she could focus on was her hand in his and how perfect it felt. They could still hear the music, though it was much quieter than before. The upbeat song transitioned into something slower, and the lead singer urged guests to hold their sweethearts tight for the last song of the night. 

“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” Hermione commented as their steps slowed.

“Me either.” He stopped walking altogether now and pulled her in close. His other hand settled gently on her waist. “Dance with me?”

Hermione nodded and hoped her hammering heartbeat couldn’t be heard. Sure, they’d danced several times already that evening, but never this close. Never this isolated. Out there in the field it was just them, and it was perfect.

Perhaps the privacy spurred her bravery, and before she knew it, she was laying her head on Ron’s chest. The action made him pull her even closer, and she was surprised to hear the sound of his heart matching her own. It gave her hope and fueled her to push past her fears. She pulled away ever so slightly to look up and see his face in the moonlight.

Their eyes locked for just a moment before Ron’s gaze dipped slightly to catch a glimpse of her lips. The action was enough for Hermione to shift her arms around his shoulders and tilt her head up. Understanding her movements, Ron bent down just enough so that their noses grazed and then finally, he placed the softest, sweetest kiss upon her lips. 

Hermione’s eyes fluttered shut as she basked in the moment. It was everything she’d ever hoped for and more. 

Well you stood there with my in the doorway

My hands shake, I’m not usually this way but

You pull me in and I’m a little more brave

It’s the first kiss, it’s flawless, really somethin’

It’s fearless

[kila09]

SHIPPER TAG GAME

tagged by @gloster

1. What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care anymore?

-not really obsessed, but I'd have to say Nick/Maddie from PR: Mystic Force. I really liked their dynamic and tbh, it was that couple that introduced me to fanfics because I went googling for info on Melanie and Firass

2. Which ship would you consider your first one?

-oh that's an easy one: Tommy/Kim. The moment I saw them on screen, I started shipping them before I even knew what shipping was. They were my OTP before I even knew what that was. Even at that young age, I was taken in by their chemistry, their understanding and acceptance of each other, the slow build up of their relationship...just...their everything. Honestly, it was because of this ship that i could not get into Disney fairytales because they did more to convince me of true love than any Disney movie ever did.

3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple?

-Tommy/Kimberly. After I learned what fanfic was from searching Maddie/Nick...I stumbled upon a Tommy/Trini story and it didn't sit right with me lol. I kept thinking "Tommy and Kim are meant to be" and then I started writing a story about them. Took my weeks, after I'd written the first seven chapters, to work up my courage to actually post that first chapter.

4. Do you remember the first couple you saw a fanart over?

-more than likely Nick and Maddie.

5. Did you ever get into ship discourse?

-uhm....I mean, not really? I've responded to one or two anon posts or even made a post or two about a ship but actual discourse? I usually have those discussions with my friend

6. Did you used to have a NOTP or have it currently?

-ha! Did I ever! And still do: Kataang, Klance, Hinny, McRolls, Tommy/Kat, Jason/Kim, Dramione, Romione.

7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?

-well, I'm currently reading three fanfics right now, so the couple in those are: Zutara, Tododeku, KinnPorsche

8. Currently, do you have any OTPs?

-ohh yeah: Tomberly, Drarry, Sheith, Zutara, KinnPorsche, Tododeku, DickKory, Geraskier

9. Is there any couple, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together?

-yes. I'm pissed they broke Kim and Tommy (rumor was, the letter wasn't even the original storyline but they did it because they wanted the fans to let go of Kimberly and accept Kat); Sheith (they had the best chemistry and the show kept drawing parallels between them and other couples on the show, including Keith's own parents); Zutara (they just made sense and I think Katara would've really blossomed even more because Zuko never would've stifled her or encourage to forego her own culture); Drarry (sure as shit, if one of them was female, it would've happen, so I don't see why it couldn't happen anyways. Plus, I feel they would've understood and balanced each other a lot better than their Canon couples).

10. Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting?

-nope.

11. Do you have any ship that, in the past, was considered normal but now would be canceled over?

-i dont think so, no.

12. What was your favorite crack ship?

-i don't think I had or have one tbh.that.

13. Who is the couple you read more fanfics of?

-its split btwn most of my OTPs tbh.

14. What do most of your ships usually have in common?

-hmmm...idk, equality, I guess. The way they understand each other, how they are each others safe space in a way, how they can be themselves (all facets of themselves, e.g., angry, happy, messy, etc.) with each other, the way they're different but also the same in some ways

15. What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

-a bully/victim dynamic that is labeled as enemies-to-lovers; when a miscommunication happens and the person immediately runs away/avoids the other without giving them a chance to explain, which leads into the miscommunication going on for more than 2-3 chapters (even worse when it's a 15 chapter story and the miscommunication happened in like ch 2 and you're on ch 12 and it...is...still...going on)

Tagging: @tomberlylove, @the-badger-mole, @moerusai, @teamironmanforever, @luckydragon10, @ink-and-dagger, @mymcdanno, @angstosaur

[fanfic-lover-girl]

Harry Potter characters that I like

In response to a Romione fan who thought I hated every HP character and hated everything about the series because I don't stan certain characters and ships, I want to mention here the few characters I like.

For me, I like a character usually if:

they have an interesting personality and background

I feel sorry for how they are generally misunderstood or bashed by fandom (sometimes I take great pleasure in being a contrarian haha) or treated by the author.

their wins feel earned in the narrative and I feel inspired

So here is my list!

Draco Malfoy + Malfoy family

I love Draco so much. I admit that I was drawn in mostly through fanon but as I explored the books more, I really enjoyed his book character a lot. He has a vibrant and entertaining personality and I like how meta he can be sometimes. Every time he proclaims how bad Hagrid is as a teacher or how Hogwarts sucks as a school, I just want to hug him so badly. I also like his parents and their interactions as a family later in the books. Narcissa is my fav mom, no contest. I just think that JKR wasted his potential. Draco is the most developed Slytherin kid and his character should have represented hope for a better future. But of course, JKR only cares about her lions (and Snape who she tried to retcon as a lion too lol) so screw Slytherins. And the NPC houses.

Black family

Gosh, I absolutely ADORE the Black family. The Black family is the most intriguing set of characters JKR ever wrote in HP. The Black family lore, the constellation theme, the dark history, the tragedy. Chef's kiss! Screw making a marauders' prequel!!! Give me a Black Family series! You shouldn't be surprised that Sirius Black is my favourite marauder. Compared to Sirius, James Potter is an utter bore.

Neville Longbottom

I often wish Neville was the chosen one instead of Harry. I think Neville's story is more tragic than Harry's. It must be torture to have your parents alive but practically dead. And Neville just feels more heroic to me. A lot of times, I hate Harry's hero's journey because JKR keeps letting Harry win due to deu ex Machina. It was nice seeing Neville gradually grow into the man he was at the end. And Neville's rage at Bellatrix just felt more visceral compared to Harry's with Moldy Voldy. I just like Neville, he's so sweet and he deserves better friends.

Percy Weasley

On the surface, I don't care much about Percy but I do feel sorry for him. Ron and the twins treated him like trash. His family just had a hate boner for him. Poor Percy. I can vibe with a family black sheep character. I don't like how people paint him as the bad guy for walking out on his family. And I appreciate how distinguished he is as a Weasley. He is the only Weasley member not to bow down and kiss Dumbles' backside like a brainless puppet. It's a shame it backfired on him but I admire his logic.

Luna Lovegood

To be honest, Luna was a nothing character to me until I began reading Druna fanfiction and I realized how adorable her character is in the books. She makes me smile and I like how she used to talk back to the trio in the beginning. So funny when Luna told Harry that people thought Hagrid was a bad teacher lol! I think Luna is the only HP girl I like...also maybe because I really like picturing her with Draco. No shame!

Severus Snape

What a beautiful and tragic character. Like Draco, Snape is such a pleasure to read. The man is pure entertainment in written form. I don't love Snape the way I do Draco, but I like picturing him with a better life. 'Snape drops out of Hogwarts' is one of my favourite AO3 tags. I love how he dedicated his life to good even though life was cruel to him and gave him a bad hand. Everything about Snape is so intriguing and I like learning more about him. Definitely one of JKR's best characters.

Ron Weasley

I hate the golden trio but I find Ron the most tolerable and the most interesting. It's a shame I found myself disliking the guy in the epilogue. People complain about the movies ruining Ron but JKR was ruining Ron in the books too. Ron started out as so intelligent but gradually JKR made him slobbier and dumber. I like how Ron was the common sense guy. Once again, Ron had to be the one to tell Harry what a complete trash disaster Hagrid was. Lord, I hate that man! Shame Hagrid's spiders didn't kill him!!! I wish JKR expanded on Ron's chess ability. Ron showed promise as being a leader of the trio (Lord knows Harry was a disaster) and Ron being strategic would fit with his chess skills...but JKR never followed through. My fellow HP critic, chicory, mentioned this passage:

‘Hmm,’ said a small voice in his ear. ‘Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There’s talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that’s interesting … So where shall I put you?’

applies more to Ron than Harry and I have to agree with her.

There are also several instances of Ron just being a sweet friend to Harry and Hermione and I wish he had better friends. I don't care what Romione/Hermione fans say. Hermione does not deserve a guy like Ron. Never did and never will. I don't even think Harry deserves Ron either. Ron does so much more for Harry than Harry ever did for him. I would have preferred if the Luna friendship was developed more for Ron. Ron has his infuriating moments but his great moments offset them. Out of the trio, I think Ron is the best character and sometimes I wish he was the protag instead of Harry.

Well, let me end it at 7, the perfect number! I can't fully word why I like or love some of these characters but this is a gist.

Of course, there may be other characters that I enjoy for what they are in the story (the Death Eaters, Dumbledore etc) but I don't care about them enough to mention them. Blessings!

[obliviatemyheart]

Hermione being forgotten by everyone she ever cared about would've been her bad ending. Basically she gets Xion'd (Kingdom Hearts reference)

I'm glad she basically got a happy ending even if I don't ship Romione or like Ron as a character.

She's definitely the best person to ever have been given the title Minister of Magic.

She's the best character for that job. Arguably, the only one who should be permanently in that role. JK Rowling has made a character that's essentially the closest thing to a potential vigilante you could have in Harry Potter. If she didn't become part of The Golden Trio, I'd imagine she'd end up like Anakin Skywalker.

What do I mean by that? Well, basically, she'd be the key to changing everything about Harry Potter's story by falling from grace. Just like Anakin's fall to the dark side is the entire story of Star Wars. Hermione's fall would mirror that perfectly imo.

She's already the closest thing to a Chosen One for Muggleborns. She's the only character deeply concerned with the injustices of the wizarding world. She'd be far more dangerous than even Voldemort if she turned completely evil. But just like Anakin, she'd never be too far gone from saving. In Anakin's case, it was Luke. In Hermione's case, it would be Draco Malfoy.

Draco, just like Hermione, is in a role that parallels Anakin's. Anakin chose wrong by believing in Palatine. While Draco never had a choice at all.

His options were kill Dumbledore or you and your mother & father will die. He likely would've been tortured for a very long time before being killed knowing how sadistic Bellatrix is.

In conclusion, Hermione & Draco's best possible ending is with each other. In every universe. That is a fact that will not be denied.

Dramione is the best future for the wizarding world. Even JK Rowling's own messed up mind thought Dramione was the answer to who Hermione would end up.

I love that Dramione would be compelling in any universe but most importantly in their own.

I love that Dramione could realistically go any direction and still eventually get their happy ending. What's most fascinating about it is how Hermione would eventually love someone who really understands her. The real her. Not just Harry Potter's Best Friend. Not just the second choice for Ron Weasley.

Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy's character development throughout the story of Harry Potter really shows how dark the universe is, and I love that. Hermione isn't some pure hearted heroine. Draco's a bad apple with a rotten attitude but a good heart underneath. A family rotten to the core with a few exceptions (Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus & Sirius)

I really love the idea of Hermione learning about both of Draco's family lines, The Malfoys & The Blacks. Her learning about Regulus from Draco. Her learning that Draco actually looks up more to Regulus than his own father after learning the truth from Kreacher.

Draco trying to destroy the locket Horcrux but needing Hermione to help him since he knows their strongest together.

Hermione learning about Draco throughout their years because she's convinced herself that to know your enemy is the best way to beat them. Hermione starts stalking him more than Harry because she's got much better skills doing that than him. She is also far more frightened by the emptiness in his eyes after his coming back to Hogwarts.

Harry tells her about Malfoy wanting to throw himself off the astronomy tower if he has to endure going back to Hogwarts for another two years. Of course, Harry brushes this off. Hermione doesn't. She takes this very, very, very, very seriously. She realizes what that means not only for his mental health but their own chances of survival.

If our biggest enemy in school wants to fucking off himself because of reasons I intend on discovering, then what chance do we have? Hermione thought.

Hermione Granger would not let Draco Malfoy die.

Hermione's development after Malfoy's hesitation & refusal to identify Harry would be insanely important to their relationship going forward. It would also strain her relationship with Ron. Which was already strained & nearly destroyed when he abandoned their mission.

He was a coward at that moment. But the loathsome, evil, little cockroach wasn't? Her entire worldview would likely be turned on its head by what she experienced at Malfoy Manor.

Draco showed a level of bravery & character that she never thought existed until that moment. She would draw strength from knowing he does have a good heart underneath it all. Meanwhile, her fleeting romantic feelings for Ron were getting crushed time & time again. With his decision to abandon her & Harry being the straw that broke the camel's back.

Draco Malfoy was someone who, like an unsolved mystery, kept her wanting answers. Her desire to solve the riddle that was his life leading up to that fateful day at Malfoy Manor consumed her. She needed to know why he saved The Golden Trio. He definitely got punished for being unable to identify Harry. Bellatrix is far too evil to let her dear nephew get away with anything less than a few torture sessions disguised as Death Eater training.

Hermione wouldn't let her kill the good in Draco Malfoy's heart. His heart belongs to her. And her alone.

[celestemagnoliathewriter]

1 - drarry 🙃

thanks for the ask @indigo-scarf!

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you:

when I started shipping it if I did: Ha, never. I don't ship Drarry at all.

my thoughts: Woof. Okay. There are many reasons I can't see this ship sailing. We'll start with Harry. I don't really care about his sexuality, or Draco's, for that matter, so I'll leave that aside for now. Harry needs to be with someone he respects and values, someone he's comfortable with, and someone he can be himself around. That leaves his closest friends. We know he sees Hermione as a sister and the two people he does show attraction to are Cho and Ginny, Quidditch players with pretty hair. Ginny makes the most sense for Harry, considering all he's gone through. Draco next. Draco, though he 'grows up' to not want to instill the same pureblood mania into his son, is a pureblood at heart. He still canonically marries a pureblood and the only romance we see is with Pansy, a fellow pureblood. Draco's not going to be slumming around with a half-blood or Muggleborn. In my mind, you'd have to do some gymnastics to get Draco willing to be with someone other than a pureblood. Now, that's not to say he can't be attracted to someone who isn't a pureblood. I could easily see Draco having a crush on any number of people, but at the end of the day he's a coward and makes the best decisions for himself and his family. That will not involve dating or being with anyone other than a pureblood, no matter what his 'growing up' ideals are. If we tried to put them together, it would have to be way later in life, Ginny would have to be out of the picture (and I don't like killing off or berating or bashing characters to make a ship sail), so it's just highly unlikely, if not impossible that this ship sail.

What makes me happy about them: I mean, it's classic enemies to lovers, but I'm not especially fond of that trope. It would probably explain why Jily makes me so apathetic.

What makes me sad about them: Nothing, lol. Harry and Draco are two different people.

things done in fanfic that annoys me: broadly speaking, if any characters have to be bashed for a ship to sail. I don't see or ship Drarry at all but if you've got to bash Ginny and the Weasleys to make it happen, I'm 100000% less interested.

things I look for in fanfic: not Drarry. If I'm reading a work with Harry and there's a romantic pairing, Hinny has to be endgame. I don't care as strongly about Romione, I can take or leave them together, but there are a few ships that I'm very set on as being endgame.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Draco & Astoria, Harry & Ginny. That's how it works in my mind.

My happily ever after for them: LOL okay so I do like the idea of them being in-laws, but I love the idea of Ron and Draco as inlaws more than Harry and Draco.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: They're spoons that stay far away from each other.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Glaring at each other and later, pretending they don't exist.

asks about ships and characters

[hermiones-amortentia]

Harry to his son in the Epilogue: Romione Hinny Potter. You were named after two best Harry Potter ships... and one of them took 7 years to get together. And its still the best slow burn romance I have ever known.