(Promised) Rec post #1 (Theme: Post-Hogwarts Drarry)
Short explanations first! I have been away from this fandom for a very long time. And even, when I was in the middle of my obsession, I've never shipped Draco/Harry. I liked it well enough, read some fics recced by friends and wrote some ficlets as gifts mostly, but that was basically it. This means two things:
- I might be reccing here some serious fandom classics without fully realizing it. I probably am.
- Those fics are probably not the freshest out there. I don't know, I wasn't paying much attention. I know some of them for sure have been around for a while.
Also, this rec's theme was decided, when I realized that yep, I've never shipped Drarry, when the boys were in school, but afterwards? Oh yeah. I think drarry starts seriously for me with the 6th book and my lack of interest in the pairing previously was mostly caused by the fact that by 6th book I had my ships settled and I was already falling out of the fandom.
So! Have a list of 13 best fics I've read recently about adult Harry and Draco getting together. Enjoy :)
[Additional, warning note: I generally didn't write abotu warnings/ratings, all info is in the fics, so check that out before reading. Also: No fics here are WIPs.]
Let Me Have You and I'll Let You Save Me by Frayach
Draco keeps coming back, and Harry keeps letting him. Draco can’t stay away, and Harry can’t live without him.
5.000-15.000 words, odd narration, career:aurors, career:odd jobs
Reccer's Note: Recently read. I'm not a great fan of odd narration in fics, but it mostly worked in here. Some sentences I really liked, well written. It does have a bit of an angsty/gritty/disillusioned feel, but it's not too strong. To be perfectly honest if Harry and Draco were always like they were suggested they are here, I'm not sure I'd read much about them, but here it somehow works. Even if thinking about Draco being such an ass makes me want to smack him.
excerpt: Make me breakfast Draco says when he gets up at five in the morning. Cook me dinner he says the second Harry gets home from work. This place is hideous he says because he’s an arsehole. I could never live here he says when he wants to hurt Harry’s feelings.
Draco hates England, but he keeps coming back. Harry likes to think it’s because Draco can’t live for long without him. But he’s not sure because Draco never tells him so.
Black Holes and Revelations by Femme (femmequixotic)
What was meant to be an unexpected one-off in the loo of a Camden bar turns into something rather different, much to Harry and Draco's surprise.
30.000-50.000 words, career:odd jobs, career:gringott, angsty/gritty/disillusioned feel, music snobism, interacting with muggles, character death, OOC - but I liked them
Reccer's Note: I admit that what got me to read this story is the mentioned 'music snobbism', which was also mentioned in the post that recced this story to me. It gave me the idea that the story will be written like the author loves music, loves to talk about it and inserts it everywhere. And is a snob about it, but that was not my point. My point is: I love stories written by someone who loves a subject and lets it take over. Be it music, Quidditch or collecting coins. I just love stories written by obsessed people. (Or those who fake the obsession really well.) I was not disappointed on this account, so I'm recommending. But if you're a person who doesn't like reading about how some music is better than other - don't read this.
Also, strong warning for the character death. It happens before the story, but it's bad. [SPOILER: it's Ginny and though it is not simple 'she's dead, so Harry can be with Draco', it did have a fridged feel to me, so I'd rather warn you.] [No character bashing though.]
excerpt: He flips the television on, passing a cricket match in favour of an ancient replay of Never Mind the Buzzcocks on Dave--the episode where John Barrowman outgays Simon Amstell. "Why couldn't I have been shagging that Simon?" he asks mournfully.
Ron eyes him. "He's on telly, and you just own a record shop? Not to mention the Muggle-wizard angle, not that either seem to bother you all that much?"
"True." Harry puts his feet up on the coffee table, knocking aside a stack of CDs. They hit the floor; he doesn't bother picking them up. There's no one around who'll care if his flat is tidy or not, after all. No one he needs to impress.
Now The Shining Sun Is Up (direct link)
Someone at the Ministry has it in for former Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy launches his political career as a rebel. Harry thinks it’s all a laugh.
15.000-30.000, career:aurors, career:politics, crack with the side of angst, banter is a sign of love
Reccer's Note: This is cracky and Draco is ridiculous. That said, it's also terribly sad and Draco is frustrated, yet ambitious and determined. So, basically, come for the mad banter, stay for the plot.
excerpt: “But you can’t care what the Ministry thinks, either. This wasn’t about injustice or whatever, since it’s not as if one bloke chaining himself up in the Ministry is going to start some kind of movement anyway.” Harry shook his head, and Malfoy went back to looking like Malfoy, his washed out skin and hair not so very different from the beige carpet and gray file cabinets. “It’s always about getting attention with you.” He tried not to sound as weary as he suddenly felt.
Malfoy stood up again. “Well spotted. Now can you just give me my sentence and lock me up?” Malfoy glanced with wide eyes at the closed door. “Unless my sentence is listening to your vast untold wisdom. Dear God, have you no mercy?”
All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound
Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.
100.000-500.000 words, career:aurors, Malfoys are weird and mostly dicks, virgin!draco, case fic, auror partners, secret relationship, Ron awesome is actually pretty amazing
Reccer's Note: Okay, the Ron comment is pure me, I love Ron. Especially in drarry fics. Deal with me. Anyway, this is nice and slow and looong. Hary and Draco are partners and slowly fall into shagging and loving. While Harry investigates Draco's mysteriously dying partners. And almost buggers up the whole investigation. Rather interesting view of aurors' job. Especially ex-Death Eater aurors. Also! Draco is being workaholic tyrant with OCD-like tendencies. And that's how I like him.
excerpt: “Are there typically spells laid just inside the door? Seems like a hassle if someone needed to get to a safe place in a hurry.”
“Well,” Draco said and carefully didn’t look at Harry. “That was me, actually. I wanted to make sure you’d hit this one if you missed the one on the doorknob.”
For a moment Harry could only gape at him. “Let me get this straight. You wanted to make sure that if I avoided deafening myself, I would fall on my face instead?”
“I needed to prove my point,” Draco insisted. “These places are meant to be dangerous. I wanted to start you off by adequately demonstrating the consequences of carelessness.”
The Sweet Life by badkatpat (direct link)
Harry disguises himself so he can be a high-end Escort and is employed by none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy can't face the world as himself, so he Glamours himself to work in his bakery. Guess who is a frequent and favourite customer?
15.000-30.000 words, hooker fic, hooker!harry, career:odd jobs, secret identities
Reccer's Note: I only had direct link at first and so no author provided summary and this fic and I have saved this with description: "the one in which Harry is a hooker, but not as himself. And Draco is a baker, but not as himself. And they sorta date." Which really sums it up pretty well. I collect hooker fics, so I kept this one. It might not be genius, but it was rather fun to read. Though moments in which Draco asks the boy he rented (and who is Harry) to polyjuice into Harry was a touch too much for me. There are just so many levels of glamour/polyjuice inception that I can take.
excerpt: Draco watched as Harry left, stunned and a bit confused. Who would have ever thought that Potter would ask a lowly baker out on a date? He shook his head. Well, why wouldn't he? He was Harry Potter, friend of house elves and goblins and all the little creatures in the forest.
Side Along by lumosed_quill.
If this wasn't a curse then it was Hell. Because surely, in Hell, all roads would lead to Harry Potter's living room.
15.000-30.000 words, career:ministry, career: teachers, Oh Luna, cracky
Reccer's Note: I think what I loved the most about this fic was the reveal of why Draco keeps on landing in Potter's living room. It is cracky and funny. Nice read.
excerpt: Draco had performed a quick roll that he'd maybe have been able to manage back when he played Seeker for Slytherin house but most definitely not now that he hadn't played in a decade and worked for the Ministry's International Magical Office of Law behind a desk all day.
Now here he was. Back again. And his suit was ruined, too. "Bugger," he groaned as he rolled over onto his side, cradling what felt like a broken wrist.
"Hi."
It was Potter, of course, standing over him with his arms crossed.
The World of the Living by fourth_rose
A traumatised war hero and a convicted criminal under the roof of an eccentric journalist make for a rather odd ensemble, but Luna has never had a problem with oddities as long as they make sense.
15.000-30.000 words, career:ministry, Oh Luna, cracky angst, outsider's POV
Reccer's Note: I'm not fond of outsider's POV in general, but it works splendidly here. I love Luna and how Harry seeks asylum at her house, because she wouldn't ask him questions. And Draco is even more broken and messed up than Harry. It's great how they end up helping each other out. (AWWW.)
excerpt: Luna shakes her head, and Hermione closes her eyes for a moment. "Luna, listen to me. I know there's something wrong with him - he simply left without any explanation, and now he won't even talk to me! Can you imagine how worried we all are?"
"Yes," Luna replies truthfully, "but there's nothing you can do for the moment. He's fine, as far as I can tell, but I can't make him talk to you."
"Would you - " Hermione pauses again, then shakes her head. "No, forget it. Just - you're taking good care of him, aren't you?"
Luna smiles at her. "Of course I am. I even put up Anti-Wrackspurt Charms around his bed, so you needn't worry about him."
Kiss A Boy In London Town (And Other Intimate Misadventures of A Society Whore) by Femme (femmequixotic)
There's only one cardinal sin for a whore.
30.000-50.000 words, hookers fic, hooker!Draco, falling in lust, 1st person POV, secret identities
Reccer's Note: Did I mention I collect hooker fics? 'Cause I do and I thought you should have also one with Draco in the role of the escort. The fic is long and good and I liked it a lot, even though 1st person POV drives me mad.
excerpt: I could be noble and say that I provide these men with a much needed release, a place where they can be their true selves if only for an hour or two and only under a glamour. I, however, am most decidedly not noble.
The fact of the matter is that I'm a whore because I like sex. I like the way it feels and the way it smells and tastes. I like to come against another man's body; I liked to be fucked hard; I like to fuck hard. Unlike many of my colleagues, I've no ridiculous rules such as no kissing, no coming, no touching in ways I deem too intimate.
Sex is sex, and I'm very, very good at it.
Turn by Saras_Girl
One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.
100.000-500.000, alternative universes, unhappy with their lives, career:aurors, career:art, career:journalist, career:gringott, domestic bliss, canon compatible, (this means kids, all of them and then some), Blaise is god
Reccer's Note: One of the first fics I've read after returning to the fandom. It's very long and pretty good. I enjoyed it. Harry is so determined and stubborn once he sets his new goals and that's splendid. Also, I love those stories, when character realizes their life is not what it was supposed to be, so they change it. They give me hope, I guess. Either way this one is nice and slow and problems don't get resolved within minutes and that's brilliant. Also, Harry has a snake, which is always brilliant. (Also: Draco and his rituals and OCD-ness again.)
excerpt: The man he is now meeting on a regular basis at what he calls ‘the Moody Bint Cafe’ is sharper, more caustic and more defensive than the man Harry came to know in the glimpse, but with each cup of coffee and casual insult, Harry finds himself liking this man just as much. He’s different in many ways, but he’s still Draco. He’s his own person, shaped by his life, his experiences, by fatherhood and by marriage and by a job he doesn’t love, just like Harry. And beneath the cutting remarks and the scowls, he’s clever and funny and he sees through Harry without even seeming to try. With this Draco, Harry feels naked. Vulnerable. And this Draco has no idea that Harry is helplessly in love with him, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
It’s an odd sensation. He likes it.
Foundations!verse by Saras_Girl
Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.
100.000-500.000, career:healers, awesome OCs, rehab, (past) drug/potions addiction, domestic bliss
Reccer's Note: This was a splendid and long read. Somehow out of all odd jobs Harry seems to be picking in fanfiction, I love healer ones the most. And so I loved Harry here, training to be a healer and it all starts when he needs to work for a while in substance abuse part of the hospital. Under one Draco Malfoy. Draco is splendid here (and again a bit OCD) and Harry is amazing as well. I love them all and this fic should go on forever.
excerpt: “Cassandra?” Harry asks, frowning. He rakes through his mental inventory of names and faces but fails to place it.
“Small, late teens. Long, dark hair.” Malfoy pauses, thoughtful. “Amortentia?”
“Ah! Nervous girl,” Harry mutters to himself.
Expecting to be scolded for not knowing the patient’s name, Harry cringes. Malfoy merely lets out a rueful laugh. “You think like a Healer,” he says. “Diagnosis first.”
The Pure and Simple Truth by lettered
Harry, Draco, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, and Pansy go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Pansy, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Pansy―you guessed it―go to a pub. I could go on. In fact, I did. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Pansy, Ron, Blaise, Luna, Goyle, Neville, and Theodore Nott go to a pub. In various combinations.
50.000-100.000 words, pub nights, friendship fic, slow built, starting to get along, career:aurors, career:ministry, flangst
Reccer's Note: I should warn you that though there is a Draco/Harry ending to this, it's so very much not the point of the fic. They don't even really get together, it's more of a pre-slash/gen kind of thing. Which is why I was putting off reading it, but it's absolutely splendid. Slytherins and Gryffindors try to get along. Mostly, because Harry and Draco insist. And I love how it's not so easy. I love Pansy in this one, and her friendship with Ron. And even Greg is epic. But Zabini wins, because he shows most clearly what I love about all of them in this fic: they all try to get along, but it doesn't mean they automatically change into a bunch of people who agree on everything and are perfect. They still argue and do something other condemn. And it's fine. This fic is splendid, if you want more 'post war Slytherin feels' go read it. (ALSO: LUNA)
excerpt: “Er,” said Harry. “Are you talking about fishing?”
Luna looked at him in confusion. “We’re talking about sex.”
Retrieving his drink, Blaise took a sip. “I just love a woman who’s concise.”
“I’m sure we didn’t mention fish at all.” Luna still looked confused.
“You didn’t,” Harry said. “Blaise says he prefers primates anyway.”
“Oh,” said Luna. “Primates are lovely for certain activities, though they're not as essential as some people seem to think.” She turned to Blaise. “Are you still in love with Ginny?”
Blaise was taken completely off guard.
P&T Muggle Adventures by VivacissimoVoce
Dean Thomas and Harry Potter start a leisure business for wizards that specializes in giving tours of muggle London. Everything goes well until they receive a booking neither one of them wants to take. Harry embarks upon what he suspects will be the worst trip of his life. Contains mature language and sexual content.
30.000-50.000, muggle interactions (you wouldn't have guessed, would you?), Malfoy family, career:odd jobs
Reccer's Note: This was rather fun. At places a bit too cracky and OOC for me, but it wasn't too bad to not let it slide. Enjoyable, humorous tale. With Harry getting his heart broken by a muggle bartender and then Draco. Sort of. Also, really interesting descriptions of wizards' view on muggle stuff.
excerpt: “Harry,” Narcissa popped her head out of the shop door with the first real smile Harry had seen all day. “We need money.”
“My mother, ladies and gentlemen,” Draco muttered in a sarcastic voice.
Harry smirked and followed her inside. She had found more plastic jewelry, to the shopkeeper’s dismay. He had beautiful pieces of gold, silver and platinum on display, but the three wizards couldn’t take their eyes off of the plastic beads and bangles in the cheap bin by the register. Harry laid out a few pound notes for a selection of gaudy cheap jewels and they headed back out to the street. Draco nodded approvingly at his mother’s purchase, as fascinated by the synthetic material as she was.
The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered
Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It's all right here, folks.
50.000-100.000 words, secret identities, career:unspeakables, spies, flangst
Reccer's Note: And we're back with darker themes. And this fandom's weird (or not) love for hiding identities. Once again Draco and Harry fall for each other without knowing about it. Mostly. Also a case! Dark spells, dark potions, dark magic! SPIES. All the action and some smex.
excerpt: Frequently, he chided himself for his first impression. So very little had changed for Harry, but if he had learned anything from the war, he should have learned not to judge people. That should have come easy, knowing Rabbit wore a guise, and yet Harry had jumped to conclusions, forcing Rabbit to prove himself.
And Rabbit proved himself. He was almost as prepared for him as Hermione had always been, and sometimes more able to follow Harry when he veered off in unexpected directions, or took unpredicted tacks against their foes. After that first time with Kozić, Rabbit always understood Harry’s ulterior agendas, sometimes before Harry even understood them himself.
- I might be reccing here some serious fandom classics without fully realizing it. I probably am.
- Those fics are probably not the freshest out there. I don't know, I wasn't paying much attention. I know some of them for sure have been around for a while.
Also, this rec's theme was decided, when I realized that yep, I've never shipped Drarry, when the boys were in school, but afterwards? Oh yeah. I think drarry starts seriously for me with the 6th book and my lack of interest in the pairing previously was mostly caused by the fact that by 6th book I had my ships settled and I was already falling out of the fandom.
So! Have a list of 13 best fics I've read recently about adult Harry and Draco getting together. Enjoy :)
[Additional, warning note: I generally didn't write abotu warnings/ratings, all info is in the fics, so check that out before reading. Also: No fics here are WIPs.]
Let Me Have You and I'll Let You Save Me by Frayach
Draco keeps coming back, and Harry keeps letting him. Draco can’t stay away, and Harry can’t live without him.
5.000-15.000 words, odd narration, career:aurors, career:odd jobs
Reccer's Note: Recently read. I'm not a great fan of odd narration in fics, but it mostly worked in here. Some sentences I really liked, well written. It does have a bit of an angsty/gritty/disillusioned feel, but it's not too strong. To be perfectly honest if Harry and Draco were always like they were suggested they are here, I'm not sure I'd read much about them, but here it somehow works. Even if thinking about Draco being such an ass makes me want to smack him.
excerpt: Make me breakfast Draco says when he gets up at five in the morning. Cook me dinner he says the second Harry gets home from work. This place is hideous he says because he’s an arsehole. I could never live here he says when he wants to hurt Harry’s feelings.
Draco hates England, but he keeps coming back. Harry likes to think it’s because Draco can’t live for long without him. But he’s not sure because Draco never tells him so.
Black Holes and Revelations by Femme (femmequixotic)
What was meant to be an unexpected one-off in the loo of a Camden bar turns into something rather different, much to Harry and Draco's surprise.
30.000-50.000 words, career:odd jobs, career:gringott, angsty/gritty/disillusioned feel, music snobism, interacting with muggles, character death, OOC - but I liked them
Reccer's Note: I admit that what got me to read this story is the mentioned 'music snobbism', which was also mentioned in the post that recced this story to me. It gave me the idea that the story will be written like the author loves music, loves to talk about it and inserts it everywhere. And is a snob about it, but that was not my point. My point is: I love stories written by someone who loves a subject and lets it take over. Be it music, Quidditch or collecting coins. I just love stories written by obsessed people. (Or those who fake the obsession really well.) I was not disappointed on this account, so I'm recommending. But if you're a person who doesn't like reading about how some music is better than other - don't read this.
Also, strong warning for the character death. It happens before the story, but it's bad. [SPOILER: it's Ginny and though it is not simple 'she's dead, so Harry can be with Draco', it did have a fridged feel to me, so I'd rather warn you.] [No character bashing though.]
excerpt: He flips the television on, passing a cricket match in favour of an ancient replay of Never Mind the Buzzcocks on Dave--the episode where John Barrowman outgays Simon Amstell. "Why couldn't I have been shagging that Simon?" he asks mournfully.
Ron eyes him. "He's on telly, and you just own a record shop? Not to mention the Muggle-wizard angle, not that either seem to bother you all that much?"
"True." Harry puts his feet up on the coffee table, knocking aside a stack of CDs. They hit the floor; he doesn't bother picking them up. There's no one around who'll care if his flat is tidy or not, after all. No one he needs to impress.
Now The Shining Sun Is Up (direct link)
Someone at the Ministry has it in for former Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy launches his political career as a rebel. Harry thinks it’s all a laugh.
15.000-30.000, career:aurors, career:politics, crack with the side of angst, banter is a sign of love
Reccer's Note: This is cracky and Draco is ridiculous. That said, it's also terribly sad and Draco is frustrated, yet ambitious and determined. So, basically, come for the mad banter, stay for the plot.
excerpt: “But you can’t care what the Ministry thinks, either. This wasn’t about injustice or whatever, since it’s not as if one bloke chaining himself up in the Ministry is going to start some kind of movement anyway.” Harry shook his head, and Malfoy went back to looking like Malfoy, his washed out skin and hair not so very different from the beige carpet and gray file cabinets. “It’s always about getting attention with you.” He tried not to sound as weary as he suddenly felt.
Malfoy stood up again. “Well spotted. Now can you just give me my sentence and lock me up?” Malfoy glanced with wide eyes at the closed door. “Unless my sentence is listening to your vast untold wisdom. Dear God, have you no mercy?”
All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound
Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.
100.000-500.000 words, career:aurors, Malfoys are weird and mostly dicks, virgin!draco, case fic, auror partners, secret relationship, Ron awesome is actually pretty amazing
Reccer's Note: Okay, the Ron comment is pure me, I love Ron. Especially in drarry fics. Deal with me. Anyway, this is nice and slow and looong. Hary and Draco are partners and slowly fall into shagging and loving. While Harry investigates Draco's mysteriously dying partners. And almost buggers up the whole investigation. Rather interesting view of aurors' job. Especially ex-Death Eater aurors. Also! Draco is being workaholic tyrant with OCD-like tendencies. And that's how I like him.
excerpt: “Are there typically spells laid just inside the door? Seems like a hassle if someone needed to get to a safe place in a hurry.”
“Well,” Draco said and carefully didn’t look at Harry. “That was me, actually. I wanted to make sure you’d hit this one if you missed the one on the doorknob.”
For a moment Harry could only gape at him. “Let me get this straight. You wanted to make sure that if I avoided deafening myself, I would fall on my face instead?”
“I needed to prove my point,” Draco insisted. “These places are meant to be dangerous. I wanted to start you off by adequately demonstrating the consequences of carelessness.”
The Sweet Life by badkatpat (direct link)
Harry disguises himself so he can be a high-end Escort and is employed by none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy can't face the world as himself, so he Glamours himself to work in his bakery. Guess who is a frequent and favourite customer?
15.000-30.000 words, hooker fic, hooker!harry, career:odd jobs, secret identities
Reccer's Note: I only had direct link at first and so no author provided summary and this fic and I have saved this with description: "the one in which Harry is a hooker, but not as himself. And Draco is a baker, but not as himself. And they sorta date." Which really sums it up pretty well. I collect hooker fics, so I kept this one. It might not be genius, but it was rather fun to read. Though moments in which Draco asks the boy he rented (and who is Harry) to polyjuice into Harry was a touch too much for me. There are just so many levels of glamour/polyjuice inception that I can take.
excerpt: Draco watched as Harry left, stunned and a bit confused. Who would have ever thought that Potter would ask a lowly baker out on a date? He shook his head. Well, why wouldn't he? He was Harry Potter, friend of house elves and goblins and all the little creatures in the forest.
Side Along by lumosed_quill.
If this wasn't a curse then it was Hell. Because surely, in Hell, all roads would lead to Harry Potter's living room.
15.000-30.000 words, career:ministry, career: teachers, Oh Luna, cracky
Reccer's Note: I think what I loved the most about this fic was the reveal of why Draco keeps on landing in Potter's living room. It is cracky and funny. Nice read.
excerpt: Draco had performed a quick roll that he'd maybe have been able to manage back when he played Seeker for Slytherin house but most definitely not now that he hadn't played in a decade and worked for the Ministry's International Magical Office of Law behind a desk all day.
Now here he was. Back again. And his suit was ruined, too. "Bugger," he groaned as he rolled over onto his side, cradling what felt like a broken wrist.
"Hi."
It was Potter, of course, standing over him with his arms crossed.
The World of the Living by fourth_rose
A traumatised war hero and a convicted criminal under the roof of an eccentric journalist make for a rather odd ensemble, but Luna has never had a problem with oddities as long as they make sense.
15.000-30.000 words, career:ministry, Oh Luna, cracky angst, outsider's POV
Reccer's Note: I'm not fond of outsider's POV in general, but it works splendidly here. I love Luna and how Harry seeks asylum at her house, because she wouldn't ask him questions. And Draco is even more broken and messed up than Harry. It's great how they end up helping each other out. (AWWW.)
excerpt: Luna shakes her head, and Hermione closes her eyes for a moment. "Luna, listen to me. I know there's something wrong with him - he simply left without any explanation, and now he won't even talk to me! Can you imagine how worried we all are?"
"Yes," Luna replies truthfully, "but there's nothing you can do for the moment. He's fine, as far as I can tell, but I can't make him talk to you."
"Would you - " Hermione pauses again, then shakes her head. "No, forget it. Just - you're taking good care of him, aren't you?"
Luna smiles at her. "Of course I am. I even put up Anti-Wrackspurt Charms around his bed, so you needn't worry about him."
Kiss A Boy In London Town (And Other Intimate Misadventures of A Society Whore) by Femme (femmequixotic)
There's only one cardinal sin for a whore.
30.000-50.000 words, hookers fic, hooker!Draco, falling in lust, 1st person POV, secret identities
Reccer's Note: Did I mention I collect hooker fics? 'Cause I do and I thought you should have also one with Draco in the role of the escort. The fic is long and good and I liked it a lot, even though 1st person POV drives me mad.
excerpt: I could be noble and say that I provide these men with a much needed release, a place where they can be their true selves if only for an hour or two and only under a glamour. I, however, am most decidedly not noble.
The fact of the matter is that I'm a whore because I like sex. I like the way it feels and the way it smells and tastes. I like to come against another man's body; I liked to be fucked hard; I like to fuck hard. Unlike many of my colleagues, I've no ridiculous rules such as no kissing, no coming, no touching in ways I deem too intimate.
Sex is sex, and I'm very, very good at it.
Turn by Saras_Girl
One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.
100.000-500.000, alternative universes, unhappy with their lives, career:aurors, career:art, career:journalist, career:gringott, domestic bliss, canon compatible, (this means kids, all of them and then some), Blaise is god
Reccer's Note: One of the first fics I've read after returning to the fandom. It's very long and pretty good. I enjoyed it. Harry is so determined and stubborn once he sets his new goals and that's splendid. Also, I love those stories, when character realizes their life is not what it was supposed to be, so they change it. They give me hope, I guess. Either way this one is nice and slow and problems don't get resolved within minutes and that's brilliant. Also, Harry has a snake, which is always brilliant. (Also: Draco and his rituals and OCD-ness again.)
excerpt: The man he is now meeting on a regular basis at what he calls ‘the Moody Bint Cafe’ is sharper, more caustic and more defensive than the man Harry came to know in the glimpse, but with each cup of coffee and casual insult, Harry finds himself liking this man just as much. He’s different in many ways, but he’s still Draco. He’s his own person, shaped by his life, his experiences, by fatherhood and by marriage and by a job he doesn’t love, just like Harry. And beneath the cutting remarks and the scowls, he’s clever and funny and he sees through Harry without even seeming to try. With this Draco, Harry feels naked. Vulnerable. And this Draco has no idea that Harry is helplessly in love with him, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
It’s an odd sensation. He likes it.
Foundations!verse by Saras_Girl
Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.
100.000-500.000, career:healers, awesome OCs, rehab, (past) drug/potions addiction, domestic bliss
Reccer's Note: This was a splendid and long read. Somehow out of all odd jobs Harry seems to be picking in fanfiction, I love healer ones the most. And so I loved Harry here, training to be a healer and it all starts when he needs to work for a while in substance abuse part of the hospital. Under one Draco Malfoy. Draco is splendid here (and again a bit OCD) and Harry is amazing as well. I love them all and this fic should go on forever.
excerpt: “Cassandra?” Harry asks, frowning. He rakes through his mental inventory of names and faces but fails to place it.
“Small, late teens. Long, dark hair.” Malfoy pauses, thoughtful. “Amortentia?”
“Ah! Nervous girl,” Harry mutters to himself.
Expecting to be scolded for not knowing the patient’s name, Harry cringes. Malfoy merely lets out a rueful laugh. “You think like a Healer,” he says. “Diagnosis first.”
The Pure and Simple Truth by lettered
Harry, Draco, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, and Pansy go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Pansy, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Pansy―you guessed it―go to a pub. I could go on. In fact, I did. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Pansy, Ron, Blaise, Luna, Goyle, Neville, and Theodore Nott go to a pub. In various combinations.
50.000-100.000 words, pub nights, friendship fic, slow built, starting to get along, career:aurors, career:ministry, flangst
Reccer's Note: I should warn you that though there is a Draco/Harry ending to this, it's so very much not the point of the fic. They don't even really get together, it's more of a pre-slash/gen kind of thing. Which is why I was putting off reading it, but it's absolutely splendid. Slytherins and Gryffindors try to get along. Mostly, because Harry and Draco insist. And I love how it's not so easy. I love Pansy in this one, and her friendship with Ron. And even Greg is epic. But Zabini wins, because he shows most clearly what I love about all of them in this fic: they all try to get along, but it doesn't mean they automatically change into a bunch of people who agree on everything and are perfect. They still argue and do something other condemn. And it's fine. This fic is splendid, if you want more 'post war Slytherin feels' go read it. (ALSO: LUNA)
excerpt: “Er,” said Harry. “Are you talking about fishing?”
Luna looked at him in confusion. “We’re talking about sex.”
Retrieving his drink, Blaise took a sip. “I just love a woman who’s concise.”
“I’m sure we didn’t mention fish at all.” Luna still looked confused.
“You didn’t,” Harry said. “Blaise says he prefers primates anyway.”
“Oh,” said Luna. “Primates are lovely for certain activities, though they're not as essential as some people seem to think.” She turned to Blaise. “Are you still in love with Ginny?”
Blaise was taken completely off guard.
P&T Muggle Adventures by VivacissimoVoce
Dean Thomas and Harry Potter start a leisure business for wizards that specializes in giving tours of muggle London. Everything goes well until they receive a booking neither one of them wants to take. Harry embarks upon what he suspects will be the worst trip of his life. Contains mature language and sexual content.
30.000-50.000, muggle interactions (you wouldn't have guessed, would you?), Malfoy family, career:odd jobs
Reccer's Note: This was rather fun. At places a bit too cracky and OOC for me, but it wasn't too bad to not let it slide. Enjoyable, humorous tale. With Harry getting his heart broken by a muggle bartender and then Draco. Sort of. Also, really interesting descriptions of wizards' view on muggle stuff.
excerpt: “Harry,” Narcissa popped her head out of the shop door with the first real smile Harry had seen all day. “We need money.”
“My mother, ladies and gentlemen,” Draco muttered in a sarcastic voice.
Harry smirked and followed her inside. She had found more plastic jewelry, to the shopkeeper’s dismay. He had beautiful pieces of gold, silver and platinum on display, but the three wizards couldn’t take their eyes off of the plastic beads and bangles in the cheap bin by the register. Harry laid out a few pound notes for a selection of gaudy cheap jewels and they headed back out to the street. Draco nodded approvingly at his mother’s purchase, as fascinated by the synthetic material as she was.
The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered
Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It's all right here, folks.
50.000-100.000 words, secret identities, career:unspeakables, spies, flangst
Reccer's Note: And we're back with darker themes. And this fandom's weird (or not) love for hiding identities. Once again Draco and Harry fall for each other without knowing about it. Mostly. Also a case! Dark spells, dark potions, dark magic! SPIES. All the action and some smex.
excerpt: Frequently, he chided himself for his first impression. So very little had changed for Harry, but if he had learned anything from the war, he should have learned not to judge people. That should have come easy, knowing Rabbit wore a guise, and yet Harry had jumped to conclusions, forcing Rabbit to prove himself.
And Rabbit proved himself. He was almost as prepared for him as Hermione had always been, and sometimes more able to follow Harry when he veered off in unexpected directions, or took unpredicted tacks against their foes. After that first time with Kozić, Rabbit always understood Harry’s ulterior agendas, sometimes before Harry even understood them himself.