SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Ahem. Now that I've got the initial squeeing out of the way...
The SS/HG Exchange is up and running, and though that's cause enough for excitement, my gift has also already been posted: Numb (SS/HG, MA), written to my request for a fic that showed Severus' long road to physical recovery post-DH. The Order is taking care of him in Spinner's End, figuring it's the very least they owe him, but cranky patient Snape is running off potential caregivers at an alarming rate: Molly fusses too much and tries to feed him up, Hagrid cries too much and keeps apologizing for what Severus has endured, other people are too annoyingly cheerful. Enter: Hermione, who applies her intellect to creative solutions to improve his care and absolutely refuses to take any of his shit. She has problems of her own, but she won't let him walk all over her. Naturally, she's just what he needs. ;-)
Let me me clear: I couldn't possibly be more thrilled with this story!
I realize that in joining an anonymous exchange, one is more or less "custom-ordering" a story, but honestly, this story is so perfectly suited to my tastes that I was stunned--and yes, very deeply pleased. The Mystery Author has incorporated so many of the things that I like: a sarcastic, avoidant Snape who can't discuss his true feelings, a bossy, utterly practical Hermione who just can't help wanting to be helpful, wonderful magical innovations, very clever plot twists, witty language and excellent characterizations. There's plenty of well-done hurt/comfort but no mush or romance-novel plotting, and the psychology of the characters is rich, complex and convincing. Astoundingly, the fic even features a scene where runes are bodypainted on another person, which (as you might know from "A Bottle of Chocolate Sauce and Thou") is one of my favorite things to see in a fic. At five chapters, the story is plenty long and very well-paced, but I selfishly would have been very happy to read it going on and on forever. As it is, I must admit that it ends in a truly perfect way, with a witty observation and a tasteful fade to black.
The Mystery Author has also steered well clear of the cliches of both SS/HG fic and the romance and hurt/comfort genres, which makes the story a wonderfully refreshing read. Severus is tempted to offer Hermione an apprenticeship--but refrains, because both of them would eventually come to resent it, and it would put them back into an inbalanced power relationship. Hermione has to massage a healing salve into Severus' injured limbs, but unlike many fics, this does not lead to instant sexy time. Hermione passes her N.E.W.T.s with flying colors, but this does not translate into the world falling at her feet and her pick of any awesomely wonderful job she's ever wanted. Harry and Ron fail their N.E.W.T.s, and aren't accepted instantly into the Auror Corps; instead, they have to go back and repeat the Seventh Year they missed. I could go on and on about this, but suffice it to say that the author defies predicatable cliche and also provides a welcome dose of reality to much of the silliness of DH, where too many actions were weightless and without consequence. Grief and trauma are real here, and not everybody can just go back to normality after what they've endured. I respect the author tremendously for dealing with this.
Last, but not at all least, the Mystery Author has given me the gift of a fic that's romantic without ever being sappy or sentimental, a Snape who's sharp and sarcastic without being a cruel bastard, and a Hermione who is clever and mature without ever turning her into an unrealistically brilliant or level-headed woman. She's maturing, and it shows.
It's the first fic of the Exchange, it's lovelier than I ever dared hope my present might be, and I am still grinning ear to ear over it. Just go read it, all of you, even if you don't read SS/HG or het or hurt/comfort or what have you. You'll be very glad you did!
ETA: And if you do read it and enjoy it, please do tell the author about it! Feedback levels are down this year all over the place, and I want her to know how much her efforts are appreciated.
~is off to happily read it again~
The SS/HG Exchange is up and running, and though that's cause enough for excitement, my gift has also already been posted: Numb (SS/HG, MA), written to my request for a fic that showed Severus' long road to physical recovery post-DH. The Order is taking care of him in Spinner's End, figuring it's the very least they owe him, but cranky patient Snape is running off potential caregivers at an alarming rate: Molly fusses too much and tries to feed him up, Hagrid cries too much and keeps apologizing for what Severus has endured, other people are too annoyingly cheerful. Enter: Hermione, who applies her intellect to creative solutions to improve his care and absolutely refuses to take any of his shit. She has problems of her own, but she won't let him walk all over her. Naturally, she's just what he needs. ;-)
Let me me clear: I couldn't possibly be more thrilled with this story!
I realize that in joining an anonymous exchange, one is more or less "custom-ordering" a story, but honestly, this story is so perfectly suited to my tastes that I was stunned--and yes, very deeply pleased. The Mystery Author has incorporated so many of the things that I like: a sarcastic, avoidant Snape who can't discuss his true feelings, a bossy, utterly practical Hermione who just can't help wanting to be helpful, wonderful magical innovations, very clever plot twists, witty language and excellent characterizations. There's plenty of well-done hurt/comfort but no mush or romance-novel plotting, and the psychology of the characters is rich, complex and convincing. Astoundingly, the fic even features a scene where runes are bodypainted on another person, which (as you might know from "A Bottle of Chocolate Sauce and Thou") is one of my favorite things to see in a fic. At five chapters, the story is plenty long and very well-paced, but I selfishly would have been very happy to read it going on and on forever. As it is, I must admit that it ends in a truly perfect way, with a witty observation and a tasteful fade to black.
The Mystery Author has also steered well clear of the cliches of both SS/HG fic and the romance and hurt/comfort genres, which makes the story a wonderfully refreshing read. Severus is tempted to offer Hermione an apprenticeship--but refrains, because both of them would eventually come to resent it, and it would put them back into an inbalanced power relationship. Hermione has to massage a healing salve into Severus' injured limbs, but unlike many fics, this does not lead to instant sexy time. Hermione passes her N.E.W.T.s with flying colors, but this does not translate into the world falling at her feet and her pick of any awesomely wonderful job she's ever wanted. Harry and Ron fail their N.E.W.T.s, and aren't accepted instantly into the Auror Corps; instead, they have to go back and repeat the Seventh Year they missed. I could go on and on about this, but suffice it to say that the author defies predicatable cliche and also provides a welcome dose of reality to much of the silliness of DH, where too many actions were weightless and without consequence. Grief and trauma are real here, and not everybody can just go back to normality after what they've endured. I respect the author tremendously for dealing with this.
Last, but not at all least, the Mystery Author has given me the gift of a fic that's romantic without ever being sappy or sentimental, a Snape who's sharp and sarcastic without being a cruel bastard, and a Hermione who is clever and mature without ever turning her into an unrealistically brilliant or level-headed woman. She's maturing, and it shows.
It's the first fic of the Exchange, it's lovelier than I ever dared hope my present might be, and I am still grinning ear to ear over it. Just go read it, all of you, even if you don't read SS/HG or het or hurt/comfort or what have you. You'll be very glad you did!
ETA: And if you do read it and enjoy it, please do tell the author about it! Feedback levels are down this year all over the place, and I want her to know how much her efforts are appreciated.
~is off to happily read it again~