July Featured Story: Tender Vengeance by margotlefaye

[margotlefaye]

Once again, I’m humbled, thrilled and blown away by everyone’s response to my writing. Thank you to all of you who voted to make Tender Vengeance one of the featured stories for July

Comments

[margotlefaye]

First, thank you for letting me know that you've been re-reading the fic and that you still find it affecting. An author can't ask for a better compliment than to be told that her fic not only inspires people to re-read, but that it still moves people on subsequent re-readings.

As to "sweet girl"...it's not from my own experience in the sense of anyone ever calling me that, so far as I can recall (late 50's, here, and my first date is more than 40 years in the past, so some details have long been forgotten, lol!) It just seemed to fit, because Draco can't say what's in his heart, but he also can't say nothing, can't be utterly silent. So, this seemed to fit, and I went with it.

The hook that got me into Draco's character was the scene on the tower, where he's ranting about what a bad-ass he is, all the while Dumbledore is calling his bluff and his wand is lowering. That's where I come from in this story: Draco is a frightened young man who is forced to do things he doesn't want in order to protect the people he loves. It goes differently than it does in canon, simply because the final book in canon hadn't been published when I began writing this story. So, I was free to imagine Draco's reaction if Snape managed to deflect Voldemort's wrath, and Voldy did feel that Draco was entitled to a reward for getting the DEs into Hogwarts, and Draco was living a life on the run, and you know, some of the horror becomes dulled when you live with it day in and day out, you become inured. That's the Draco in this fic, and when I added the idea that he'd been crushing on Hermione for years, and doesn't dare reveal his feelings for her when she's captured...that's the fic.

On the plot question, Hermione was hit with a lot of information when she was rescued, and hasn't absorbed it all. No, she doesn't know about the Pensieve memories, and that revelation is still to come. It's not going to be a big moment, just a small recognition by Hermione of what Draco had to do to protect her, and it's not going to change anything major. Hermione is going to spend the next chapter coming to terms with some of the initial things she has to come to terms with, and deciding what to do about her future, does she go back to Hogwarts and the Wizarding world, or does she stay in the Muggle world, at least for now?

You're welcome about Ron. And, thank you for the kind words about my writing. I'm glad you are enjoying the story and hope that you will continue to enjoy it as it continues to unfold.