Reiko's December Recs #3: A Fruit Tree In Winter
Hello, again. It's Day #3 and today I bring you something that, while not holiday related, definitely sets the scene for it with all the snow and cold mentioned :) Onto the rec:
Title: A Fruit Tree In Winter
Author: bryoneybrynn (small_gardens )
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~29,000
Warnings: Swearing, explicit sex, non-explicit references to past torture/violence, hurt/comfort, story goes AU/AR from the end of Half-Blood Prince.
Summary: After failing in his task of killing Dumbledore, life doesn’t go as Draco expected. Sometimes just surviving takes everything you’ve got. And sometimes healing is something you can’t do alone.
Why I loved it: I guess I can start by saying that this fic was incredible. It was intense, and moving, and vivid, and just riveting. A real work of art. In the story, a tortured Draco is saved from Voldemort by Snape and is brought to a secret hideout that only Snape knows of. From then on it’s Draco’s struggle to heal his physical and emotional injuries. Especially the latter. The author has a wonderful way with words, and really brings out Draco’s feelings of entrapment, restlessness, desolation, fear, rage, and loss. His pain is almost palpable.
Harry Potter, blinded, crippled, and injured, is suddenly brought to him by Snape. Without being asked, Draco takes on the task of caring for him. The relationship that builds between Draco and Harry is so endearing, even at the worst of times. It’s slow, and tentative, and dangerous, and makes you feel as if at any moment the cliff you’re standing on (and you will be standing on one, mark my words) will crumble and give way. Harry and Draco are injured in such different ways, and it’s engaging watching them tend to the other’s wounds, intentionally or not. It’s just as fascinating watching them heal and grow into stronger people. Their relationship perhaps isn’t the most ideal, but it’s so them. Truly fitting. And, to those wondering about the NC-17 rating, it’s also sexy as hell. As a side note: Harry and Snape have an awesome relationship, as do Snape and Draco. Very in-character and very interesting. There’s also a nice twist at the end that I doubt anyone will see coming.
I recommend this story to everyone, even those who aren’t such fans of angst. There are some really sweet and tender moments in the fic, just as there are ones that are light and humorous. A definite pleasure to read. And to seduce you all a bit further, there a some really fantastic pieces of artwork scattered throughout the fic by the very talented _aurora_sky_ . Fic and Art? Better than dinner and a movie.
Excerpt:
After a few minutes, the ice ended, giving way to firmly packed snow. Draco eased his grip on Potter’s arm, though he didn’t relinquish it fully. By now he knew all the troublesome parts of the various routes they walked; the snow here hid tree roots that Potter tended to trip over.
“You look like shit, by the way,” Potter said conversationally as they made their way through the trees.
“Ah, Potter, you silver-tongued devil. You always know just the thing to say to make me weak in the knees.”
Title: A Fruit Tree In Winter
Author: bryoneybrynn (small_gardens )
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~29,000
Warnings: Swearing, explicit sex, non-explicit references to past torture/violence, hurt/comfort, story goes AU/AR from the end of Half-Blood Prince.
Summary: After failing in his task of killing Dumbledore, life doesn’t go as Draco expected. Sometimes just surviving takes everything you’ve got. And sometimes healing is something you can’t do alone.
Why I loved it: I guess I can start by saying that this fic was incredible. It was intense, and moving, and vivid, and just riveting. A real work of art. In the story, a tortured Draco is saved from Voldemort by Snape and is brought to a secret hideout that only Snape knows of. From then on it’s Draco’s struggle to heal his physical and emotional injuries. Especially the latter. The author has a wonderful way with words, and really brings out Draco’s feelings of entrapment, restlessness, desolation, fear, rage, and loss. His pain is almost palpable.
Harry Potter, blinded, crippled, and injured, is suddenly brought to him by Snape. Without being asked, Draco takes on the task of caring for him. The relationship that builds between Draco and Harry is so endearing, even at the worst of times. It’s slow, and tentative, and dangerous, and makes you feel as if at any moment the cliff you’re standing on (and you will be standing on one, mark my words) will crumble and give way. Harry and Draco are injured in such different ways, and it’s engaging watching them tend to the other’s wounds, intentionally or not. It’s just as fascinating watching them heal and grow into stronger people. Their relationship perhaps isn’t the most ideal, but it’s so them. Truly fitting. And, to those wondering about the NC-17 rating, it’s also sexy as hell. As a side note: Harry and Snape have an awesome relationship, as do Snape and Draco. Very in-character and very interesting. There’s also a nice twist at the end that I doubt anyone will see coming.
I recommend this story to everyone, even those who aren’t such fans of angst. There are some really sweet and tender moments in the fic, just as there are ones that are light and humorous. A definite pleasure to read. And to seduce you all a bit further, there a some really fantastic pieces of artwork scattered throughout the fic by the very talented _aurora_sky_ . Fic and Art? Better than dinner and a movie.
Excerpt:
After a few minutes, the ice ended, giving way to firmly packed snow. Draco eased his grip on Potter’s arm, though he didn’t relinquish it fully. By now he knew all the troublesome parts of the various routes they walked; the snow here hid tree roots that Potter tended to trip over.
“You look like shit, by the way,” Potter said conversationally as they made their way through the trees.
“Ah, Potter, you silver-tongued devil. You always know just the thing to say to make me weak in the knees.”