December Recommendation #2
Happy weekend, everyone! Here's another bunch of fics to keep you warm with all that nasty cold rainy snowing blustery awfulness creeping at your windows.
Let's start off with some great holiday treats, present and past: 2011 and 2010!
Title: Humbug (A Christmas Tale)
Author: Anonymous
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~30 000
Warnings: "EWE. Discussion of the terminal illness of a child (a la Tiny Tim), but if you know Dickens, you know it will be all right." Polygamy/perceived infidelity.
Summary: From the hd_holidays 2011 Winter round. Draco has been taking his casual relationship with Harry for granted. Visits from four key ghosts the night before Christmas just might shake up his priorities in life.
Why I loved it: A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite holiday stories, and it was a lot of fun to read this re-telling, the first of a few being posted for this year's H/D Holidays round. The author has spread the angsty icing thick, writing a loveably strong but hurt Harry, a Scrooge!Draco who is much more understandable and sympathetic than your traditional Ebenezer, and a wonderful cast of disgruntled friends and snarky ghosts. If you like a well-spun non-chronological tale, lots of beautiful angst that'll make your chest physically ache, and boys who are in character, give this one a try! Includes some incredibly hot sex scenes, lots of sarcastic humour (see an example in the excerpt below), and a love that is as desperate as it is simple.
Excerpt: "Yes, well." Draco sniffed. "Least I can do. Happy Christmas, and all that." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but he pushed it down.
"Hey, speaking of that." Potter rolled onto his stomach, dragging the blanket up to his waist and propping himself up on his elbows. He gave Draco a gentle, almost shy smile as he wet his lips. Draco turned his head on the pillow to face him. "I..." He hesitated, looking away for a moment before steeling his jaw and regarding Draco again. "I wanted to ask you something."
Alarm bells rang in Draco's head, but Potter didn't let him protest. Before Draco could say a word, Potter leaned down and kissed him.
"Don't run off yet," he teased. "Just hear me out." He nipped at Draco's lips again, and Draco had to stop himself from sliding his arm around Potter's neck and drawing him down to deepen the kiss. Potter was trying to keep his tone light, that was obvious, but when he pulled back to look in Draco's eyes, his face was shadowed.
Draco sighed, letting his arms fall dramatically to each side. "Fine," he said with a pout, "but if we're having some kind of Talk, then the least you can do is bring me a glass of wine."
With a grin, Potter swung his legs around and pushed himself off the bed. "Done. Don't you dare fucking leave while I'm gone." He disappeared out the bedroom door, naked and completely careless about it. Draco tried not to notice, shaking his head across the pillow.
"Are you a wizard or not?" he called. He was feeling rather relaxed and playful, Potter's big, impending announcement notwithstanding. Well, it wouldn't be anything Draco couldn't handle.
"Conjured wine tastes like shit," Potter called back, as Draco heard a cork pop. "At least, that's what you keep telling me."
"That's why your wine's usually so bad? I thought you were just buying it from California."
Title: Birth of a Wandmaker
Author: alaana_fair
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~12 000
Warnings: A brief mention of past mpreg.
Summary: From the hd_holidays 2010 Winter round. Draco Malfoy is busy running a successful investment firm, but when the opportunity arises to pay off an old debt, he seeks the help of the one person he knows will play the hero.
Why I loved it: Though it was rec'd in this community back in January, I think it deserves another nod, just in case anyone missed it!
This may seem counter-intuitive, considering my apparently indestructible love for all things Harry/Draco, but what I really truly become an utter sap for is a good story about love beginning as friendship. Silly, right? But this fic (and, let's be honest, most fluffy fics by Alaana) is a great example of that dynamic where Harry and Draco have grown up and have become friends for some reason, and that friendship slowly becomes something more. I know I already rec'd a fic like this last week, but as you can see, I'm a sucker for them. So here we have a story written for the 2010 round of H/D Holidays, wherein Draco wants to save Ollivander's from going out of business, Harry really hates his job as an Auror, and the two of them together can accomplish almost anything ... even finding the perfect chairs for the front end of a newly re-opened wand shop. If you like your boys a little jealous and growly, their friends a little raunchy and scheming, and your steamy sex a little bit public, this will be sure to fill the order!
And now for some oldies! Take a trip back to simpler times: 2008, 2006, and 2003!
Title: Take a Sad Song (And Make It Better)
Author: femmequixotic
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 45,425
Warnings: Epilogue-compliant. Infidelity. Other pairings, including Harry/Ginny, Draco/Asteria, and Harry/OMC's and Draco/OMC's.
Summary: For the hd_worldcup 2008 Team Epilogue. The last thing Harry wants is to lose his kids.
Why I loved it: There are a million reasons to love this story. First and foremost, however, is that it is fleshed-out. This isn't a simple story about a romance, it's a story about a painful divorce, broken families, the struggles of child-parent relationships, and burgeoning relationships. It's also a story involving Aurors, Death Eater trials, a murder case, lawyers, the media, and a custody battle. On top of that, the characters are dealing with loss, death, disabilities, and family problems. Nothing about this story is simple, and it is all interwoven and builds organically. On top of all that, there is also the almost invisible thread of music by The Beatles holding it together, from the title, to Harry's beloved record collection, to Al's coping mechanisms. If this fic was food, it wouldn't be a decadent truffle that gives you a sugar rush and leaves you flying high, it'd be a holiday feast that leaves you stuffed full and snoring on the couch -- it's well-rounded and just plain satisfying.
Title: Under the Ivy
Author: coffeejunkii
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~4 000
Warnings: Discussion of war injuries/disability.
Summary: For the serpentinelion 2006 Secrets & Wishes fest. It is impressive how much you can learn about someone by simply sharing a few rooms. They don't spend time together, not really, but Harry still knows that Malfoy prefers raspberry jam over strawberry, that he hums along to the Wireless when he thinks no one is around, and that his leg is bothering him more than usual when the temperatures drop below freezing.
Why I loved it: Back in the day, when we didn't yet know how the war would end, if Draco would be redeemed, or what the fallout might be, people often wrote stories where Draco helped Harry save the day and they ran off into the sunset together, two healthy, good-looking heroes embarking on new lives of happiness and peace. This is not that story. This is the story about two boys who were critically injured in the war that consumed their teen years and are thrown together during their time of healing. Both have chips on their shoulders, both are struggling to cope with the hand they've been dealt, and both need someone to believe that they aren't just broken things without any use. I love coffeejunkii, who is sweet and bubbly and yet writes such wonderful hurt/comfort. The scenes are short and sharp, the writing sparse and contained, but she manages to convey so much, reflecting Harry's difficulty in communicating what's going on in his head, and Draco's ability to understand him anyway.
Title: Draco In Darkness
Author: Plumeria aka Debbie/aome
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ? (Chaptered fic.)
(My) Warnings: Hogwarts-era fic, therefore the characters are underage. There are two brief, non-graphic scenes where they kiss. Disability.
Summary: Written in 2003. Following an accident in his seventh year, Draco loses his eyesight. At first he completely withdraws, avoiding any hint of pity, as well as any assistance; he is determined to succeed on his own. But after Harry elbows his way into Draco's dark world, both boys find themselves in a strange new friendship, and they each learn new ways to see each other ... and themselves.
Why I loved it: This was written at a time when LJ still had code invitations and wasn't the central gathering ground for HP fans, hence the outside link. The cool thing about Plumeria having her own website to host the story is that she also links to all the fanart that was created for the story. One thing I do miss about FictionAlley being the big hub for fic and art is the amount of art posted for some of the longer chaptered stories.
As for the story itself, it's a "disability!fic", if you will. Draco is blind and Harry decides to weasel his way into his increasingly solitary life. This is another story of friendship building between two former enemies while they both contend with the forces of family, friends, and the looming war, as well as finishing their homework on time. It includes some early examples of tropes that have become famous and well-worn in H/D fandom, including a tandem broom ride, and boys running away from each other when they start feeling awkward about their massive crushes on each other. It's an oldie that I haven't read in awhile, but still remember fondly. :)
Mods: I'll need a new tag for Plumeria. Thanks!
Let's start off with some great holiday treats, present and past: 2011 and 2010!
Title: Humbug (A Christmas Tale)
Author: Anonymous
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~30 000
Warnings: "EWE. Discussion of the terminal illness of a child (a la Tiny Tim), but if you know Dickens, you know it will be all right." Polygamy/perceived infidelity.
Summary: From the hd_holidays 2011 Winter round. Draco has been taking his casual relationship with Harry for granted. Visits from four key ghosts the night before Christmas just might shake up his priorities in life.
Why I loved it: A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite holiday stories, and it was a lot of fun to read this re-telling, the first of a few being posted for this year's H/D Holidays round. The author has spread the angsty icing thick, writing a loveably strong but hurt Harry, a Scrooge!Draco who is much more understandable and sympathetic than your traditional Ebenezer, and a wonderful cast of disgruntled friends and snarky ghosts. If you like a well-spun non-chronological tale, lots of beautiful angst that'll make your chest physically ache, and boys who are in character, give this one a try! Includes some incredibly hot sex scenes, lots of sarcastic humour (see an example in the excerpt below), and a love that is as desperate as it is simple.
Excerpt: "Yes, well." Draco sniffed. "Least I can do. Happy Christmas, and all that." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but he pushed it down.
"Hey, speaking of that." Potter rolled onto his stomach, dragging the blanket up to his waist and propping himself up on his elbows. He gave Draco a gentle, almost shy smile as he wet his lips. Draco turned his head on the pillow to face him. "I..." He hesitated, looking away for a moment before steeling his jaw and regarding Draco again. "I wanted to ask you something."
Alarm bells rang in Draco's head, but Potter didn't let him protest. Before Draco could say a word, Potter leaned down and kissed him.
"Don't run off yet," he teased. "Just hear me out." He nipped at Draco's lips again, and Draco had to stop himself from sliding his arm around Potter's neck and drawing him down to deepen the kiss. Potter was trying to keep his tone light, that was obvious, but when he pulled back to look in Draco's eyes, his face was shadowed.
Draco sighed, letting his arms fall dramatically to each side. "Fine," he said with a pout, "but if we're having some kind of Talk, then the least you can do is bring me a glass of wine."
With a grin, Potter swung his legs around and pushed himself off the bed. "Done. Don't you dare fucking leave while I'm gone." He disappeared out the bedroom door, naked and completely careless about it. Draco tried not to notice, shaking his head across the pillow.
"Are you a wizard or not?" he called. He was feeling rather relaxed and playful, Potter's big, impending announcement notwithstanding. Well, it wouldn't be anything Draco couldn't handle.
"Conjured wine tastes like shit," Potter called back, as Draco heard a cork pop. "At least, that's what you keep telling me."
"That's why your wine's usually so bad? I thought you were just buying it from California."
Title: Birth of a Wandmaker
Author: alaana_fair
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~12 000
Warnings: A brief mention of past mpreg.
Summary: From the hd_holidays 2010 Winter round. Draco Malfoy is busy running a successful investment firm, but when the opportunity arises to pay off an old debt, he seeks the help of the one person he knows will play the hero.
Why I loved it: Though it was rec'd in this community back in January, I think it deserves another nod, just in case anyone missed it!
This may seem counter-intuitive, considering my apparently indestructible love for all things Harry/Draco, but what I really truly become an utter sap for is a good story about love beginning as friendship. Silly, right? But this fic (and, let's be honest, most fluffy fics by Alaana) is a great example of that dynamic where Harry and Draco have grown up and have become friends for some reason, and that friendship slowly becomes something more. I know I already rec'd a fic like this last week, but as you can see, I'm a sucker for them. So here we have a story written for the 2010 round of H/D Holidays, wherein Draco wants to save Ollivander's from going out of business, Harry really hates his job as an Auror, and the two of them together can accomplish almost anything ... even finding the perfect chairs for the front end of a newly re-opened wand shop. If you like your boys a little jealous and growly, their friends a little raunchy and scheming, and your steamy sex a little bit public, this will be sure to fill the order!
And now for some oldies! Take a trip back to simpler times: 2008, 2006, and 2003!
Title: Take a Sad Song (And Make It Better)
Author: femmequixotic
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 45,425
Warnings: Epilogue-compliant. Infidelity. Other pairings, including Harry/Ginny, Draco/Asteria, and Harry/OMC's and Draco/OMC's.
Summary: For the hd_worldcup 2008 Team Epilogue. The last thing Harry wants is to lose his kids.
Why I loved it: There are a million reasons to love this story. First and foremost, however, is that it is fleshed-out. This isn't a simple story about a romance, it's a story about a painful divorce, broken families, the struggles of child-parent relationships, and burgeoning relationships. It's also a story involving Aurors, Death Eater trials, a murder case, lawyers, the media, and a custody battle. On top of that, the characters are dealing with loss, death, disabilities, and family problems. Nothing about this story is simple, and it is all interwoven and builds organically. On top of all that, there is also the almost invisible thread of music by The Beatles holding it together, from the title, to Harry's beloved record collection, to Al's coping mechanisms. If this fic was food, it wouldn't be a decadent truffle that gives you a sugar rush and leaves you flying high, it'd be a holiday feast that leaves you stuffed full and snoring on the couch -- it's well-rounded and just plain satisfying.
Title: Under the Ivy
Author: coffeejunkii
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~4 000
Warnings: Discussion of war injuries/disability.
Summary: For the serpentinelion 2006 Secrets & Wishes fest. It is impressive how much you can learn about someone by simply sharing a few rooms. They don't spend time together, not really, but Harry still knows that Malfoy prefers raspberry jam over strawberry, that he hums along to the Wireless when he thinks no one is around, and that his leg is bothering him more than usual when the temperatures drop below freezing.
Why I loved it: Back in the day, when we didn't yet know how the war would end, if Draco would be redeemed, or what the fallout might be, people often wrote stories where Draco helped Harry save the day and they ran off into the sunset together, two healthy, good-looking heroes embarking on new lives of happiness and peace. This is not that story. This is the story about two boys who were critically injured in the war that consumed their teen years and are thrown together during their time of healing. Both have chips on their shoulders, both are struggling to cope with the hand they've been dealt, and both need someone to believe that they aren't just broken things without any use. I love coffeejunkii, who is sweet and bubbly and yet writes such wonderful hurt/comfort. The scenes are short and sharp, the writing sparse and contained, but she manages to convey so much, reflecting Harry's difficulty in communicating what's going on in his head, and Draco's ability to understand him anyway.
Title: Draco In Darkness
Author: Plumeria aka Debbie/aome
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ? (Chaptered fic.)
(My) Warnings: Hogwarts-era fic, therefore the characters are underage. There are two brief, non-graphic scenes where they kiss. Disability.
Summary: Written in 2003. Following an accident in his seventh year, Draco loses his eyesight. At first he completely withdraws, avoiding any hint of pity, as well as any assistance; he is determined to succeed on his own. But after Harry elbows his way into Draco's dark world, both boys find themselves in a strange new friendship, and they each learn new ways to see each other ... and themselves.
Why I loved it: This was written at a time when LJ still had code invitations and wasn't the central gathering ground for HP fans, hence the outside link. The cool thing about Plumeria having her own website to host the story is that she also links to all the fanart that was created for the story. One thing I do miss about FictionAlley being the big hub for fic and art is the amount of art posted for some of the longer chaptered stories.
As for the story itself, it's a "disability!fic", if you will. Draco is blind and Harry decides to weasel his way into his increasingly solitary life. This is another story of friendship building between two former enemies while they both contend with the forces of family, friends, and the looming war, as well as finishing their homework on time. It includes some early examples of tropes that have become famous and well-worn in H/D fandom, including a tandem broom ride, and boys running away from each other when they start feeling awkward about their massive crushes on each other. It's an oldie that I haven't read in awhile, but still remember fondly. :)
Mods: I'll need a new tag for Plumeria. Thanks!