Fic recs from HDS Beltane: 2012, 2013, 2014
The hds_beltane fest is about to end, and 2015 will be its final year. As a retrospective, I have been going back through and reccing some of the best Drarry fics from all of the past nine years of the fest. The recs are divided into three four posts: 2007-2009, 2010-2011, 2012-2014 (this post), and 2015.
Note that this fest also includes Snarry, Snaco, and threesome combinations, but I'm just reccing Drarry.
2012
Harry Potter and the Missing Malfoy by treacle_tartlet, R, 6,000 words
Summary: The War is over, Tom Riddle is dead - properly this time - and Harry Potter has not exactly met the expectations of the Wizarding World. Instead of joining the Aurors, he tends the bar at the Leaky Cauldron and plays Quidditch pick-ups on his days off. And he’s perfectly happy, thank you, until Draco Malfoy goes missing…
Really this was delightful. The author has such a deft touch with banter and light back-and-forth humor. Draco has gone missing, and people keep asking Harry where he is - as if he should know!
2013
Turn Alight by strawberryroseg (aka girlythingsforgeekypeople), NC-17, 6,500 words
Summary: "So, how do we fix this?"
Hermione pursed her lips as she thought. Ron leaned into the table to look around her at Harry, a cheeky smirk on his face. "Do Beltane properly next time?"
The best part of this story are the flashbacks to the developing relationship between Harry and Draco, starting immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts, and continuing for a year until the following Beltane. Draco's state right after the battle is heartbreaking, and his and Harry's tentative steps towards more are wonderfully sketched.
2014
As good a reason as any by thisgirl_is, PG-13, 8,600 words ( fest link)
Summary: For something Harry had never heard of before he had joined the Wizarding World, he really hated Beltane.
I really enjoyed this. Their conversation felt so realistic and adult and in character and interesting, and then the kiss, wow! And even though all they did was kiss, it was a bloody fantastic kiss :)
Skulking by teshara, R, 8,000 words
Summary: When Harry follows Draco out of the castle, the last thing he expects is to become caught up in a bonding ceremony. When they realize they’re going to have to learn how to live together neither of them is happy, but sometimes things have funny ways of working themselves out.
Clever story, as the idea of being 'bonded' through companion animals is unusual. The nature of the bond isn't well explained, but that is sort of the point: Harry and Draco misunderstand it as well and assume more is required of them than actually is :)
Links to my rec lists from all previous hds_beltane fests. Enjoy!
Note that this fest also includes Snarry, Snaco, and threesome combinations, but I'm just reccing Drarry.
2012
Harry Potter and the Missing Malfoy by treacle_tartlet, R, 6,000 words
Summary: The War is over, Tom Riddle is dead - properly this time - and Harry Potter has not exactly met the expectations of the Wizarding World. Instead of joining the Aurors, he tends the bar at the Leaky Cauldron and plays Quidditch pick-ups on his days off. And he’s perfectly happy, thank you, until Draco Malfoy goes missing…
Really this was delightful. The author has such a deft touch with banter and light back-and-forth humor. Draco has gone missing, and people keep asking Harry where he is - as if he should know!
2013
Turn Alight by strawberryroseg (aka girlythingsforgeekypeople), NC-17, 6,500 words
Summary: "So, how do we fix this?"
Hermione pursed her lips as she thought. Ron leaned into the table to look around her at Harry, a cheeky smirk on his face. "Do Beltane properly next time?"
The best part of this story are the flashbacks to the developing relationship between Harry and Draco, starting immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts, and continuing for a year until the following Beltane. Draco's state right after the battle is heartbreaking, and his and Harry's tentative steps towards more are wonderfully sketched.
2014
As good a reason as any by thisgirl_is, PG-13, 8,600 words ( fest link)
Summary: For something Harry had never heard of before he had joined the Wizarding World, he really hated Beltane.
I really enjoyed this. Their conversation felt so realistic and adult and in character and interesting, and then the kiss, wow! And even though all they did was kiss, it was a bloody fantastic kiss :)
Skulking by teshara, R, 8,000 words
Summary: When Harry follows Draco out of the castle, the last thing he expects is to become caught up in a bonding ceremony. When they realize they’re going to have to learn how to live together neither of them is happy, but sometimes things have funny ways of working themselves out.
Clever story, as the idea of being 'bonded' through companion animals is unusual. The nature of the bond isn't well explained, but that is sort of the point: Harry and Draco misunderstand it as well and assume more is required of them than actually is :)
Links to my rec lists from all previous hds_beltane fests. Enjoy!