All-Time Fave: Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop
I recced this fic for hd-storyroom back when it first came out, and I knew immediately that it would be one of my all-time favorites. This fic is just about perfect, and I can't rec it enough :)
Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop
Originally published December 23, 2014 on Livejournal as part of the hd-erised fest
Rated: NC-17
Word Count: 70,000
Summary: It’s Potter’s fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It’s been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco’s getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he’s falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?
Why I love it:
This was so unbelievably brilliant! It's just so very clever and well crafted and a great character study of Draco. It's like Groundhog Day (one of my all-time favorite movies) in that even though the same day keeps repeating over and over, it never actually feels repetitive, or only in ways that make for a better story. And oh, the ways the confessions and revelations come out are so delicious. The conversations all feel natural and right and the emotional investment just builds and builds. And omigod the legilimency scene...there are no words! So much love for this fic!
Excerpt:
One thing's for sure, he absolutely does not want to give the fucking speech again. But the longer he puts it off, the longer he's stuck in time.
Still dithering, after knocking back a quick Tiredness-Be-Gone! Potion, he Apparates to the Palace of Westminster, as he did on his last attempt to fix things, and makes his way to the red and gold Royal Gallery, to lie in wait for Potter. At least this time he's prepared; he knows Potter will be late, and scruffy, and surrounded by sycophants.
He wonders, as the Gallery empties of dignitaries, whether he should just flip a coin - heads, punch Potter, tails . . . punch Potter.
He shelves that tempting thought, and before he's actually made his mind up, Potter's already walking towards him, with - as before - Weasley and Granger flanking him and chivvying him on. Weasley's shooting him a look of unvarnished dislike, and Granger's gearing up to politely 'Draco' him, and if he wants things to go differently to last time he has to act now, and for some reason this means the words, "Rather than spend the afternoon doing this tedious shit, Potter, why don't you and I go and do something else?" fall out of his mouth.
Weasley's glare turns to a look of suspicion, and Granger gives him a very hard, penetrating stare, as if she can see right into him.
Draco wonders, if so, what she can see. What explanation there is, because he's damned if he knows. His obsession with Potter is less than healthy. If he was a sensible man, he'd stay right away from him. It's a pity, really, that he's not.
banner by capitu
Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop
Originally published December 23, 2014 on Livejournal as part of the hd-erised fest
Rated: NC-17
Word Count: 70,000
Summary: It’s Potter’s fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It’s been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco’s getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he’s falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?
Why I love it:
This was so unbelievably brilliant! It's just so very clever and well crafted and a great character study of Draco. It's like Groundhog Day (one of my all-time favorite movies) in that even though the same day keeps repeating over and over, it never actually feels repetitive, or only in ways that make for a better story. And oh, the ways the confessions and revelations come out are so delicious. The conversations all feel natural and right and the emotional investment just builds and builds. And omigod the legilimency scene...there are no words! So much love for this fic!
Excerpt:
One thing's for sure, he absolutely does not want to give the fucking speech again. But the longer he puts it off, the longer he's stuck in time.
Still dithering, after knocking back a quick Tiredness-Be-Gone! Potion, he Apparates to the Palace of Westminster, as he did on his last attempt to fix things, and makes his way to the red and gold Royal Gallery, to lie in wait for Potter. At least this time he's prepared; he knows Potter will be late, and scruffy, and surrounded by sycophants.
He wonders, as the Gallery empties of dignitaries, whether he should just flip a coin - heads, punch Potter, tails . . . punch Potter.
He shelves that tempting thought, and before he's actually made his mind up, Potter's already walking towards him, with - as before - Weasley and Granger flanking him and chivvying him on. Weasley's shooting him a look of unvarnished dislike, and Granger's gearing up to politely 'Draco' him, and if he wants things to go differently to last time he has to act now, and for some reason this means the words, "Rather than spend the afternoon doing this tedious shit, Potter, why don't you and I go and do something else?" fall out of his mouth.
Weasley's glare turns to a look of suspicion, and Granger gives him a very hard, penetrating stare, as if she can see right into him.
Draco wonders, if so, what she can see. What explanation there is, because he's damned if he knows. His obsession with Potter is less than healthy. If he was a sensible man, he'd stay right away from him. It's a pity, really, that he's not.
banner by capitu