November Reads: the Fifth and Final Part
Harry/Draco
Title: Reasonable Adjustments by weasleywench
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Summary: The path to self-acceptance is just another reasonable adjustment.
Warnings: OOC, EWE, rimming, slash sex, mild angst
Word Count: ~16,000
This story is well written and perceptive, and explores some of the practical and emotional ramifications of disability and disfigurement. Harry’s struggle felt real and convincing, and his behaviour seemed very him; the OOC warning is certainly not on his account. Draco as a duellist and teacher is cool and competent - a bit of a stretch from JKR’s entitled, bratty git - but I didn’t really mind, because the characterisation was right for this story. I think you can get away with quite a lot when you write characters who’ve had time to grow up a bit.
Title: Any Port in a Storm by floweringjudas
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Harry/Draco preslash, Kingsley/Percy
Summary: The Trio relocate to Grimmauld Place, along with half of Hogwarts, it seems. A reconnaissance mission goes pear-shaped; Harry returns with two very unexpected houseguests. Porridge-based passive-aggressiveness, Quidditch-related sex jokes and general hijinks ensue.
Warnings: None
Word Count: ~9600
This was written as the first chapter of a WIP that never went any further, and as such it does not exactly have an ending. On the other hand, it doesn’t really leave many narrative threads hanging, failure to resolve the sexual tension notwithstanding. What I mean is: people should read this! This is a story in which Harry is competent and unruffled, and takes charge. In the background there is Horcrux hunting, but mostly it is a darkly humorous piece about Harry running a safe house of sorts at Grimmauld Place. And it certainly is humorous! Floweringjudas has a wonderful writing style, and a razor-sharp wit.
Various Slash Pairings
Title: Harry Potter and the Really Round-About Way of Finding a Horcrux by floweringjudas
Rating:PG-13
Pairing: Percy/Harry, onstage Bill/Fleur, offstage R/Hr, Remus/Tonks
Summary: One should know better than to involve oneself in Weasley Family Skirmishes, even as a messenger. It always ends badly. ...Or really well, depending on your perspective. Cameos by: Mad-Eye Moody, Mundungus Fletcher, Phineas Nigellus Black, the Delacour Family, and Pig.
Warnings: None
Word Count: ~25,400
With wonderful characterisations of both major and minor characters, sophisticated narration and judicious plotting, this story is a winner. Harry and Percy feel compellingly three-dimensional, and though it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes a relationship between them work, the chemistry is unmistakable. This author makes the relationship feel exactly right, and maybe even inevitable.
Title: How to Save a Life by nolagal
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Draco/Hugo
Summary: Draco's life has been turned upside down, and Hugo Weasley is there with a job and a chance at a new life.
Warnings: Frotting
Word Count: ~3600
A rather sweet and capably written romance: not quite the masterpiece of characterisation and relationship progression that was Running to Stand Still (which I had read immediately previously), but a well implemented premise, and nicely grounded in the Potterverse courtesy of Hugo’s business.
Hermione/Pansy
Title: How Soon is Now? by imadra_blue
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Hermione/Pansy
Summary: Though the job was never easy, Hermione has never minded being an Unspeakable. However, when Pansy has a problem with a unique magical device invented by her great-great-grandfather, Hermione is sent to investigate. Given their history, Hermione is less than thrilled with the assignment. But when she gets there, nothing is exactly as she expected it: not the Time Spinner, not Pansy, and not even Hermione herself.
Warnings: Just in case the pairing and rating didn't clue you in, this fic contains girlsex. Featuring real fictional girls. There are also character deaths that took place before the story began.
With fascinating magical theory and artefacts; skilfully established and emotive back story; and cluey characterisations of slowly recovering war-shaken people, this was an interesting and satisfying read.
Title: The Unusual, Exceptional, And Statistically Remarkable Hermione Granger, Age 21 by magnetic_pole
Rating:PG-13
Pairing: Hermione/Pansy
Summary: Hermione assesses her life on the morning of her twenty-first birthday
Warnings: None
Word Count: ~3000
I love this very slightly dorky Hermione with a penchant for lists and records and solid reasoning. (And not only because that sounds somewhat like me!) Though this piece takes place over a short time at the kitchen table, back-story and context are seamlessly woven in. And although this is a somewhat pensive character study, I laughed out loud in several places.
Various Het Pairings
Title: Prickly by thimble_kiss
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Pansy Parkinson/ Seamus Finnigan
Summary: How a pair of smiling Irish eyes stole someone’s prickly heart away
Warnings: None
Word Count: ~16,400
I found this story both amusing and engagingly written. I adored the characterisation of Pansy, and the relationships between the different characters all seemed very authentic. The developing friendship and then intimacy between Pansy and Seamus was well paced and just right.
Title: The First Time by tangled_web
Rating:R
Pairing: Zacharias Smith/Lavender Brown
Summary: Maybe she was always his kindred spirit.
Warnings: Dubious None
Word Count: ~5,300
I really enjoyed this story; it’s a well-written post-war piece, with thoughtful characterisations and a lovely slow developing romance. It’s nice to read a considered portrayal of Zach: JKR didn’t really investigate his character with any degree of depth; and that’s the sort of thing fan fiction is for, right?
Title: 12 Months by tangled_web
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Ron/Pansy
Summary: Snapshots over a year
Warnings: Nothing terribly explicit.
Word Count: ~3250
This - I believe it. There were so many reasons why Hermione and Ron shouldn’t have worked that I would have been surprised to find that they had lasted. The Pansy in this story is one I find believable, and the progression of Ron and Pansy's relationship is convincing.
Title: A Little Sideways by tangled_web
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Cedric/Luna
Summary: Cedric was never as dead as everyone thought. All he needed was one person to see him.
Warnings: AU
Luna is difficult to get a handle on because she is always a little sideways from the way everyone else sees reality. For that reason, it makes sense that she would be the only person able to see clearly when reality itself is tilted. This story does a good job of showing her insight while maintaining her daydreamy breeziness.
The cameo by Zacharias also deserves a mention: I love the way that this author keeps investigating different ways of trying to figure him out.
Title: My Letter to You by tangled_web
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Zacharias/Hannah, Theodore/Pansy, mentions of Terry/Susan and Neville/Hannah
Summary: After years spent away from England, Zacharias Smith comes across a photograph that inspires him to reconnect with an old friend.
Warnings: None
Word Count:
This Zach was wonderful, as was the development of Pansy and Theodore, the delightfully sardonic Slytherpuff friendship and the Hannah/Zach dynamic.