As If You Could Out Read Me

Fanfiction Writer & Fan

[julcheninred]

THE DRAW DRARRY BADLY CHALLENGE IS NOW OPEN! JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 14 The DDBC is the Drarry fandom’s uniquely goofy, chaotically inclusive art fest inviting every fandom member to draw our boys badly. Authors, readers, reccers, and artists are all warmly bidden to make imperfect art, because the fun of making fanart is for everyone! Fandom is better with more people making art of the characters we love, so grab the nearest pen and draw something gloriously jank. Make it fluffy, make it smutty, but above all make it fast and silly! The DDBC was established by @l0vegl0wsinthedark in 2018. With her blessing, I’ve hosted it since. For y’all new to the fandom, hi, I’m Jules! I have MS and my hands don’t work very well. I make fanart by cutting paper blocks with a straightedge paper cutter. The first DDBC was my gateway to becoming a fandom artist, and I’m here to hold the banner for everyone’s right to make art, no matter what. No experience? No fancy art supplies? No dexterity? Excellent. Make it cheap, make it unpolished, make it shaky, but make that art. Especially given the way generative AI is being forced on us, making deliberately lopsided and lumpy art is gorgeously human. Scrawl a pair of stick figures with a ballpoint pen and it will be better art than anything that could ever come out of AI, and you didn’t have to waste any water to do it! The Rules: — Draw a piece of Drarry art. — Draw it as badly as possible. — Post your terrible art and tag anyone you want to do it too! — Tag it "draw drarry badly challenge" so it can be found with the rest of the fest. — Please tag me, @julcheninred, directly in the post so I don’t miss it! It’s my joy to reblog everyone’s wonderful bad art! If you’re already known as a skilled artist here, draw with your non-dominant hand, or in the dark, or with your foot! If this is your first DDBC, please do jump in! Many of the pillars of the fandom have made something exuberantly inelegant for DDBC. Have a look through past years’ submissions under the Draw Drarry Badly Challenge tag. Reblog this post to spread the word. Pick a scene from a fic, or a favorite trope. Break open a box of crayons and have at it! Who are the fandom newcomers? Who’s been around for a while but has never drawn Drarry badly in a previous year? Tag them in! I look forward to seeing everyone’s Bad Drarry Art! 🙌

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

It’s my favorite time of the yearrrrr!!!!

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

Percy had always toyed with words and phrasing, but his meaning was never lost. The taunt squeezed the oxygen from her lungs and compressed her chest as if she’d been caught beneath the slow roll of a boulder. Every second that passed worsened her desperation until she had to close her eyes to breathe and steady the racing of her heart. The stillness of the room told her every eye was upon her, but their monstrous bond would not be deterred. Nothing could deny her the right to claim him. The scant distance between them thrummed as Hermione slowly reached forward. It was a modest step toward assuming her new form, but it felt significant when she slipped her hand around Malfoy's arm and anchored her nails into his flesh. Their magic delighted in the image of their fragilely constructed union, lighting tiny fires that nurtured bigger, more complicated stirrings that she scrambled to put out.

New chapter coming out... soonish

The Empress of all Maladies

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

When are you going to update The Empress of all Maladies… we are dying out here?!?

Working on it!

[animentality]

[sirartwork]

[bongwaterer]

[gigglepuffpixie]

[ostensiblehare]

Harry's hear me outs' consisting entirely of his enemies and his godfather.

[valushk4]

Peak drarry

[thisliminalspacedaydreams]

Fanfic is a free hobby.

It's one of the last few things we can have as a society that's free. You can engage, for free. People give you things (art, stories, etc), for free.

Don't buy into the consummerism just because it's everywhere else.

You don't have to consume everything you interact with. You don't have to use things, just because they exist.

You're allowed (still, for now), to have things that are enjoyable for free.

Do you realise how insane the world is? We don't have many places where we can just be, for free anymore, but ao3 is. Did you notice we don't have ads in ao3? We don't have pop ups? Where ELSE do we not have that?

Where else can you just go and not have to wait for a commercial to be over or for ads to be on the sidelines?

I don't think the younger people understand, but the whole of internet used to be like this. YouTubers would do Youtube for free, just because. You couldn't monetise your internet presence before.

Ao3 is like a little preserved corner of the internet where the old internet used to be, and it's being attacked by people who do not understand that free things are allowed to exist without judgment.

Please don't ruin this for us.

Some of us need it.

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

KEEP 👏 FANDOM 👏 FREE

[the-forbidden-forest]

[orolin-writes]

Last line tag

Thanks for the tag @lemonlimelea. Here’s the last line I wrote, plus it counts as wip Wednesday, so two posts wrapped in one 😆

“Hello, by the way,” Draco says, the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. He folds his arms loosely against his chest, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe.

The rule is show the last line you’ve written. It’s an open tag so anyone go for it, I can’t remember who has done this or not! Tagging @autumnweeen @augustaoctavia87 @baits-witch @elliebyrrdwrites @thetacowrites @wrathful-wrackspurt @zeebee3 @so-scarlett-maroon @mourningliliesmorningglories - ohh I don’t know who to tag, everyone have at it 😂

[thetacowrites]

Thanks for the tag!!

"I hope you're as excited as we are to find out what happens in the battle of Granger vs Dragon. Maybe we'll see a lot of bites. Xoxo, Granger Gossip"

This is from my Charlie/Hermione "Xoxo (The Granger Gossip Papers)" which is a workplace romance with a nosy gossip journalist ready to spill all the beans.

Here's the link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64532914

And I tag: @asifyoucouldoutreadme @vespertineflower @inastarlesssky @wrathful-wrackspurt @upturnedpanda @sailtomarina

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

🔥

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

Draco Malfoy was well on his way to resurrecting his family’s name. He’d embraced the idea of settling down with his pureblood heiress and breeding her like their ancestors intended, letting his cock wander on the side.

Unfortunately, his wayward libido kept leading him back to the same exact place.

- OR -

Crime Boss Draco Malfoy engages in a decades-spanning affair with Minister for Magic Hermione Granger. Chaos ensues.

Please Note: Each chapter is a vignette based on a different song, and the only through-line you really need to know about is that they be be cheatin'. They're both toxic, but in like a fun way.

Pookie’s Requiem by AsIfYouCouldOutReadMe on AO3

[emilywritesfics]

When I post a fanfic, I’m not a business owner trying to sell a product, I’m a kid trying to share toys on the playground.

[emilywritesfics]

I literally woke up last night to write the above post, and then went back to bed. But now I would like to elaborate.

I don’t post my fics to be “paid” in kudos or comments, I do it because I want connection with other fans.

I’m a kid trying to share my toys on the playground, hoping that other kids will want to play with me and maybe even be my friend. I’m freaking out over these characters and this story, so I want other people to freak out with me too!

That’s why writers want comments. We’re trying to make connections and foster community.

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

🫶

[unboundprompts]

Hey unbound!! I was wondering, have you written anything for "how to write Enemies to Lovers"? I LOVE the trope but have a hard time ever making it feel realistic to me

How to Write Enemies to Lovers

1. Establish a Real, Believable Conflict

The characters shouldn’t hate each other just because. Make sure their "enemy" status is rooted in something meaningful:

Clashing goals or values

A betrayal or misunderstanding

Socioeconomic, cultural, or professional rivalry

One perceives the other as a threat

Avoid making one character just "mean" for no reason, that risks turning the story into bullying-turned-romance.

2. Make Them Equals

Both characters should challenge each other, not dominate or belittle. Whether in intellect, skill, or influence, their push-and-pull dynamic should feel balanced. This keeps the conflict engaging and the chemistry sharp.

If one character starts with more power (social, political, magical, etc.), show the balance shift or even out over time. Maybe the more powerful one learns humility. Maybe the underdog gains confidence or leverage. This keeps the romance from feeling one-sided or unbalanced.

3. Gradually Shift the Tone

Let the hatred evolve in stages: Irritation → Respect → Curiosity → Affection → Love

Sprinkle moments of:

Vulnerability (they see a new side of the other)

Unexpected teamwork (they’re forced to rely on each other)

Banter that turns from biting to flirtatious

4. Use Intimacy in Small Doses

Tension thrives in proximity. Make them interact often, maybe unwillingly at first. Body language, awkward silences, or a brush of the hand can say a lot when feelings are complicated. Don’t rush the romance. The longer it simmers, the more satisfying the payoff.

5. Force Them to Re-Evaluate

Something should cause a shift in perspective, maybe the "enemy" does something selfless or shows surprising depth. They realize their initial judgment was wrong or incomplete. Internal conflict is key here. Let them resist falling in love before they accept it.

6. Let Them See Each Other at Their Worst... and Best

It’s easy to love someone when they’re charming. But realistic enemies-to-lovers arcs involve characters witnessing each other’s low points (failures, flaws, vulnerability, etc.) This builds empathy, and that’s what turns conflict into connection.

7. Acknowledge the Past

Don’t sweep their antagonistic history under the rug. Have them talk about it. A good resolution includes:

An apology or mutual understanding

Growth from both sides

Acknowledgement that love doesn’t erase the past, but it builds on top of it

8. Give Them a Bond That Justifies the Shift

Love isn’t just "we stopped fighting." It’s "we learned from our differences." Let them find something shared:

A common goal

A mutual vulnerability

A deep belief or value

Even just a sense of humor that breaks the tension

9. Keep Their Voice Consistent Through the Shift

As they fall for each other, don’t make them suddenly sappy or soft-spoken unless it’s in character or they’re resisting it. Keep their sarcasm, bluntness, or bite, but redirect it. Now, it’s flirtier. More protective. Slightly gentler.

10. Make Their Love Transform Them, But Not Fix Them

They shouldn’t change their core beliefs for the other, but because of the experience the other provides. They challenge each other’s worldviews, make each other question things. The love should feel like a consequence of character growth, not the cause of it.

11. Your Readers Should Ship It Before the Characters Do

Plant the emotional groundwork early, even if the characters are being stubborn. Your readers should start rooting for them mid-argument, mid-banter, mid-moment-of-tension.

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

Excellent advice!

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

Pookie’s Requiem by AsIfYouCouldOutReadMe

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

First Line Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @morgan-magic ❤ Check out this catalog 😍

Rules are: post the first line(s) from the last 10 fics you've updated or posted (or however many fics you have, if less than 10).

Here are mine!

The Empress of all Maladies (Dramione, 180K, WIP)

She must have made a mistake.

Twin Snakes (FlintNott, 10K, WIP)

The first time Theo fucked Marcus Flint it awoke something within him that he hadn’t known was there.

Happy Rave-mas, Draco! (Dramione, 12K, WIP)

Draco had never attended an event in an atrium before, but the Ministry of Magic was a bloated leviathan of bureaucracy and the annual holiday party required the space. 

All That Glitters (Dramione, 6K, Complete)

Hermione kicked off her shoes as soon as she passed the threshold of the floo.

No Harm Ever Came From Reading A Book (Dramione, 2K, Complete)

Hermione Granger had exactly fifteen minutes to retrieve the book she needed from the Restricted Section before the library closed.

Pookie’s Requiem (Dramione, 3K, WIP)

Bodies were pressed ass to tit, body heat and sweat facilitating the easy slide of flesh.

Call it Research (Dramione, 6K, WIP)

“To new beginnings,” Hermione proposed, raising her overfilled mug into the air between them. 

I have far too many WIPs ಠ_ಠ

Tagging @leryanwrites @ohmorefinawrites @letheanlilacs

[morgan-magic]

First Line Tag Game

Thank you lovely @malfoyesque for the tag! Read malfoyesque's here 💜

Rules are: post the first line(s) from the last 10 fics you've updated or posted (or however many fics you have, if less than 10).

Here are mine!

Our Souls in Time (Draco/Hermione, 156k words, WIP)

This Wednesday felt entirely unusual.

The Fixer (Draco/Hermione, 8.7k words, WIP)

She’s killed him.

Lightning Every Time She Moves (Draco/Hermione, 7.4k words)

Everything is messy.

The Promiscuity Belt (Draco/Hermione/Theo, 10.5k words)

Hermione had outrun werewolves, snatchers and unforgivable curses, and yet somehow, Draco Malfoy seized her with little effort.

Room of Desires (Draco/Hermione, 2.5k words)

Firelight flickers warm against Hermione’s cheek.

Autumn (Draco/Hermione, 1.3k words)

When the leaves turn, I find myself with a longing. 

Close Combat (Draco/Hermione, 17.8k words)

Draco Malfoy was bloody everywhere.

Dirty Distractions (Draco/Hermione, 2.5k words)

Draco had never been a begging man; but when Granger re-entered his life, shagged him against every surface of her office and then cast him aside, he knew it was only a matter of time before he fell to his knees for the witch.

At Every Age and Throughout the Ages (Draco/Hermione, 2.5k words)

Each and every night, a wizened old man walks the museum, but pauses at only one painting.

For You, I Would Fall From Grace (Draco/Hermione, 8k words)

The world had tilted.

Ok, so apparently I really love a short, sharp first line.

Tagging @saturnovemwrites @augustaoctavia87 @yeuxverts00 @asifyoucouldoutreadme @kaycares22

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

What a tasty selection!!!

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64691917

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

I made a little thing about my journey with fanfiction 🙂