Hi, this is very random but I'm actually writing a dissertation on Harry Potter Fanfiction and I'm looking for the 'big' fics, i.e. fics that lots of people in the fandom read - the most popular/famous ones that might even have their own sub-fandom (All The Young Dudes for example). Do you know of any Drarry ones like this? Thanks in advance!
What a wonderful topic for a dissertation @realistic-but-optimistic - I would LOVE to read it if you ever publish/want to share. And I definitely have some recs for fics that have their own mini fandom and/or are âThe Drarry Classicsâ
What We Pretend We Can't See by @gyzym [131k words]
Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: itâs never quite as far behind you as you thought
This is THE fandom classic almost everyone has read and talks about. It features a redeemed, slightly obsessive, charming Draco. Grimmauld Place plays a huge role in the fic and Ron/Hermione are wonderful. Overall 10/10.
Running on Air by @tinyhistory [75k]
Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.
I genuinely do not know if any fic rec can do justice to this masterpiece. Itâs so beautiful and poignant and somehow nostalgic. The language, the plot, the pining and the mystery are all breathtaking. You have to read this one yourself to believe me. This is definitely a major fandom classic.
Tea and No Sympathy [70k] by who_la_hoop
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?
If you like Groundhog Day style fics, this is the winner! It has over 32k kudos on AO3 which is INSANE! Itâs super well written and keeps you hooked until the very end. And itâs not just this one, every fic by this author is a classic in its own right. Especially âwritten on the heart.â
Right Hand Red [73k] by @lqtraintracksâ
Harry felt Malfoy's breath on his lips as they came together over the bottle, hands firmly planted on the floor as though they each needed their familiar soil, refusing to cross into enemy territory.
Except that Malfoy no longer felt like his enemy.
Malfoy felt inevitable.
No rec list can be complete without an eighth year fic. The fandom is FULL of eighth year fics and theyâre perfect for anyone craving a Harry Potter continuation but with Drarry. This is one of my absolute favourite ones. It features a lot of party games and itâs really nice to see Harry and Draco have a chance at a normal school year for once, something theyâve been robbed of for so many years. Thereâs a lot of pining and healing in this one and I felt all the feels when I read it.Â
Away Childish Things [151k] by @letteredlettered
Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.
This one. This one. THERE ARE NO WORDS BUT I WILL VALIANTLY ATTEMPT. I love it. It explores Harryâs childhood in a way very few fics have managed to and it really really tugs at the heartstrings. Itâs gorgeously written and evokes so many emotions. Please read this one.
Stop All the Clocks (This Is the Last Time Iâm Leaving Without You) [44k] by @firethesound
Living with Draco was difficult; living without him is unbearable. But if thereâs one thing Harry learned from the war, itâs that even when one life ends, the rest of the world goes right on living.
Full disclosure- I havenât read this and I donât know if I ever can. It features MCD (main character death) and I really struggle with reading fics that donât have a happy ending. Having said that, it is a fandom classic and everyone who has read it, RAVES about it. They say itâs gorgeous and beautiful and devastating. What I can confirm is that firethesound is an amazing author and I have read several other fics by them which could also be considered fandom classics. Especially âAll Our Secrets Laid Bareâ which is the ultimate Auror partners fic and âA Convenient Impracticalityâ which is the ultimate fake dating/friends-with-benefits fic.Â
Dwelling [83k] by aideomai
Curses, James and Lily Potter ride again, several Ministry balls, a teenage Summer of Love, a grim young adult dystopian winter, a few different Draco Malfoys, secrets and the problems re: not having any, alternate lives, impossible lives, real lives, allusions to Dirty Dancing, and just because it's not called the Mirror of Erised doesn't mean you shouldn't know better.
Oh my goodness, this fic ruined me. In the best possible way. If you want a glimpse into how Harryâs life could have been if his parents had been alive and if Harry and Draco had been friends from the start, this is the one. There's a huge twist which makes the fic EVEN better. I donât want to spoil too much but this one is worth a read. Another fic by the same author, âFar From The Treeâ is also gorgeous. Itâs a newer fic so I wouldnât say itâs a classic yet but the plot is SO unique. It features Harryâs grown up kids coming back into the past and how that could affect Harry/Dracoâs relationship. All the characters are super well written and itâs one of my personal favourites!
Other notes:
I made a Drarry rec list when I first got into the fandom. I would say almost all the fics on this list are also classics/very well liked.Â
Another great way to find classics are through this link. They are Drarry fics on Ao3 (30k+ words) sorted by the number of kudos theyâve received. I would say all fics on the first five pages can be considered classics.Â
Here are three other SUPER adored authors in the Ao3 fandom: Bixgirl, Saras_Girl and GallaPlacidia
All works by Bix and Saras_Girl are considered classics. GallaPlacidia started writing for the fandom only a couple of years back but she has such a knack for writing both these boys, itâs absolutely insane. Iâm 100% confident her fics will be considered classics in a few years! Especially âThe Bucket Listâ and âShip of Theseus.â
Enjoy and hope this helps!!
