I’ve not read much Dramione… though I like other HP combos. So, I’m wondering, is it crazy to ask you what appeals to you about Dramione, in like a few words (sentences/paragraphs…whatever works for you, if anything works?).
I would like to read your answer - obviously it’s your choice to answer or not.
but I’m also interested in whether it’s reasonable to explain why you like a fic pairing or not. If that’s interesting to you, I’d love to hear what you think about this question…
I’m very much unsure that this is interesting at all, so no pressure to publish this ask!!!! So, just in case this goes nowhere, I wanted to at least let you know that I enjoy your blog. ☺️
Hey, hi, hello! :D I honestly only just now realised I had this ask and am therefore woefully late to answering it - scusi!!!! I suppose the honest answer is that I am very often (fashionably) late to things - as I was to joining Tumblr or ao3 or or or you name it. In the same vein I got into HP only when my bestie dragged me into the cinema to watch the 5th film and - ever the avid reader - I got curious as to what they'd left out since I knew the book was a hefty volume and there was no way they had kept everything in. Thus began my HP journey - by reading Order of the Phoenix first and then spending all summer reading the rest of the books completely out of chronological order! Deathly Hallows was published shortly before my birthday that year and promptly gifted to me. Wonderful!
Anyway, the more I got into it, the more I thought that Draco and Hermione would be a great match on an intellectual and magical skill level. Draco is smart (and a bloody bigot, yes) and I very much enjoyed the (quite) redemptive story arc the Malfoys go through in the books. Plus, remember, I was a teen and omg did forbidden love/desire appeal to me! It was pretty much CATNIP to me.
Writing Dramione started off the coattails of that whirlwind HP summer where I read all the books and watched all the available films and decided to write a little something-something for my friend's birthday. I shudder to think of it now bc my goodness was it explicit for someone who had NO IDEA what they were writing about!
As I got older my view of dramione shifted away from forbidden desire to more of a "how would it ACTUALLY work to be in any type of relationship with your former childhood tormenter" thought process. Though looking back I cannot tell you how much of my initial interest in Draco was Tom Felton and how much was ACTUAL Draco Malfoy. I realise there is a lot of complexity to it and then of course there are the people who hate dramione bc of the abusive interactions they have for most of the books and I absolutely understand.
However, I have always been intrigued by fucked up pairings and now, so many years after I fell in love with that pairing, I enjoy writing them as adults and accompanying them through different versions of their adult selves and lives.
Dramione is my comfort pairing, they are the characters I feel so familiar with I can easily use them like puppets in a doll house. So, on the one hand, they've just kinda grown with me as a person and a writer and a fan. On the other hand, I have always enjoyed the built-in conflict and tension - and the miryard ways they can be resolved or left unresolved. I do love me a good redemption arc. I also love me some banter and character growth and steaminess. Thus, Dramione provides me with all of the above.
Over the years I've written many versions of dramione. Sadistic!Draco, Sub!Draco and Dom!Hermione, teen versions, adult versions, silly versions, serious versions, happy versions (few), dark versions (many) and I am currently working on my longest multi-chapter dramione fic yet, which explores redemption and healing. They really are my playground and my comfort.
Hermione being smart as a whip, working extra hard, always struggling with aspects of her personality and persevering nonetheless also was a huge factor that made me interested in her. And bless book!Ron but idk Draco brings the sparks for me!
Right. That was very long!
As for whether it is reasonable to ask someone to explain why they are into a certain pairing: of course, why not? It's a good opportunity for me - or any shipper, really - to reflect on what makes us interested and keeps us coming back. I'm not sure if anyone apart from the two of us will be interested in my answers, but here they are - convoluted, inclomplete and all-over the shop, as it were.
I hope that kinda answers your questions! If not, I will endeavour to go back and make better heads and tails of all of this - so far it's pretty much stream of consciousness, haha!
Anyway, thank you so much for asking and liking my blog! It's a joy and I am not deserting dramione or milex any time soon, even though I might be quite silent at times. :)