Key to My Heart (T, 20k words) by @baegoalsandcreamcheese
Harry Potter gets locked out in the rain. He goes to his neighbour Draco Malfoy for help.
A rec for @gameofdrarry Wizard Hearts! You have THREE days to sign up, it's such a great time!
This fic was SO sweet. Harry is a footballer and has a really great meet-cute with his journalist neighbor Draco. Their romance builds quickly and very naturally. I loved the tiny details in this fic, it had the perfect balance of sweetness, tension, and guess what... THEY ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE! I know, I know, it's wild for these two idiots to talk it out. I love this iteration of Draco and Harry, they are mad for each other, and it made my little heart feel so full! This was a quick read, I highly recommend you check it out!
Between September 1 and December 31 I took part in the @gameofdrarry Wizard Hearts fic reading fest playing for Team Vanaheim. The four suits of cards (and an optional Smut suit) had a trope assigned to each card and the goal was to read and comment on fics we haven’t read before. We also had monthly team assignments (I’ve linked the Vanaheim team assignments here).
For this survey, we had the option to answer 13 of 18 questions. As this will be long, I’ll continue under the cut.
But, before I get to the survey, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the mods for all their hard work checking our comments and spreadsheets, keeping track of points, creating and checking our assignments, and answering all the questions asked on the Discord Server ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
1.What was the first fic you read for the game/fest? Why did you choose it?
The Four Doors by fluxweed. This was a story I had planned to read for a while and was actually mid-story when I realised, ‘hey, this works for 5♦️ Memory Loss.’ This was such an interesting story (I highly recommend!) and I loved the Legilimency aspects of it as well as how the relationship between Harry and Draco developed. After the fact, I was kicking myself that I didn’t use this for Smut Suit Jack ‘Power Dynamics’ because this would have been perfect for that trope and I struggled to find another suitable fic for that trope.
2. What was the last fic you read for the game/fest? How did it feel reading 52+ fics?
Tell me the end at the beginning by harryromper. I’m a big fan of harryromper’s stories and am still making my way through their posted works, so of course I was thrilled to read this for A❤️ Healer!Draco. This story has an amazing Draco. He’s hot AF in his three-piece suits, swears in French, and the staff at St Mungo’s call him McFrosty. This was written for 25 Days of Draco and Harry 2018 and harryromper has just finished a new story for this year’s fest which I can’t wait to go and read.
I read the 52 card regular deck, the smut suit, as well as 16 Go Squid fics, so I read 81 fics in total for this fest. But I also read a lot more than that during the fest including fics that didn’t qualify for the cards or were non-Drarry (I went on a Jeddy, Scorbus and Charlie Weasley bender mid-fest).
I’d say this fest made me seek out fics that I otherwise wouldn’t have found, and it’s definitely made me a better commenter. I wouldn’t say that I read any more than usual, but I did take notes while reading so I could leave a detailed comment at the end. One side-effect of this fest is that my MFL list has grown exponentially because I added everything from the Thrice Fic List, the remaining fics from the Go Squid List and anything interesting that I found while searching for fics to fit the tropes.
3. What's a fic you think is a hidden gem and deserves more hype?
Stand Back: I’m About to Perform Archaeology by Blowfish_Diaries
I can’t say enough good things about this fic. I couldn’t read it for the cards because I’d already read it and flailed in the comments so I rec’d it for Go Squid. It’s set during Eighth Year and has the perfect combination of humour, snark, banter, Harry and Draco bonding over Harry’s shitty childhood, drinking and party games, pining, and Hung!Harry. I read this more than six months ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. Go and read it!
Passion Cake by ICMezzo
This fic was both hilarious and beautifully written. I loved it so much I immediately wrote a rec for it. I adored Baker!Draco and his process for baking. I’m still cracking up at Harry almost serving a passion-inducing cake at Teddy’s birthday.
Haunt the corner of my eye by harryromper.
This was such a gorgeous read. I’ve read several other pieces by haryromper and just knew this would be amazing (and it was). I loved the way the story unraveled and I adore fics set inside Grimmauld Place.
4. What was your strategy for choosing fic/tropes for your reading list? Was there a fic/trope you found you simply couldn’t resist?
With a few exceptions, I started with the major cards so I’d always be able to contribute towards my team’s Royal Flush hand each week. Initially I tried to pick fics that were 50k+ and that qualified for the bonus box (Fest fic for ♣️, Multi-chap for ❤️, Before 2014 for ♦️). Eventually I had to lower the word count so I could finish the deck, but most fics I read were at least 10k+. I also tried to read something each of my teammates had written.
I’d be hard-pressed to pick just one trope I couldn’t resist, but some of my faves included: Eighth Year, Bed Sharing, Roommates, Mutual Pining, Auror Partners.
5. Was there a trope that you’ve read a lot of previously that you found uniquely presented?
Three Boxes and a Scrapbook by dracogotgame. I’ve read a fair number of bonding fics and the usual format is: Draco & Harry fighting, bonding incident, getting used to the bond, and resolution (whether that be severing the bond or living with it). I loved how dracogotgame mixed it up. We started with Harry and Draco getting divorced and Draco heading off to France. Then we see the after-effects of a year together and learn about the bond through flashbacks (many as part of the scrapbook photos). The story is so beautifully presented and I loved Bill’s presence in Harry’s life.
6. What's a line from a fic that you can't stop thinking about?
There’s a passage from Writcraft’s Slice of Life that I can’t stop thinking about:
“Harry sometimes feels like those discarded jam tarts. The ones that nobody else wanted, not perfect enough to bring out in front of guests.”
This gets me every time. It’s such a perfect metaphor to describe Harry’s life at that time and it makes me tear up every time I think about it. Then the jam tarts are woven throughout the entire fic and it’s just perfect and gorgeous. I made a rec for this fic.
Also, Harry’s love confession during Names and Dreams of Futures Past by KittyAug has stayed with me since I read the fic. I can’t stop thinking about it. The whole scene was so perfect and emotional. I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t carry on, but I do recommend it.
8. Was there a trope you’ve never read or heard of before? What did you think?
OMG yes. Magic Healing Cock was a trope I’d never heard of and yet I could immediately think of the perfect fic for it, which unfortunately I had already read, To Be Out of Your Own (and consumed by another) by Cassiara. I ended up reading The Conquering of Harry Potter’s Virginity by FantasyFiend09 which was a fun story. Surprisingly, while reading for the other tropes, I encountered several more fics that could fill the Magic Healing Cock trope. I dunno, maybe I should make a rec list or something 🤣
9. Which trope did you read that pleasantly surprised you?
I was pleasantly surprised by Vampire!fic. I love vampire stories. I love Drarry (obviously). But I haven’t read much vampire Drarry. I read Midnight in the City of a Hundred Spires by Shiftylinguini and it was sooooo good. The way they characterised vampire!Draco felt so authentic and I loved the magical theory surrounding Harry and the consequences of him being a Horcrux for so many years.
10. Is there a fic that made you laugh out loud?
Ad Pavonem by Lomonaaeren, which fittingly I read for Crack!fic. Harry as a peacock is hilarious and the whole story is so well written. I love it when an author treats crack seriously and really goes for it. I appreciated the way the story was told through both peacock-Harry’s POV (a perfect blend of animal instinct yet distinctly Harry) and Draco’s POV (I adored his observations of the peculiar peacock and later his unique understanding of peacock-Harry). I made a rec for this here.
11. What is your favourite trope and why?
It’s really hard for me to pick just one, but if I had to choose I’d go with Hogwarts Eighth Year. I love it when barriers are broken down through party games and inter-house unity, and of course I adore roommates and bedsharing. Insert humour, snark and banter, plus magical theory and I’m all in. I think at least 11 of the fics I read for the fest were set in Eighth Year.
12. Which tropes did you skip? Would you be willing to share why? If you didn’t skip a trope, was there one that gave you pause?
I considered using a wildcard in place of Smut Suit Jack: Power Dynamics. One of the things I really love about Drarry is how evenly matched they are, like the opposite sides of a coin: light and dark, magically powerful and wild vs controlled and precise. They’ve both caused each other pain and both have things to apologise for. So a power imbalance takes away what I love about Drarry and it sort of rubs me the wrong way. Balance, Imperfect by bixgirl1 would have been a perfect fit for this trope and explores the power imbalance within a Healer/Patient relationship beautifully and with sensitivity, but I’d already read it and commented. I ended up reading Rebuilding Draco Malfoy by khasael, which I found through sitp’s awesome rec lists, and I did enjoy reading it.
15. Which suit did you have the most fun reading? Why?
I enjoyed all the suits. But, if I had to pick one, I’d have to go with hearts. There are so many tropes I love in that suit including Room of Requirement, Grimmauld Place, Powerful!Harry, Crack!fic, Established Relationship, Veela, and Dragons. There were so many fics I wanted to read (and added many to my MFL list) but I tried to choose those which were multi-chaptered for the bonus point.
18. Do you have any feedback for the mods of the game/fest? Would you be interested in playing again if the opportunity arose? Share more info about your experience.
Overall I really enjoyed the fest. One complaint would be that the bonus box for Spades was “not on AO3” and I refuse to read stuff not on AO3 because: 1) I don’t want to have to create an account anywhere else, and 2) I really like the formatting (especially for mobile viewing) and tagging way better on AO3. So I would prefer if there was a different bonus option next time, but of course that’s up to you.
I really enjoyed the team activities, but it was a struggle to fit them in with all the reading, commenting and getting my own writing done. Maybe we could do with one or two less next time?
I would definitely play again, but not necessarily next year. This was a big game to play and I didn’t sign up for Fan Fair commenting because it would have felt like too much (of course I realise now I could have possibly double-dipped and used my comment for both fests). So I may play again if it’s offered next year, but I also may sit a year out. I’ll have to see where I’m at closer to September. But I would be intrigued if the tropes were mixed up a bit. I don’t mind repeats but maybe swap some out. It seemed a bit repetitive to have both Soulmates and Soulmarks, and there’s already an element of Power Dynamics with BDSM and A/B/O. I’d love to see Polyamorous Sex, Legilimency, Wandlore, Sentient Houses, Curse-Breakers (or Unspeakables).
Tags: Matchmaker Albus Dumbledore, Mutual Pining, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Non-Linear Narrative, Jam Tarts, Hung!Draco, Fluff and Humour
Summary:
Luna and Ginny are worried about Harry, Greg is a very a fine baker, Snape’s portrait has a lot of opinions and Draco Malfoy is (probably) up to something.
In which one man’s love for jam tarts blossoms into a different kind of love entirely.
Excerpt:
Harry carefully opens the small square of kitchen towel he used to wrap up the broken jam tart he swiped when Aunt Petunia had her back turned. It’s not the sort of jam tart anyone would miss. Aunt Petunia said as much herself, cursing under her breath about the broken pastry and burned edges. She made another batch of perfect, glossy tarts to serve the guests visiting that afternoon and Harry managed to grab one from the unsuccessful batch before she threw them in the bin. Harry sometimes feels like those discarded jam tarts. The ones that nobody else wanted, not perfect enough to bring out in front of guests.
Rec Notes:
I never thought I’d feel emotional over jam tarts but that’s what exactly what I am. Written for the 2018 H/D Food Fair, this fic is a gem and I’m so glad I found it.
Writcraft has woven together a beautiful tale of Harry’s past and present, and it’s all connected through his passion for jam tarts.
The first flashback (from which the above excerpt was taken) establishes Harry’s lifetime love affair with jam tarts and it broke my heart. The jam tart metaphor really hit home for me and I haven’t been able to stop thinking of the poor little boy in the cupboard all alone and feeling worthless.
I loved the non-linear narrative that gave hints at a previous Harry/Draco coupling and left me wanting to know more. What happened? Why didn’t they get together? I had to know and couldn’t stop reading.
I love the idea of Dumbledore playing matchmaker from beyond the grave. This was such an interesting take on his penchant for manipulation, but at least this time it was for Harry’s benefit.
The art for this story is fantastic. There are six beautiful drawings, expressive and filled with emotion, that accompany the story so wonderfully.
Tags: Hate Sex, Fuck or Die, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Homophobia, Ice Cream
Summary:
Voldemort may be dead, but not without leaving one final fuck you to the magical world. On the eve on his death all remaining witches and wizards, both good and evil, join together to see whose name will be drawn from The Lotto, and who will have to fuck or die.
Rec Notes:
While the primary concept is hate sex/fuck-or-die, somehow this fic manages to be adorable, hilarious, heart-breaking, heart-warming, and sexy all at the same time. I loved every moment. Draco’s insistence that they go on three ice cream dates first was both ridiculous and sweet. Lucius is a jackass, but we already know that. Harry and Draco’s banter was fabulous and the ending was just perfect 😍
Excerpt:
“Did you order?” I ask.
“Sit down, Potter,” he says, his eyes never leaving the paper, “Did you see this article? They honestly think your name getting pulled from the cauldron might end the curse. They think you fucking me might end it,” he looks up at me with a cheeky grin, “Is your cock magic, Potter?”
“I’ve been told it is, but I don’t know if it's curse-breaking good.” I retort.
He snickers and flags the server over, “I’ll have the Cotton Candy Crackle, please. Make it two scoops this time.”
Tags: Amortentia, Baker!Draco, Aphrodisiacs, Oblivious Harry, Asexuality, Humour + more
Summary:
It’s all about desire. (Harry orders a magically enhanced cake from a chic London bakery, and from there it all goes to hell in a cake tin. Also, will someone please tell Harry what Passion Cake is?)
Rec Notes:
I can’t tell you enough how much fun I had reading this. There were so many fun details, from needing a wand signature so get the cake to Harry’s owl that needs glasses and crashes into everything , and Harry negotiating ‘open curtain time’ with Walburga. FYI, Son of a Centaur is now my new favourite expression 😂
Harry’s journey was so beautiful, from oblivious to wanting to feel what everyone else feels. The alternating sections from Draco’s POV were a perfect balance. As a baker, I loved his methodical baking process and the passion he put into each dessert. The Amortentia-laced bonbons were a delight and I loved watching the cogs turn in Draco’s head as he tried to figure Harry’s needs out. Such a fun and gorgeous piece. I highly recommend it.
Excerpt:
(I’m just going to quote several random lines that I loved because there are so many good ones).
He took another bite of his cake. It was delicious—the best he’d had in ages, actually—but he didn’t know how cake could be good enough to get someone pregnant.
Harry was just feeling a little sorry for himself. He never seemed to feel what everyone else was feeling, and realizing it was happening again exhausted him down to his bones.
When Harry agreed, verbally and in writing, because Malfoy was a wanker, he was finally handed his piece of the tart.
And Malfoy, who he’d only ever seen one way, was now letting Harry see bits and pieces of himself, and Harry found that incredibly compelling. Or maybe Draco had tried before, but Harry had refused to look. But now that he’d been forced to see Draco, he wanted to know more about him, wanted to spend time with him. The Amortentia clearly knew it too. And if there was still another way to see Draco Malfoy, then Harry found he wanted to very, very badly.
I’m having so much fun playing the @gameofdrarry Wizard Hearts Game. For 10 ❤️ I read this awesome piece. I’m so amazed by how prolific Lomonaaeren is (I’ve barely scratched the surface of their 500+ fics) and jumped at the opportunity to read this for my crack!fic card.
Title: Ad Pavonum
Author: Lomonaaeren
Rating: Mature
Word Count: 29460
Tags: Aurors, Crack, Jealousy, Mystery, Peacocks, Birds, Master of Death Harry Potter
Summary:
Draco Malfoy, who had seemed to be staying out of trouble after the war, has been connected to smugglers of Dark artifacts. Harry goes to investigate…and runs afoul of a defensive spell at the Manor that makes it highly improbable he can complete his mission. Much worse, Draco doesn’t even know the defensive spell has been triggered.
Rec Notes:
Oh my goodness I enjoyed this so much!! I don’t read a lot of crack!fic but when I do I love it when the crack premise is treated seriously. Lomonaaeren commits fully and delivers and the result is hilarious and a delight.
Essentially, Harry triggers a defensive spell at the Manor that turns him into a peacock. Because he was using the Elder Wand he was protected and maintained his human capacity to think.
I really loved the switching POVs so we are given all the details from Harry as a peacock and Draco observing one of his flock acting in a very peculiar manner. I enjoyed how they were able to communicate without words and am amazed at how Lomonaaeren was able to create a sense of sexual tension between the two whilst Harry was in peacock form (see excerpt). This was such a fun and amazing read.
Excerpt:
He turned his tail, though, and faced Draco, cocking his head. Draco paused for a second as if he was waiting for words even though Harry couldn’t speak, and then reached out and stroked the plume on top of Harry’s head.
Harry hadn’t known how good that would feel. He’d once been Transfigured into a cat as part of Auror training, to see how long it took them before animal instincts started to impose on their human minds, and not even being petted on the head had felt like this. He tilted his head so Draco could reach the plume more easily and stalked a step towards him.
“As entertaining as this is,” said Hazan in a strangled voice, “is Auror Peacock here for a reason?”
“He wants to know more about Malfoy’s suspicions of smugglers on his grounds,” said Ron, covering for the fact that Harry couldn’t tell him why he wanted to be here pretty glibly. Harry would have to tell him, when he could, how glib he found it. “He knows Malfoy’s innocent, but he thinks…”
The words faded before the strokes of Draco’s knuckles. Harry barely controlled the impulse to spread his tail and dance in front of Draco. He deserved some sort of acknowledgment for how good he was at this.
Maybe he knows how to pet a peacock because he’s petted plenty of them in the past.
And that thought, ridiculous as it was, made Harry want to bugle in outrage and go back to the Manor grounds and fight a few of those birds who had been birds their whole lives. No one but him deserved to have Draco touch them like this. Only him.
