Heart and Soul

The Dramione Awards

Round 5 Nominee

"Dear Miss Granger, I understand and sympathize with you, however there is very little else I can do. While I know how difficult Mr. Malfoy can be, you are his last hope... Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore. AU/AR, M/F"

Location: AFF.net (here)

Title: Heart and Soul

Author: Tassana Burrfoot

Rated: NC17, Adult+ (nothing extreme)

Categories: Best Novel Length (50K or more), Best Romance

I just finished this fic by T. Burrfoot and it had it's ups and downs, but I know I couldn't put it down! Good characterizations, awesome plot, and a backstory like no other. The concept, though a bit sped through, was really... I wouldn't say unique, but very well thought out. This is a plot that most would find typical and common, but it really isn't. Their experiences... I suppose I can't give anything away!

Pros: Great plot, story, phrasing, and concept, complete.

Cons: Quick paced periodically, overly fluffy/mean in parts, spelling issues.

The Dramione Awards Round 5

The Dramione Awards

Round 5 Nominations

Alright, so it's that time again! Well, it has been that time again... for a while yet! But now that all the nominations are up, and I have plenty of time, I can get through them all and vote appropriately! I couldn't do this with the Smutastic Awards, but I'm on it for the Dramione's! 

So yes, I must read, or have read, every fic to vote right. Right, correctly, whatever... I said "appropriately" above so we'll go with that one. So I am going down the list, (in my own order) reading the fics one by one. And now I have a plan!

I am going to review each fic, individually, but not the full on editorials I usually do. They are going to be short, really as a way for me to remember my likes and dislikes for when the actual voting comes around! My review format will contain the author, title, the fics location, the rating, the category(ies) nominated for, the summary, and a little review from me! So please, to the few people who check out my blog here, check those out! I can't really bomb through the 50K+ fics, but I shall try my best! 

This is awesome! So many fics to read, so little time. (June 1-June 30!)

This isn't meant to be a resource, Loves Dramione's sole purpose is and always will be my personal means to link to, recall, and have all of the fics I rec/rev in one place. All authors whose stories are reviewed and hotlinked here are contacted, and permission is granted from each. If an author wishes a review to be removed from my blog, I'll do so-no questions asked!

*I am in no way affiliated with the Dramione Awards, the authors and/or stories represented, or the moderators of the community itself. 

Need and Want

I got back into the groove! Holy crap fanfiction.net is really becoming my best source for fics, new and old. Not only do the pages load easier on my phone, the amount of fiction there is just stupendous...

Through the community "Hermione's Happy Endings," I have found a few fics that have loaded up the memory on my Blackberry: Be Careful What You Bet On by BooBlack, Best Laid Plans by shadowglove, Love and Forgiveness by HarryPGinnyW4eva, and most recently Need and Want by rinny08. 

Location: FF.net

The summary for this story is:

"Head Girl Hermione Granger wants nothing more than a quiet final year at Hogwarts, only to be thwarted by Head Boy Draco Malfoy who offers her an arrangement that might be everything she needs. AU after HBP and DH."

Warnings: AU (?)

Rating: soft M

Length: Medium length, 22 chapters/~45K words

Time Period: 7th year Hogwarts/Post War

How Good?: Pretty good, 8/10

And the Smut?: -/10, see below

Status: Complete

Pairing: Dramione 

Awards: Haven't found any...

***Spoilers

The Bad:

This fic was a pleasant, quick, easy read but by the description I was expecting much more... something. Spunk, heat, and that anticipation that you usually get while finishing a chapter. 

Alot of that anticipation was dissolved with the little previews given at the end of each chapter, along with the writers exceptional foreshadowing. It was too good, and I could tell nearly every "big" point in the story many chapters before they happened. 

The smut was, even though the summary foreshadows otherwise, nearly nonexistent and the relationship was so fluffy at times that... well, it almost seemed indecent for any smut to be written out at all. In the beginning, the deal is made, and I am expecting a plethora of hot and sweaty, but secret, Head Boy/Girl action. They set up their "arrangement" and we expect their first time together, along with the second, and perhaps some kink throughout the story. I mean, the fic is called Need and Want for goodness sake, not Want and Fulfilled. Despite our expectations, I can't remember any actual smut whatsoever... It's like, the set up is there, hints at foreplay, but even the kissing is kept to modest pecks for the most part. What I mean is, she sets up for what sounds like some amazingly randy hotness at the end of one chapter, only for it to be referred to briefly in the next. Or having a lead in with some caresses in one sentence, with some Stephenie Meyer sex smattered about (not even), and then the little "after their fulfilling night, Draco and Hermione went..." afterwards. And by Stephenie Meyer sex I mean the kind where she skips a few lines and you are just supposed to imagine it, in there, the blank space...

I bombed through this story trying to find the heat, but it wasn't there.

The Good:

I AM happy I finished this fic though. This is great writing, nearly perfectly betaed, very well thought out phrasing and sentence structure, and some beautiful descriptions. That's why this got an 8/10. Apart from the dryness of the plot itself, which is a bit half corked, if summarized correctly this fic could very possibly win a Dramione Award if it hasn't already. This has a very, though not particularly, happy ending--something I adore in a fic. 

Draco and Hermione's relationship progresses quickly, and although a lot of hearty information is left out, I can certainly appreciate what the writer has put in! There is a very intense moment at the end but... I really love how it is resolved! I guess I can't say anymore on that!

So, even though it is displayed as a fic with romance and angst, especially with the M rating, this is definitely not meant to be that kind of fic. It's fluffy, with some drama, a pleasant (though choppy) storyline, and should probably, if anything, be rated T. 

The Nietzcshe Classes

I read The Neitzcshe Classes by Beringae was a nice little treat! I finished it yesterday, and enjoyed it for the most part. I'm taking Intro to Philosophy currently, and just read The Gay Science so this was really interesting to find! I almost want to school my professor on fanfiction and Dramione just so he could effectively check out this fic! 

Location: FF.net

The summary for this story is:

"The Ministry takes action against the remaining prejudice in the wizarding society and asks Hermione for help. “What do you want? Money? Power? Name your price, Granger. I’m not about to let pride get in my way when an Azkaban sentence is on the line.”

Warnings: None listed, but your usual angst, drama, maybe some dubcon. Oh, and character death

Rating: M

Length: 15 chapters, 45K. Not very long, but big for this number of chapters I suppose. 

Time Period: Post War/Hogwarts

How Good?: Pretty good. 7/10

And the Smut?: Beautiful, but not the focus of the story. 

Status: Complete

Pairing: Dramione

***Spoilers

This is very... questionable. When I finished it, I didn't really feel like it was actually done, but not for the normal reasons. It wasn't as if there was this big dramatic  turmoil left unresolved, or a conflict that took a load of chapters, only for it to be scrambled closed hastily. I don't really know how to describe this.

The first thing I thought of after the last chapter was "that was dry." It wasn't full of pain, or passion, and Hermione was COMPLETELY hung up on Ron's death. Throughout the entire thing. And Draco is so detached he should be in an asylum. Practically everything he says is because he's lashing out. Well, maybe not...

You'd think that with Hermione in mourning, and Draco having everything (his parents, his status) taken away from him, that there would be a hot, dramatic, clash of minds and bodies once the initial hate and disgust wore off. But the only connection is the sex, and even in that Hermione is still imagining Ron hating her for it. 

Sigh. This is still wonderfully written, edited, and a plot that I've never read before. I love the quotes, and the themes of each chapter. I loved that. I guess I'm just so used to the big hot messes that I usually read that this was sort of different. But not in the refreshing way. 

:(. 

Freedom's Consequence, Rapture's Reward

Me, the terrible Dramione reader hadn't even heard of this fic, Freedom's Consequence, Rapture's Reward by CelticSass. But then again, I usually don't search for other people's rec lists. I found this story on a list that dynonugget made and immediately started reading it. It was everything I could hope for, and sometimes even more!

Location: FF.net

The summary for this story is:

"When trying to fulfill the terms of a relative's will Hermione Granger enters into a dangerous bargain with her childhood nemesis Draco Malfoy. Fate conspires against Hermione and the arrangement grows more complicated."

Warnings: Mild violence, briefly mentioned dark themes, sexual situations (duh!), adult language and themes. (Nothing out of the ordinary.)

Ratings: M

Length: Long, 26 very full chapters

Time Period: Post War

How Good? Surprisingly good, remarkable, something I would definitely recommend. 8.5/10 for many punctuation problems. If you aren't used to a lack of break indicators, it may take you a while to get in to the flow but it's worth it to try! But it's only punctuation that's the problem, the grammar and phrasing is so perfect, and the "English" like terms are aplenty! 

And the smut? Not the focus of the story, but 9/10 when it is in a chapter. Super hot... 

Status: Complete

Pairing: Dramione

What I look for as soon as I find a potential story to read is first, length, second, completeness. Almost every story that is complete, or has at least 20K words is worth reading and reviewing. So although dyno rec'd it, I still would have read it some day or another...

The warnings for this story are just something I made up from her introductory paragraph. There is no BDSM, no unseemly bloodplay, or Mpreg plotlines. Nothing worth being warned about. Which was pleasant! Shockingly so since I've been reading such "edgy" fics lately that this was so refreshing! 

And you know what else is refreshing? A disgustingly in character Draco. Hermione is her usual stubborn, narrow-minded, bookish self (perfect for the inevitable courting and romance)... but Draco, instead of transforming into this perfect, loving, though still snarky husband who is doing everything imaginable to make Hermione happy and raise a family and yah-dah, CelticSass leaves all of that alone. I trust she did this on purpose, cause it was amazing! To have a heartless, self-centered, self serving, user, prat, unfeeling sociopath Draco as, to me, the focus of the story was just so different, quirky, and just laughable at times. 

And although a slight change was apparent in his attitude toward the end of the story, it was really questionable. He maintained this attitude, and instead of changing to accommodate Hermione's soft/hard loving nature, he had other things to think about. Getting laid, protecting his possessions, and finding every possible way to keep his arse alive. This is what I'm talking about!

Hermione is, at times, just as thickheaded, but it works! He rubs off on her (not just like that), and it works so that Mione isn't trampled over completely in his bossiness...

For those planning on reading this, don't skip ahead! Ever. This fic has quite a few twists and turns, and they are all presented and resolved so well...

***I plan on reviewing "What Happens in Paris" by ArieSemir tomorrow after work... Yes, work! I got a job! Finally!

More Bound Prince

I haven't stopped reading! But I will wait to write the next few reviews of the series...

Harry Potter and the White Queen: done

Harry Potter and the Beloved Incubus: done

Harry Potter and the Serpent King: about to begin!

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Hermy

Harry Potter and The Secret Keeper

I have a little bit left to read but Harry Potter and The Secret Keeper by Slashpervert and Sayingsorry_hh was just as amazing as The Bound Prince. I knew what to expect, for the most part, and the length and thoroughness is just so...great? Wonderful? I don't know how many times I can say this, but this Bound Prince series is really my kind of reading. Length, angst, pain, and hot slash. 

The only fic, before this series, that I read that contained (contains) slash is Bound By Duty, by SoftObsidian74. The plot lines are completely different, and so is the slash. This isn't a comparison, just a statement!

Location: The Quidditch Pitch, LJ

The summary for this story is:

*Below*

Warnings: Alternate Universe, Angst, BDSM, Bondage, COntains Spoiler for HBP, D/s, Dub-Con, Frottage, Graphic Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Incest, Non-Con, Public Sex, Rimming, Slash, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence, Bloodplay (not listed)

Rating: ADULT

Length: Novel Length, 16OK

Time Period: Labeled as Voldemort Second War, when 7th Year should be

How Good? 10/10, just breathtaking. 

And the Smut? Phew! So hot. 

Status: Complete

Pairing: Harry/Draco, slight Ron/Hermione

"This book begins immediately following the previous once. Harry and Draco must find a way to live together now, figure out where they will live, and how they will continue Harry's fight against Voldemort, including the search for the Horcruxes. As if that weren't enough for them to deal with, Lucius Malfoy (and his fellow Death Eater prisoners) escapes from prison and comes looking for his son. [rating: ADULT. 160,000 words, 44 chapters.]"

This took a bit longer to read,  for me because it was the week before Spring Break, but also because it was so long. And literally, there were themes which required me to save the reading for a different time (not in class, or in church, or at a friends house). 

If you've read, which I hope you have, The Bound Prince then you should have little problems with this story. I didn't think I could be stunned or surprised any more so, but wow. I was, and really had to reread several sentences to make sure I read it properly. Nothing that can't be handled but... 

The entire series can be found (here) and is definitely going to be taking up the rest of my month! It's just so...  Epic. This takes the cake for EPIC, Mastery. And the take on pureblood relations was really something. It changed my outlook on Draco and his loyalty to his family, and his father. 

This story is pure feeling, where the first of the series was discovery and Hurt/comfort, The Secret Keeper was the embodiment of pain, lust, helplessness, and all those in between. 

Amazing!

Magical Memory Prologue

I just sort of popped this out. It is a mystery pairing for, gasp! Twilight.

I'm really proud of it, it's an idea that just came to me like Mirrored Glass, but on a much broader scale. It will also be written in a different style than my usual, but Twilight is much simpler than HP, and I can write like an unaware bint! (Spike used to call Dru that, as I recall).

My beta, new LJ member xsongforyoux edited this for me with 2 minutes notice so yay!

Alright.

Here it is...


I do hope y'all, who dare read something of mine, like it :). I'm new to Twilight writing...