OdinsReaper

Measure Of A Man

Thirty Seven - Even The Odds

Summary

To truly know someone is to differentiate between who they once were, who they are now, and who they're capable of being. Hermione realises the duality of one man as she rectifies what she knows of the past and begins to understand the pieces of who Draco Malfoy is now: a father, a son, and a man.

Preview

Debris settled like ash after a fire.

There was no time to exhale.

The air was teeming with an electric mix of magic and chaos.

As soon as she saw the Death Eaters start to move again, Hermione didn’t wait for her ears to stop ringing or for the nausea to subside before putting eyes on each boy at opposite ends of the play set.

Both were protected from the aftermath. Pale and visibly terrified but safe.

Quiet.

“I see now why we’re down a dog.” Rodolphus’ voice was barely audible. “Go.”

The crack sounded like a whip. A cloaked Death Eater appeared right behind a panicked Albus who screamed and ducked when the wizard lunged at him first.

A second attempt never happened.

Link

AO3 || FFN

Measure of a Man

Thirty One - The Passenger Seat

Summary:

To truly know someone is to differentiate between who they once were, who they are now, and who they're capable of being. Hermione realises the duality of one man as she rectifies what she knows of the past and begins to understand the pieces of who Draco Malfoy is now: a father, a son, and a man.

Preview:

“He’s… an interesting man.”

“That he is.”

“Like still waters, silent men are deep and dangerous.”

That was quite the statement coming from her father.

But not wholly untrue.

Draco was still an enigma, a riddle yet to be solved, but the questions that now lingered were different than before.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Here’s the thing, Granger—Draco keeps his cards close to his chest. He doesn’t like to let anyone know his business. He’s a control freak, which shouldn’t surprise you. But sometimes he forgets that a few of us have been around long enough to recognize his tells.”

Hermione let out a slow breath, unable to figure out where this was going. “And those are?”

“Oh, no,” Theo said with a laugh, shaking his head. “I might be reckless but I don’t have a death wish.”

“Then what do you want?” she ground out.

His body language stilled, and he tilted his head to force her to meet his gaze. He’d gone from lighthearted to serious in an instant, transforming into something so carefully controlled that it had her stepping back again.

“To tell you to be careful. Draco… when he cares about something, he cares deeply. He doesn’t do anything without thinking it through. Without weighing every option and possibility. And after what his father put him through, I’m not surprised. It’s how he learned to control what he could to keep himself safe. I don't know what’s going on between the two of you or if it’s just a matter of time, and I know that on some level, it’s none of my business. But he is my business, and I know that you’re a risk.”

Read it on AO3

Now complete! Huge, ginormous, neverending thanks to @popsiclememories for beta-ing and just being an all-around excellent human and friend 🥰💕.

Thank you to everyone who followed along, here's the final excerpt:

That foggy haze of leaving medical sedation. The blurry lines as you tried to focus. One blink to register that you needed to wake up, the next that you’re not in the same place you fell asleep. Another blink to check your surroundings. Who’s here? Where am I? What day is it? Do I have all my limbs?

Information trickled in slowly, memories in their wake. Panic seeped in too, trying desperately to jolt you awake faster than you’d like. The pull of potions in your veins would like you to stay right here, sunken and safe with no worries to plague you, no wands to wield, just stay oblivious in ignorant bliss.

But the mind unfortunately remembered you had some rather pressing questions to answer. Especially if you are Draco and remembered some urgent matters occurring in your life.

Theo. Blaise. Were they all right?

Read the rest: Ao3 II FFN II wattpad

The fine hairs on Hermione’s arm lift, as if compelled away from her body by magical static and a thrill of closeness. With a deep breath and another bite of her stolen breakfast, she steps back.

The rope yearns. It pulls. She wants to seek the comfort closeness begs of her. Every inch in the opposite direction amplifies her frustration. She knows she’s emotional, and she’s frustrated over it. It’s a self-fulfilling spiral wherein her agitation only grows.

She swats at the rope, silver swirling, dissipating, and reforming. She wants a moment of peace from it, just one.

“Not right now. I just”—she huffs, sighs, swats some more—“don’t want to. Not right now.” Her eyes sting, a raw burn in the back of her sockets so fierce she wonders if petrol might be involved. Her throat closes, tense and aching. She can’t breathe, but she’s still mumbling, still trying to tell the rope no, not right now, please leave me alone for just one minute of my day.

She thinks as far as meltdowns go, this is a quiet one: self-contained.

I started reading Harry Potter fanfiction this year (thanks to Tik Tok) and these stories I’ve read keep me up at night because I cannot stop thinking about them. 

#1- Manacled by @senlinyu

This is story is a MASTERPIECE. I cannot express how many times I’ve read and thought about this story. The way Hermione loves Draco and Draco loves Hermione is unbeatable. Hermione is a literal boss bitch in this story and my favorite Hermione in everything I’ve read. The build up, the tension, the CHEMISTRY; it is the best thing I have ever read. I could write a whole damn brook report on this story and be proud of it. This story is just… ugh *ultimate chefs kiss*.

#2- Rights and Wrongs series by @lovesbitca8 

The Right Thing To Do, All the Wrong Things, and The Auction are my absolute favorite pieces of writing ever. Draco Malfoy in this series is my horny king, and the best Draco in everything I’ve read. The Auction has a special place in my heart because of hard Hermione works to stay alive and keep the Malfoys alive, as well. All the characters in each story are so well written, especially the Malfoys, and I cannot express how in love I am with each little plot detail and connection between the stories.   

#3- Remain Nameless by @heyjude19-writing

I recently read this story and I cannot get enough of it. This is first fic I’ve read with a wedding scene (two scenes!!) and I cannot put it in words of how perfect it is. This story is all about the love Draco and Hermione have for each other, and it has set such unrealistic expectations for me…ugh. Every chapter had me smiling like an idiot and I could not put it down. 

#4- Cruel and Beautiful World by Lena Phoria 

I am so happy that Lena Phoria turned this fanfiction into a book, but nothing beats the original characters in this story. The way I fell in love with all the characters (except Voldemort, gross) is immaculate. This story deals with a lot of trauma and heavy topics, but the plot and the characters are just too good. Draco is a sweetheart and absolutely whipped for Hermione, but they need each other. I have never laughed so hard while reading a dark AU fic, and this story made my abs hurt. Definitely one to read.

#5- All You Want by @senlinyu

Holy shit. This story has the best smut I have ever read. The way senlinyu describes what’s happening to Alpha Draco and Omega Hermione during sex makes me laugh out loud. It is so so good and so so sexy. It is such a fun story to read, and that’s why I love it so much. 

#6- Breath mints / Battle Scars by @onyx-and-elm

This story is the definition of toxicity, but honestly, it’s still so good. Both Hermione and Draco are changed after the war, and they fall in love by rage, sex, and protection of one another. Hermione does not give a single damn about what people may say about her, and Draco just wants her to be happy (although it does take a while for him to see what that really means). Plot and characters are amazing, and the ending is *chefs kiss*.

#7- Isolation by Bex-chan 

The first Dramione fanfiction I’ve ever read, and it has a very special place in my heart. I didn’t think I would like reading Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger fanfiction, but this story changed my mind and led to my spiral of reading such amazing stories. Such an amazing read, and I love seeing Draco grow into a man that Hermione deserves and loves. This story is iconic.

#8- Hunted by Bex-chan

Another superb story by Bex-chan. A Romance/Mystery story after the war and Draco and Hermione fall in love… hard. They are great together and the plot is amazing. This story is another iconic one for me.

#9- Love and Other Misfortunes by @senlinyu

Another great piece of work from the Queen herself, senlinyu. Draco is so stubborn it hurts, but it’s okay because Hermione is there to save the day (duh). Love these two and the romance between them in this story. Also, Veela Draco with wings and fangs is too much for me. Not that it’s important or anything, but the smut level is through the roof. Love it.

#10- Bring Him to His Knees by @willhavetheirtrinkets

Auror Draco and Auror Harry are an iconic duo. I love how intricate Draco is in this story, and how his past still very much affects his present, but Hermione helps him a lot, and it shows just how much they care for each other. Hermione and Draco dance around each other until they realize *wait* they have feelings for each other! It is not complete yet, but I do check every week or so for updates because it has a good murder mystery plot and a fabulous Dramione. 

#11- The Risk-Reward Ratio by MissiAmphetamine

War fic, and honestly one of my favorite ones. Draco sucks up his pride and goes to the Order for help, and Hermione is the only one who truly excepts him. Draco is a stubborn bastard in this story, but he makes up for it. The scenes are so real, and neither character is perfect, but you’ll see how far they are willing to go for each other. 

#12- The Just World Fallacy by MissiAmphetamine

Sequel to The Risk-Reward Ratio, and this one is tough. Still so good, but deals with torture, PTSD, rape, and more heavy topics. The love that still stands between Draco and Hermione even after all that they have been through together is beautiful. I love this story, and I love seeing how each character grows into their own person while during a war.

#13- Broken by @inadaze22

I have never cried so much while reading a story. This story made ME feel broken because Hermione is quite literally shattered, but so is Draco. It’s a story that makes you feel so many things at once and it is beautiful. Super slow-burn, but in the end, Hermione and Draco are meant to be together. 

#14- This World or Any Other series by @olivieblake

Clean and Marked are incredible stories with a rollercoaster twist. I love each character in this series, and the love that Hermione has for Draco, and vice versa, is the most powerful thing in this universe. The relationship starts with a potion assignment and just extends through there. I love their characters so much alongside the secondary characters and it makes the story so interesting. 6th year Hogwarts and continues with the war, but Draco and Hermione are always there for each other no matter what. 

#15- The Eagles Nest by HeartOfApsen

Ravenclaw Draco and Hermione, 8th year, and Alchemy. This story is so complex, and I couldn’t stop reading it. I love both Draco and Hermione and how they work to settle a problem together. Also seeing all the secret rooms in Hogwarts was another compelling aspect of the story that I loved. They know they need each other, and them being nerds and all, school is what brings them together in the end.

#16- Almost Perfect, Almost Yours by BelleOfSummer

I could not put down this story. No matter how much it angered me, and no matter how much I wanted to throw my laptop at the wall, I couldn’t stop reading. The plot is so interesting where Hermione is raised by a Pureblood family, but she was adopted from muggles, so she is Muggleborn. All the while her and Draco fall in love through their teen years and go through a war together. Hermione is a bad bitch and Draco is whipped (maybe not in a good way). They experience so much together, and in the end, you learn to love them for who they are.

#17- The Green Girl by @colubrina

Hermione is sorted into Slytherin and makes all new friends that do not include Harry Potter or Ronald Weasley. I freaking love this story because Hermione is a literal Queen, and the story itself is so well written. I don’t usually read T-rated works, but I could not put this one down because it has such an interesting plot.

#18- Erised Effect by @adaprix

Smut, smut, and more smut with such a cute plot. I love little Hermione as a bad bitch and big dick Draco as a little softy. I was hooked from the first chapter and it was so crazy. The sex scenes in this are just… *fans self*. This story is a rollercoaster of smut, but Draco and Hermione are my all time favs in this.

#19- Every Day, a Little Death by @lovesbitca8

Draco tries everything to satisfy Hermione, and when I say everything, I mean everything. Such a cute story with such a cute relationship. Hermione doesn’t mean to fall in love, but alas, Draco is a sex God and it was inevitable. I love this story!

#20- Crimson with a Silver Lining by Lady Cailan

A dark AU where Draco is mesmerized by Hermione and her will to stay alive. Their love is so strong, but alas, Draco is a stubborn bastard. This story is an emotional rollercoaster and another story where I could not put it down. Also *spoiler* some family drama going on throughout the story. 

#21- Bond by MrBenzedrine89

*fans self* again because this story is incredible. Love the smut, love the club, love the love between Draco and Hermione. Super interesting details in this story with Draco, Hermione, and the infamous Bond club. Loved reading this story.

epilogue

Draco’s eyes never left hers as she stepped down the aisle, taking care to keep each foot steady. They didn’t dip down to her overpriced dress, or scan the crowd to find Scorpius perched on Narcissa’s lap in the front row. He didn’t look at any of the other guests who were sitting on fine, white chairs across the lawn, or to Harry as he walked with her, arm in arm.

Draco’s gaze stayed on her, his throat working as he swallowed, and every step brought her closer to him.

Her eyes brimmed with tears as Harry handed her off with a brief smile, and she took Draco’s hands in her own. They stood at the front of the crowd, fingers intertwined, and no one else existed.

The ceremony was brief, and she knew she should pay attention, but she couldn’t. Nothing else mattered besides the eyes across from hers, shining with their own tears, reflecting the same shade of grey as the silk underlay on her dress.

There was only Draco.

read it on ao3

Let The Dark In by senlinyu

Chapter 4: The Hungarian Horntail

She’s led up the weaving stairway to the faculty section in the stands. The professors shuffle around to make room, all nodding approvingly at her. Professor Flitwick says, “Very nicely done,” as she passes, and Slughorn raises a mug as if to toast her. Now, high overhead, she can finally look down into the full arena. Each of the enclosures are constructed in the same general size and shape, each with large stones and boulders scattered across the ground. The walls on all sides are high enough to prevent the dragons from seeing each other.

The dragons are all in the centre of their respective enclosures. The Chinese Fireball has returned to its clutch, curled up like a serpent and breathing steady puffs of fire across the eggs. Hermione can see Bisset’s sleeping Swedish Short-snout, stretched out like a winding river of blue.

Here you are:

Part 1: Why I Don’t Post Multiple Chapters Simultaneously

Part 2: Tips for Promoting Fics

A number of things have changed I wrote part 2.

Wattpad has become a much bigger part of Dramione, but I still have not figured out any rhyme or reason to “how” you’re supposed to promote your fics there. The readership is _very_ young and comments on the fic are like a group chat for readers not actually intended for the author, I personally have an email just for wattpad comments and I have that email turned off because most of them are not worth the time spent reading them, the only reason I store them at all is to keep records because of multiple instances of bullying that I’ve had to report to wattpad.

Dramione Reddit is more active now, however it is the platform that has most normalized fic criticism discussions compared to the other parts of the Dramione communities. Which some authors are alright with, others not. However the criticism is mostly for fics whose authors are not active on the subreddit, they’re generally more tempered towards visible members. I haven’t seen Reddit self-promotion “make” a fic, but as a public platform, the conversations there do show up in things like Google searches.

Twitter is also more active now but I’ve yet to see it notably useful to a fanfic writer’s self-promotion. If other people are talking about a fic it can drum up attention, but self-promo there seems to be pretty much a full time job. It also leans anti and there’s a ton of openly-identifying minors trying to interact with adult content and adult content creators.

Chapter Six

So when his eagle owl landed on her windowsill just as she arrived home from work, it sent another spike of frustration through her chest. Clutched in its talons was a flat package wrapped in black paper, and attached was a small note. Once she’d given the owl a quick scratch, she took a look at his note.

Wear this for me tomorrow, and nothing else.

No formal address of who he was even writing to, nor did he bother signing his initials at the very least. It felt cold and detached, like a set of instructions to a stranger, and did nothing to quell her building temper.

Hermione scoffed when she tore open the black paper, unsurprised at his “gift” for her. Tucked inside, neatly arranged into a little pile, was a set of lingerie. It was made of soft green lace, with delicate scalloped edges and matching elastic, and she glared at it as she felt the material between her fingers. The color was so dark it was almost black, and the matching bra and knickers coordinated with a garter set in the same color. It would barely cover her, and she assumed that was the point.

Taking a few deep breaths as she formulated a plan, she reached for her wand.

Read it on AO3.

Noting that I don’t take issue with either scene. Implied consent exists in an established relationship.