Hello Librarian! I need your help, your assistance, your insight. My heart is craving some fated romance, some soulmate fics if you would please? The idea just warms my soul and gives me hope about romance. Thank you!
Your holds have arrived!
Soulmate fics are so fun! I love the romance of the idea that Fate has brought two people together, but in the end love is always a choice. *wipes away a tear* Ah, wuv. Twue wuv.
Soulmate Fics
Paint Sunlight on the side of a House by @punk-rock-yuppie (2,719 words, rated M)
Draco had never been all that enthralled with his soulmark.
5 Times Throughout History Harry and Draco Don't End Up Together (+1 Where They Do) by @parseltonquinq (6,036 words, rated T)
413 BCE as Greek and Spartan soldiers, 1268 as a nobleman and peasant, 1348 during the Black Plague, 1832 in the barricades in Paris, 1942 during WWII in New York, and 2019āfive times the universe brought Harry and Draco together and one time where it sticks.
The Ripples They Cause by @p1013 (9,849 words, rated M)
As Draco's mind tries to process his next move, the air ripples around his wrist, and he freezes. It's a subtle thing, as gentle and forgettable as an errant breeze. But it's one he's never felt before, a breath against his pulse, a fleeting touch from a stranger, the weight of eyes on his skin. All of those soft, tender, almost-not-there sensations, centered on the series of three numbers scrawled across his skin.
Everyone is born with a date on their wrist, the date of their soulmateās death. On Draco Malfoyās wrist, it's 02.05.1998
If it Takes All Night by @tackytigerfic (10,883 words, rated M)
It's not the first time Harry's been the victim of a botched curse (that's one of the reasons he doesn't like crowds), but he feels bad that Malfoy had to get caught up in it too.
So they're bonded. That's ok, they just have to make sure to be touching at all time. No problem. Because Malfoy smells so nice, and has such lovely shiny hair, and his skin is so very warm. But this isn't going to be a problem for their friendship at all. Is it, Harry?
marked restraint by @mixtapestar (12,550 words, rated E)
In the early hours of July 31, 1996, Draco shoots awake and soon discovers his soulmark. The trouble only continues from there.
Vortex by @xanthippe74 (20,625 words, rated T)
The idea of perfectly-matched soulmates feels more like a curse than a blessing to Draco. Who would want a soulmate who was a schoolyard bully, a Death Eater, and a convicted felon? Certainly not Harry Potter. And Draco is determined to take this secret to the grave.
Highly (in)Compatible by @daisymondays (36,828 words, rated T)
Dracoās been shagging The Prat Who Lived on and off for a few months when his soul mark starts to change. Dracoās had to accept a lot of adjustments to his life, but accepting that Harry Potter could be his soulmate is one step too far. It canāt be true? Can it?
ā¤ļø As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ā¤ļø
Lots of Love and Happy Reading!
P.S. You can find these fics and the other lists been recommended in my AO3 Sub-collections!
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As a bit of a special treat, and to celebrate their one year anniversary, I sat down with my good friend, the @wolfstarlibrarian. We recorded our conversation to share it here with you, our favorite patrons. Iāll be DL, in bold, and the Wolfstar Librarian is WL. I hope you enjoy this sweet peek into our friendship, and the wonderful insights that they had to share with me.
DL: First of all, congratulations on a whole year! In that time you've created a lovely and welcoming fandom space for authors, both new and established, lots of helpful guides and explanations for readers, and over 300 rec lists. What's been the most rewarding part of being "The Librarian"?
WL: Oh thank you so much! Itās been a wild year, made all the better for having this blog. As for the BEST part? Hmmmmm š¤ This is difficult to answer because there have been so many unexpected gifts, but probably the most rewarding and surprising part is how much support the fandom community has come out with. I hoped that, at most, people would enjoy some of the lists, but beyond that theyāve given personal support as well, whether Iāve needed time, or someone to help find a fic, or just general support, the community has shown up, and thatās been an incredible gift that helps to keep me motivated and feeling special.
DL: I love that! I love how you describe fandom as a community. I think the real fandom isn't just the content, but the friends we made along the way! š
WL: YES! I agree! Fandom is just people connected by passion.
DL: Absolutely! And I think something really unique that you've done with The Wolfstar Librarian is encouraging others' passion as well.
WL: I was not prepared to feel this soft! š„ŗ
DL: Sorry, not sorry! Lol. I think something that's very unique to your blog specifically is the way that you are always giving "new" recs. A lot of the recs are ones that I haven't read before and I think that's very encouraging to authors and creators to keep writing and creating. It's not the same old "classics" over and over. Thatās something Iāve tried to emulate on my own blog as well. I search for a mix of old and new fics.
WL: Oh yes, I'm always on the hunt for new fics. I check @ao3feed-wolfstar at least once a week and go through all of the new fics, picking out things I think I might want to read, and even when searching for lost fics I oftentimes end up adding a dozen new fics to be TBR list. I'm fascinated with the new, and am always looking for fresh takes on old tropes. Of course I also have tons of subscriptions for my favorite authors, but just like with food, I have comfort items I know I'll like but then I also enjoy new things just as much.
DL: Out of curiosity, how long is your TBR list?
WL: (after a significant pause) Oh goodness, I had to check. Itās currently 15 pages long and at 20 fics a pageā¦
DL: Hold on, Iāll pull up a calculator. Um...300. So as many rec lists as youāve made. You mentioned comfort items. What are some of your favorite tropes?
WL: Oh my goodness, yeah I hadn't done the math! š I think what I find the most comfort in are things I can relate to the most? So lots of modern AUs with happy endings, and I'm also a sucker for soulmate or a good texting fic since they tend to include some fun humor that I can use as a counterpoint to real life.
DL: I love modern AUs!
WL: Me too! And fix-it AUs. JKR did them dirty š
DL: Who hasnāt JKR done dirty? Lol. Okay, and do you want to spill some tea? What are your pet peeves in a fic? The things that make you immediately click that red x and think "not for me". To be clear, Iām not saying things that you think are wrong ā weāre not making any moral judgment here! Just your specific pet peeves that irritate you personally.
WL: The first thing isnāt so much a pet peeve as something I get asked a lot and feel bad about. The question I get asked the most is "how do I get rec'd on WL", and it just makes it clear how infrequently people read the pinned FAQ, where I encourage people to send in recs. Probably 4/5 people who send in their own fics as a rec actually end up on a list, but so few people do! So just remember that the Librarian is just one person who can easily miss a lot of things, but genuinely wants to read and share lovely fics. But actual pet peeves? I definitely can't handle MCD, or anything that's too dark just because it takes my mental health somewhere I don't want to go. I also tend not to like....imbalanced relationships? I know that's vague, but anytime there isn't mutual respect, it just feels weird and unnatural to me so I tend to just click out. Also, I need fairly standard formatting. I've seen a few posts about it, and it's definitely true that my brain struggles to read anything written outside of standard formatting (correct punctuation and capitalization). It's not even a judgement, just something like math where my brain goes "no thank you!" š°
DL: That's definitely something that makes me hit the red x too. And I know what you mean about lack of mutual respect. I think that there's stories about relationships where someone makes a mistake and with work and apologies, they can come back from that and still have a solid relationship but there's other's where one person just completely disregards and breaks any trust or respect that they've built in the relationship and an apology can't fix that. It's a fighting together/fighting each other kind of thing. And I think that's an interesting point you bring up because I feel like with Drarry, Harry and Draco are set up to be adversaries and part of the story is them overcoming it. But that's not really part of Sirius and Remus' story.
WL: Yes, exactly! And I definitely read fanfic for comfort, for romance, and I feel like you can't have true love without mutual respect, without equality. Of COURSE that can take time and work to get to sometimes, but as long as they end up on the same page, I'm game. š
DL: Exactly. And again, I just want to say that it doesn't mean we think those fics are inherently bad or anything. It's just our personal preferences as readers. So, it's obvious that I also read Wolfstar in addition to Drarry. Do you ever read Drarry?
WL: Honestly, I rarely read outside of wolfstar, but sometimes I do read Drarry because it's so much bigger and tends to cover a wider variety of stories. I also read Dorlene, Jegulus, Jegulily, and a host of other smaller ships like Fleur/Tonks that end up in wolfstar fics.
DL: Can I put you on the spot and have you give us a Drarry rec?
WL: My favorite one is actually one you rec'd! It's the Christmas one that's just SO soft I can't help but read it each year as the weather gets cooler.
DL: Ohhhh! The Christmas Tree by @cottonpadenthusiast. I love that one! Itās a Drarry + Remus/Sirius get together! Just a sweet, happy family dynamic.
WL: Yes! It's half wolfstar, half drarry, and totally sweet.
DL: With families....we often joke in private that you and I have "sibling" blogs. Did you ever mind that I joined you in being a librarian?
WL: Oh, of COURSE not! Running a rec blog like this is so much work, there's no way I could do more than one, and I truly love having you, and other rec blogs, because they inspire me so much! I love finding new fics, new ways to share content, and new people to share with. Rec blogs inspired me to make my own, and hopefully I inspire people to find their own style as well!
DL: That's definitely something I've tried to do as your "little sibling" blog. I feel very lucky to have such a cool "older sibling" and mentor librarian that I can always come and ask a question or advice from, but I've tried to be thoughtful in making it my own too, with my Happy Hours and stuff. And I try to be mindful as well that I'm not copying exactly what another Drarry rec blogger does either. We all get our own niche, and I think that makes the recs we give more rich. And in true younger sibling fashion, I started my blog because I saw you doing it and thought it was such a neat idea that I wanted to join you. What made you start your library?
WL: When I first made the library, and imagined what I wanted it to be, I wanted more than anything for the library to be a place that I had searched for when I was new to fandom. I was so desperate for someone to show me fics for my exact mood, or comfort tropes, or just introduce me to something new the way librarians have done all my life. With this blog, the library, I'm trying to provide that comfort, that answer that we're all seeking. Hopefully, other people find the same relief and comfort here that an old wood lined library, full of wonder and hope, offers them in real life as well.
DL: Oh, now youāve made ME soft. I think thatās such a lovely statement that weāll wrap it up there. Do you think people are going to judge us because neither of us can do math?
WL: Ahahaha, honestly, if that's my worst feature, I'm okay with it. š
I love reccing fics and spreading love to the authors whose work I have enjoyed. I always want to credit and tag the authors on tumblr so readers can follow them directly if they want and get updates on their work. Sometimes I canāt find you, so it helps me if you put your tumblr link on AO3.Ā
Where Should I Put My Tumblr Link?
I look both in the beginning and end notes, especially in the first and last chapters. Putting it in the end notes of the last chapter is a really good way to get readers who enjoyed your story to click and follow your tumblr.Ā
How Do I Link?
Copy/paste this and then personalize it!
<a href="INSERT YOUR HTTP LINK HERE">PUT WHAT YOU WANT IT TO SAY HERE</a>
So, for example, if I want to link to The Drarry Librarian, I would copy/paste the above part into the notes section on AO3:
Then Iād change the link part by copy/pasting into the actual link into the part that says INSERT YOUR HTTP LINK HERE:
Lastly, Iād choose what I want it to say when people click, and put it in the PUT WHAT YOU WANT IT TO SAY HERE spot:
When I post, it looks like this:
Itās always helpful to tell people what they are going to, so I might say:Ā
Below are the author reveals for the Blind Date fics! I hope you had fun and took a chance on a new fic!
Donāt forget to go check out the @wolfstarlibrarianās reveals as well!
General Audiences
š Falling by @balletquartet (1,166 words)
Draco is falling, and heās falling hard.
š Tender is the LightĀ by @joeys-piano (1,582 words)
Draco pulls him closer and Harry settles right beside him.
Teen
š§Proof of the Pudding by @daisymondays
The One Where Gregory Goyle somehow ends up running both a bakery and a match making service.
š° Date of a Lifetime by @dorthyanndrarry (14,796 words)
At this year's fourth annual New Horizons charity auction and gala there will be a most rare and unusual item up for bid - a Date with the hero of the wizarding world, Harry Potter!
š„ Concussions and Crushes by @casablancainthetardisā (17,431 words)
Harry is an auror who is constantly putting himself in danger and getting injured. Draco is the long-suffering healer-in-training who has to deal with it.
š Love Notes by @curlyy-hair-dont-careā (610 words)
Harry and Draco have a very busy schedule and have found an innovative way of communicating and keeping the spark alive.
Mature
š5 Times Harry Tried to Propose (and The Time He Gets It Right) by @carpemermaidtalesā (7,300 words)
5+1 marriage proposals Harry makes to Draco.
š Ten Things I Hate About You by @ladderofyearsā (2,396 words)
Harry can't imagine how he'll ever manage to be Draco's Auror Partner. Or his friend. After all, he simply can't abide the man.
Explicit
ā¤ļø Ten Years, and His Whole Life by @bixgirl1ā (4,075 words)
Draco can't be sure when it started.
š¶ The World of Management (Or, Harry Potter and the Office Romance) by @moonflower-roseā (15,426 words)
Draco Malfoy is the heart and soul of the Department of Magical Games and Sport. The only thing standing in the way of professional bliss is his boss. And Harry Potter.
š As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! š
I am so excited to announce a project Iāve been working really hard on!Ā
The Drarry Librarian now has an AO3 account!
This is exciting because it gives YOU the ability to more easily search through the fics Iāve read and recced! You can filter and search through myĀ BookmarksĀ or you can find the rec list youāre looking for in my Collections, which contain all the rec lists Iāve made in alphabetical order.
I hope this is something that makes the library more accessible to you!
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To the Anon who was looking for a lost fic- you did a great job describing it! I was able to locate it quickly for you. I decided to post it without your identifying information since it does deal with trauma and some sensitive topics. This way, people can read the tags and decide for themselves before they read it.
Here is your lost fic!
Chains of Memory by oldenuf2nb (14,417 words, rated E)
Harry is growing sicker by the day and Draco wants to know why.
This fic is featured on the Post Hogwarts + PTSD List, which you can also find in my AO3 collections.
Thanks for contacting the help desk! Please donāt hesitate to contact me again if thereās something else I can do for you!Ā
ā¤ļø As always, if you find a fic you enjoy, please remember to leave the author a kudos or a comment! ā¤ļø
Iāve opened the Help Desk and am excited to answer your questions and help you find holds! Are you wanting some fluff? Some angst? Another flower shop AU? Looking for a lost fic? Iāll do my best to help you with whatever youāre searching for as I begin to curate this library!
Iāll be posting lists and recs as Iām available, so please check out my FAQ page and contact the help desk!
Feel free to share this post around! Iām very excited to help support our wonderful fanfic community discover more fics!
And of course, please return the favor by supporting the authors with kudos and comments when you find a fic you enjoy!
