Serpens

This is an overview post to provide quick access to the first fifteen Rec Lists on this Blog. I could not resist giving each one a dramatic headline and intro picture. But if you are looking for really quick links, look no further: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen.

And now, for the fun part:

Set One: Animal Transformations, Humor and 'That Moment' when Your Cute Bunny, Owl or Dog is Actually Your Childhood Nemesis.

Set Two: Two Grumpy, Traumatized Men Stuck in a Cabin: Working through their Problems and Falling In Love.

Set Three: Angsty, Toxic and Self-Destructive Romance Between Hurt Boys, Shortly After a War. The Fragile Solace of Destruction.

Set Four: Secret or Hidden Identities, Spies and Sleeping Together Without Recognizing Each Other. Drama Ensues!

Set Five: Curses, Love-Potion-Accidents, Binding Hexes and other Magical Hijinks cause a Romance. With Humor and Twists.

Set Six: Draco in the Muggle World, Harry thinking Draco Malfoy is Up To Something. Or He Feels Lost and likes to Follow Draco Around.

Set Seven: De-Aging, Memory Curses and Casework Bring Harry and Draco Together, as they Untangle their Complicated History.

Set Eight: Bound Together, by Magic or by Circumstance, they have to learn to Understand Each Other. Angst, but its Hurt with Comfort.

Set Nine: Former Enemies, now Not-Quite-Friends-With-Benefits. They are not really 'Casually' Sleeping Together, of course.

Set Ten: In Between Hogwarts Classes the Boys are Messing Around. Sixth Year, on Opposite Sides of a Brewing War. It's Angsty, naturally.

Set Eleven: Old Magical Houses are Spooky (meaning Haunted) and Proud (Semi-Sentient). But One Can Fall In Love In Them Too!

Set Twelve: Eigth Year, Dealing with Trauma through Violent Collision, with Fists and Kisses. Antagonistic Love Stories.

Set Thirteen: Eigth Year Again, but Soft and Sweet. Boys leaving the War behind them, finding new Peace and Connection in Each Other.

Set Fourteen: It's Dragons! Including Dragons as Pets, or Our Draco Transforming Into One. Many Scaly, Fire-Breathing Monsters - Yay!

Set Fifteen: Harry stumbling upon Draco in an Unexpected Place. Stories about Growing Up, Coming Out and Moving On.

The cropped artworks can be found full sized in the matching Rec List Posts with credits in the tags, but here is a complete overview of all used artists and works:

Hello! Thank you for this sweet message and ask! Here is a little Set that is centered around Christmas, or rather: here is a Set that has been trapped under a mistletoe.

I mean, isn’t Christmas is all about being stuck in a small space and forced to spend time with the people we love?

The Punching Mistletoe by Faith Wood 1,088, GA Sometimes mistletoes want you to punch each other.

Two Wizards, One Bed by dustmouth Comic, GA Harry and Draco are trapped together in a safe house. Fiery discourse ensues (intercourse, more like…)

Mistletoe Mischief Managed by Writcraft 3,075 words, T Harry is training to be an Auror and trying not to get distracted by Draco Malfoy and that pesky mistletoe that always seems to appear whenever they’re in the same room together.

Sex and the Art of Castle Maintenance by birdsofshore 14,958 words, E "Come on, boys," Zabini drawled. "You’re only delaying the inevitable." Trouble always had a way of finding Harry, and eighth year was obviously going to be no exception.

Kiss by heyitsamorette 15,344 words, E Harry and Draco are forced to kiss over and over again, because that’s just what happens to two arch-enemies around Christmas.

Running On Air by @tinyhistory 74,880 words, T

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

Like the Son Holds the Moon by @lou-isfake 49,458 words, M

Narcissa Malfoy is missing. Harry has no idea why the Unspeakables want him tagging along on the investigation, but he's not complaining. His job has never been this interesting.

All Roads by @korlaena 36,636 words, M

Draco hates his job at the Prophet. He hates it even more when he’s assigned to write an article on Harry Potter, who left the country three years ago after their falling out. Draco doesn’t want to face the truth about himself, but he’s stuck between Harry and his duty, and he’s out of options.

The theme here is probably missing people, magical disappearance, or losing sight of someone important. But I think the stories in this Set are really centered around finding something, about rediscovering each other, and about coming home.

'Running On Air' is an absolute classic, which you have very likely already read, but it may be due for a re-read. I found it calm and decelerated, embodying the feeling of a cold case. I adored the magical elements in 'Like the Son Holds the Moon' and the way that Harry's seemingly desaturated life comes into sharp focus with Draco back in it. 'All Roads' doesn't linger on the missing person part, though their reunion causes Draco to realize he has been missing out. Rekindling their relationship feels gentle yet loaded.

If Memory Serves by @dictacontrion 30,402 words, E

Maybe Draco wants to forget. Maybe it’s wrong to make him remember.

It'll Come Back by @vukovich 15,949 words, E

Draco Malfoy wakes up in the Thickey ward not remembering anything except that the Auror in front of him is his husband. But he's not. A tale of owning up to who you used to be.

Lusimeles by orphan_account 23,289 words, E

“You’re not special, Potter,” Kingsley informs him, not looking up from his work. “But I’ve already done Occlumency training!” Harry splutters, indignant. “And it’s Malfoy.”

The Four Doors by @fluxweeed 48,845 words, E

It’s been four months since Harry lost his memory. Four months of dead ends and no answers. With time running out until his memories are gone for good, Harry agrees to a course of Legilimency therapy with a renowned specialist: Mind Healer Draco Malfoy.

Memory Loss, complete amnesia or forgetting people - sounds like the recipe for a love story, right? This Set includes some angst, some healing and a lot of missing information.

'If Memory Serves' has a very dysfunctional but also captivating enemies with benefits scenario, as well as memory loss done deliciously well. 'It'll Come Back' is dark, sad and gritty - but a great read, if you want to feel like you have been kicked in the teeth! 'Lusimeles' includes angsty intimacy, a competent Draco and a Harry that doesn't handle his emotions (or memories) well. 'The Four Doors' presents a intriguing, fun, sexy and generally charged dynamic between Draco and Harry - even though Harry really only understands half of it ...

The second chapter of my fic Five to Twelve is now up :) here is a little sneak peak:

“You had no right!” Draco hadn’t realised that he had jumped up from his seat before Potter stood up as well, unsuccessfully trying to match his height. 

“There was a box full of letters and I saw my name on them. But when I touched-“ Potter continued talking.

“Fuck you”, Draco said feeling hollow and frozen. His rage a distant thing, as if coming from someone else. “I don’t have to take this.” 

He was halfway to the door, before Potter stepped infront of him. 

“You do actually." He said. "I got that warrant, remember? So sit down.”  

Draco stared at him. At his ugly glasses, his messy hair, his stupid scar and he hated him. Draco was sure he had never hated anyone more in his life. He sat back down and crossed his arms against his chest. Potter may have the power to keep him here and to humiliate him as he pleased, but he couldn’t force Draco to talk. 

“So, I’m guessing you knew the box was there?” Potter asked, sitting back down as well. Draco remained silent.

“Did you plant it there for me to find?” 

Draco crossed his arms harder, twisting. Finding comfort in the strain.

Faint Indirections by ignatiustrout 29,793 words, T

Draco Malfoy is the last person Harry expects to turn up in Boston, Massachussetts. But now he's here, and he won't stop requesting books from the library where Harry works.

I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor by birdsofshore 27,970 words, E

Harry felt lit up from inside as soon as he entered the bar. There were blokes dancing together, their bodies close to one another, not keeping a wary distance as Harry was always careful to do when he was near another man. God, he wanted this – wanted it so much he could taste it, a metallic tang of heat and desire. He suspected nothing would ever be the same again – especially when he saw who else was in the room.

Open For Repairs by FeelsForBreakfast 34,901 words, M

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things. feat. sad boys in jumpers and more ABBA than is probably necessary.

Each of these stories begins with Harry Potter encountering Draco Malfoy in an unexpected place. A library on an American campus, a gay muggle nightclub, a tv repair shop.

Themes for this Set are: navigating young adulthood, exploring sexuality, becoming someone new and seeing an old enemy with fresh eyes.

Something peculiar is happing to Harry Potter, what else is new? This has nothing to do with Draco anyway, he is busy enjoying his perfectly ordinary day.

This fic has been a while in the making and I am really excited to finally share it! The premise is a bit of a mystery, but I can promise lots of angry tea cups and confused boys.

Check out 'Five To Twelve' at the Ao3 near you!

If you want, here is a sneak peek into the prologue:

Such Great Heights by aideomai 93,302 words, E

Draco Malfoy, wide-eyed and pale and in a decidedly ragged shirt, was crouched next to the pile of whatever the dragon had been eating. Harry threw himself to a halt and yelled, “Merlin, how many times do I have to save your life?”

Men Who Love Dragons Too Much by @fencer-x 522,850 words, E

‘Kill Albus Dumbledore’ is less a challenging task and more a suicide mission, so when Draco Malfoy is presented with the option to either dispatch his Headmaster or suffer an excruciating and most ignominious death of his own, along with his parents, he reaches deep into his black little Slytherin heart and manages to scrape together enough courage to go with option C instead: Spend Sixth Year secretly studying Animagecraft in the hopes he’ll turn into something sufficiently imposing even the Dark Lord himself won’t be able to keep Draco under his thumb. But just his luck, his Animagus form turns out to be a dragon, and a rather randy juvenile at that, intent on finding its mate: one Harry James Potter.

Draconem dormientem nunquam excitat by toomuchplor 24,689 words, M

A wizard craved a dragon’s enormous trove of treasure, and so he hid behind a tree and cast a powerful sleeping spell on the great beast — In which Harry goes on special assignment.

The theme for this Set is rather obvious: Dentist AU's. I'm just kidding. Its dragons. Big lizards, scaly cats, fire belching beasts. So, here are some of the most wonderful stories I have ever read (that also happen to include a dragon).

Firstly 'Such Great Heights' has a very special place in my heart. It is not only beautifully written and includes hilarious, witty, mean, soft and livelike characters - but it also has one of the most realistically flawed and yet somehow stupidly romantic love stories between Draco and Harry ever. Its just so ... just read it, and then re-read it. You have to! Fine, I will as well.

'Men Who Love Dragons Too Much' is honestly a great and unique retelling of book seven. It has Draco joining the trio on the horcrux-hunt and just makes its strange premise work perfectly. The characterizations are on point, the relationships are completly realistic and the love story fits very organically into the just slightly altered canon.

Nice Things by aideomai 22,052 words, M

The first thing that happened was Theodore Nott came back from France.

Good Company by @greenflares 8,223 words, T

With Hermione and Ron always together, Harry's return to Hogwarts to complete his education isn't exactly fun. Somehow, it's his unlikely friendship with Malfoy that keeps him sane.

A Place on Earth by @lou-isfake 4,050 words, T

Harry couldn't help it, he snorted a little. "As if they would ever believe me, Draco." Draco drew himself up, ready to launch into some other tirade, so Harry held up a hand; "What would I even say? I saw Draco Malfoy being joyful and free. How is that a joke?"

Tent(ative) by toomuchplor 1,991 words, T

Two boys, a tent, and a bit of wholesome banter.

Finally a Set with no angst, just sweetness and the taste of spring. These stories all take place in eighth year and feature mainly friends to lovers plots - or sometimes, friendly to in love. The theme here is two boys moving towards gentle convergence and the calm after the storm and the the start of a normal life.

'Nice Things' is incredibly soft and has a careful, tactile dynamic between a touch-starved Harry and an affactionate Draco. 'Good Company' is very well written, dialogue focused and sweet.

'A Place on Earth' is funny, cute and feels like a story someone tells you about how they got together with their husband twenty or so years ago. 'Tent(ative)' just made me grin the whole way through, it will make you all warm and tingly.

Two Hours Later by lazywonderland 6,339 words, E

Two hours after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry runs into Malfoy outside the Room of Requirement and returns his wand.

Feel You in These Walls by alpha_exodus 6,864 words, E

Just this once, Harry thinks. Just this once, they'll kiss, they'll have sex, and then it'll be over. Draco hadn't expected more than that either. But then it happens again, again, and neither of them had anticipated having feelings involved - but then they've never been able to keep anything casual, have they?

Twist and Pull by @tepre 2,946 words, T

Harry took lodgings in the Leaky. Third floor, fifth room on the left. That’s how they ran into each other: out in the hallway at two in the morning, Draco in a housecoat and slippers, sleepy and bleary eyed, asking what the ruckus was about. Harry couldn’t get the key to work. He’d been kicking at the door. 

Half Awake by academicdisaster 3,469 words, E

Talking is hard, and kissing is easier. And so is everything that comes after kissing.

Alive by @fleetofshippyships 4,448 words, M

After the war, Harry is lost. Angry or numb, nothing feels the same. The only thing unchanged is the way Malfoy makes him feel, until that too is no longer the same.

So, this Set includes a bunch of stories of Harry and Draco working through the aftershock of the war and their own antagonistic relationship by sleeping with each other and talking way too little.

All of them are set in eighth year or at Hogwarts shortly after the events of the books. 'Two Hours Later' takes place literally two hours after the books have ended and is one of the most delecious, vunerable and emotionally confused smut one-shots I have ever read. 'Feel You In These Walls' also has emotionally stunted boys, trying to repair a wall and somehow falling all over each other in the process. 'Twist and Pull' is one of my favorite Tepre stories, it has a very visceral tone and a wonderful balance of angst and healing. 'Half Awake' has the boys avoiding talking like normal people by mashing the lips together and 'Alive' has them avoiding to talk also by collision - but its their fists at first and other things later.

100 Difficult Conversations in the Rain by FeelsForBreakfast 42,981 words, E

Hogwarts is in a sour mood, Draco and Harry won’t stop getting into fist fights, and no one knows what exactly it is they’re supposed to be doing. There’s a rose garden, friendship, and no plot. Absolutely not one single plot.

Find a new place to be from by @oflights 47,626 words, E

Something is wrong with Malfoy Manor, and it’s driven Draco into the Muggle world. Thankfully, Harry is now on the case. A story about houses that haunt you and homes built for two.

House Proud by @astolat 23,112 words, M

His house liked Draco Malfoy more than him.

Stately Homes of Wiltshire by @waspabi 57,582 words, E

Malfoy Manor has mould, dry rot and an infestation of unusually historical poltergeists. Harry Potter is on the case.

You guessed it: this set features magical houses. All of these stories include very mild horror and scary old homes filled to the brink with ghosts, bloody roses or creeping shadows — but also with Draco and Harry, trying to save each other and falling in love in the meantime.

'Find a new place to be from’ is hilarous and soft and just a tiny bit spooky. 'House Proud' is gorgeous and catches that old magic feeling; something creaking on the stairway, something breathing on your neck. 'Stately Homes of Wiltshire' features grumpy ghost and a grumpier Draco. Whats not to love?

Also as a final little treat: here are some magic-house-stories, but without any spooky stuff. Just Grimmauld Place setting Harry up: Etched, Curled, Stationed by @tepre 1,769 words, T

The day Draco Malfoy turned 21 was the day that 12 Grimmauld Place had decided, with all the grand and pointed fanfare that a house could manage, that it was him that was its rightful owner.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker by @firethesound 11,766 words, E

Sometimes, Harry can't help but wonder why such strange shit always happens to him.

Arguably the pinnacle of vulnerable angst: Draco and Harry colliding, in sixth year. This is a Set of stories taking place during school, with the boys on opposite sites of a brewing war.

Love Spells by FeelsForBreakfast 1,763 words, E

It doesn’t start with a kiss. Or a punch. Neither of those. It begins with a look, lingered, held.

Obsessive (Compulsive) by @xylodemon 6,643 words, M

Harry dreams in red and white.

On open wounds by asofthaven 16,592 words, M

In which Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy end a war. No, not that one.

_

Denude by Faith Wood 4,172 words, E

What if the Sectumsempra scene had a greater impact on Harry and Draco?

Hurt for the Right Reasons by @lqtraintracks 4,571 words, E

Everything was so cocked up. He just wanted this one thing. He wanted to hurt for the right reasons for once.

'Love Spells', 'Obsessive (Compulsive)' and 'On open wounds' all include a not-quite-love affair between Harry and Draco during the events of the sixth book, with all the mistrust and antagonism such a relationship encapsulates. 'Denude' and 'Hurt for The Right Reasons' are deliciously intimate, hard and smutty one-shots, that are enriched by the canon dilemma.

'Love Spells‘ is just pure poetry. Every sentence is a punch to the gut, which you’ll take with gratitude. The phrase "love is a closed fist" still haunts me. 'Obsessive (Compulsive)’ is also beautiful, but cruel and perfectly encapsulates Harry’s fixation on Draco. His struggle between righteousness and surrender to carnal desire is visceral here. ’On open wounds‘ deals with their mutual inability to leave it (the other) alone. They just keep clawing at each other until it becomes a caress.