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hey lexi, i'm here for our swap and for EvS, team emerald *_*
omg, so, never in a million years i would've thought i'd be reading a draco&ron fanfic (admittedly, it's unrequited but still) but then again, i've also read the lucius&arthur fic that was also for this challenge - and honestly, i'm in awe of you for writing this in such a real way! it's not over the top, it's not ridiculous at all...it's just a person who is in love with someone with whom he can never be and it's heart breaking.
draco seeking comfort (company..to quench his loneliness) with other people, namely blaise, is also very real and i can imagine him doing so. he would never admit his feelings for ron to anyone, it's just the way he was raised and the 'rules' of pureblood society, and that's extremely sad (even without voldemort and all that death eater business).
you managed to make me feel for draco - he even bullies ron just to be close to him in a way, to be the one who gets a reaction out of him. i think it's something that often happens? at least from my RL experience, there have been situations where i've known people to act this way (mostly guys who would never admit they were attracted to another guy :( ) and i think it's something you managed to incorporate in this story really well, all the feelings of anger at himself for even feeling this way, of jealousy (of harry and hermione), of envy (at ron's friendships)...all of them pushing him to be a bully towards the person he likes/loves.
this was such an interesting take on the ship and i'm really glad i read it - your award in the challenge was extremely well deserved!!
kris
Hi Lexi! I'm finally here to check out your stories! You said this one was your favourite at the moment so it seemed like a good place to start :)
I don't think I've ever read a Draco/Ron story before so I'm interested to see how this goes! I really liked what you wrote about how Draco teases Ron because it's the only acceptable emotional connection he's allowed. I think that's a believable thing! The more I read this, the more I like the idea them as a ship; from their fathers' own disagreements to the way Ron remains strong against Draco's bullying. How Draco is always so used to getting what he wants, but he's finally found something he can't have. I think you might be starting something here :P
How sweet of the Room of Requirement for providing him with a punching bag!
Poor Draco! I think you did a really great job capturing the utter despair and turmoil of emotions over unrequited love. I like how you tied it with canon events, too. I really enjoyed this little piece!
My gorgeous, amazing, talented, wonderful Mistress! This piece. My word, this was wonderful! So, so well done!
Seriously though, I never could have imagined that anyone would write something that could make Draco having feelings for Ron seem believable, and not ridiculous, as the challenge said. Your writing in this was so good, and truly showcased the emotion one feels when falling for someone you could never be with. Draco’s anger, longing, lust, confusion, pain... just all of it felt so authentic. Your writing is gorgeous, and really has you feeling what the main character is feeling. It was truly great writing.
I loved how his bullying was explained. That since he couldn’t have any other kind of emotional connection with Ron, at least anger was something. But he was also kept true to character, with his thoughts about Hermione being a disgusting Mudblood, and how he wished that the Weasleys were his definition of normal Purebloods, and they weren’t obsessed with Muggles, so that they could have possibly had a chance to be together. But who knows if they even would have? I feel like the old Pureblood families wouldn’t be tolerant of same sex relationships, sadly. Also, his jealousy of Harry was giving more depth, since he was also jealous of his friendship with Ron, on top of everything else.
This makes his time during Half-Blood Prince even sadder, considering everything he was dealing with, with his family and Voldemort’s task of killing Dumbledore. Like, this kid is fearing for his life, and the lives of his family, yet also dealing with very real teenaged angst, and the heartbreaking feeling of being in love with someone forbidden. He was very clearing falling apart in the RoR, with his wine. I’m not the hugest fan of Draco, but he was a very sympathetic character in this, even while he was very much in character.
This was a really great piece, my love. So, so, so well written, and very emotional. I’m glad I had the chance to read it! Thanks for the swap, my love!!
Hugs and love,
Your Mistress ❤️
Hi Lacey! I’m here for our swap. :-)
I enjoyed the peek I got of this story when I read the draft of it and I think that the final version is smoother, flows better, and is more sophisticated than the initial one I read.
As a fan of the Draco/Hermione pairing, I find this twist to be kind of fabulous. The way that it would torture Draco to be in love with Ron Weasley—of all people—is interesting to think about and I like how you presented it in your story. Of course Draco would enjoy connecting with Ron in whatever way possible. And, since his father and Ron’s father hate each other, it has to be in a negative way.
You have captured Draco’s voice throughout this story really well. His dialogue really jives with the way he is written in the books and I thought his narrative voice was honest, proud, and a little heartbreaking. He is under so much stress at this time in his life and to have the added stress of unrequited love on top of it—well, it’s a wonder he doesn’t break down more in the bathroom in front of Ron. I also really liked Draco’s musings about “Saint Potter” and how Potter always puts his friends in danger. Which is, unfortunately, kind of true.
That scene, where Draco lets his mask slip in front of Ron in the bathroom, was my favorite. As soon as I read it, it made me wonder what might have happened if Ron had realized just how upset Draco was. Ron is such a loyal friend and a solid young man, that I thought it was within the realm of possibility that—if he had realized the extend of Draco’s troubles and his feelings—the story could have had a very different ending.
I also really enjoyed Draco’s scene in the Room of Requirement. All the little touches you put in—the punching bag, the creepy flower message from Bellatrix in the cabinet—all gave the scene a lot of color. And the end of the story, when Draco is deciding to leave his feelings for Ron behind made me wonder if he really has done so, of if he’s just shutting down so that he can function.
Great job on this story and congrats on the win! Thank you for the swap, let’s do it again some time :-)
Yours,
Noelle
Hey! Here for our review swap! :D
A Draco and Ron pairing, oh my! But I must say that your pairing is so canon, and it has the potential to fit so well within canon. You write Draco Malfoy so well here. His outward behavior towards Ron is a believable cover up for how he really feels about him. You build this "ridiculous" pairing into something that doesn't seem ridiculous at all...
Your characterization of Draco is spot on. He has his arrogance and his bullying ways. But underneath, he's tormented and terrified and trying so hard to maintain a powerful image and reputation. Don't get me wrong, I am no Draco Malfoy sympathizer. But here you present him as fully human, deeply flawed and wanting something that he will most likely never have... And you set it during the backdrop of Half Blood Prince.
The little details you add into the piece (Harry's detention, Blaise, Dark Mark) breathe lots of life into it. Which I think says a lot about your writing.
I am curious to know how Draco's feelings for Ron progress throughout Deathly Hallows... especially at the events at Malfoy Manor and after the Final Battle. I'm not saying that you should write a sequel to this, but if you did... I would be here to read it! Plus, I'm here for Ron's disgusted remarks toward Draco. You wrote his disdain for Malfoy so well, ahahaha!
Anyway, the ending is perfect. Draco is trying so hard to push away his feelings to focus at his bigger, much deadlier task at hand... murdering Dumbledore. We all know how the events turn out, but here, with this additional vulnerability you've given him (his feelings for Ron Weasley), the reader really feels just how hopeless of a situation that Draco is in. Incredibly well done! Congrats for placing in a challenge, too!
Hey, dear -- I'm here for our swap!
I love the way you present this ship, with Draco being too proud and not really knowing the proper way to express his feelings, and Ron being completely oblivious because of this. I really like that, to Draco, his feelings toward Ron were displayed openly on his face, though they clearly weren't. It begs the question of how we can feel something with such intensity that, surely, everyone else around us can feel it too. It's slightly sad that he doesn't know how to properly interact with him -- to get him to smile and laugh -- though it is mildly amusing that he opts to tease Ron instead, if only to get a reaction from him.
I can't help but sympathize with Draco, knowing that he was raised to hate the Weasley family (Ron included), when he clearly has a terrible case of the feels. I think that his father is mostly to blame for his inability to interact with Ron in an appropriate way, even if his feelings were unrequited. I think that it speaks volumes about Draco's home life and how he was raised. I also feel bad that it's because of all of this that Draco is constantly trying to reject those feelings, and is placing the blame and anger about them in all the wrong places. He's experiencing a way of conflicting emotions as he's trying to come to terms with all of it (both hating Ron and wanting Ron, feeling the injustices done against Ron from a source that is anyone but Draco) - it's got to be one hell of a rollercoaster and it's no wonder why Draco's having such a difficult time processing it all.
It's also deeply saddening that Draco feels like he has no option but to continue to sink those feelings for Ron down, as he believes that there's absolutely nothing that can be done so that the two might someday be together. He clearly feels trapped beneath his parent's expectations of him, even in marrying a pureblooded woman and having a family, and doing everything in his power to keep his family's name as pure and powerful as it's always been perceived. His actions in following and protecting his family, even so far as to follow Voldemort's orders, is disheartening and reminds me a lot of Stockholm Syndrome...only, he's been being conditioned since birth.
I think you did a great job in establishing the sympathy factors for Draco, especially since Draco isn't a character I normally sympathize with/for. It typically takes quite a bit of convincing in any story to get me to find him likable or even to feel bad for him, which you've done here -- so great job with that. I was also fond of the voice used in this piece; it made the flow smooth so it was even easier to read and empathize.
Anyway, lovely job! O/ Thanks for the swap!
-Rumpels
Hey, Lexi - here for the review swap you offered. (Thanks!)
This story brought out all the feels for Draco. He (like snape) was never really given a three dementional character. But, one has to remind one's self that the story was through Harry's eyes to see why.
I've always thought Draco's childhood was tragic. His parents loved him, yes. But dear old dad loved power and the Dark Lord more. Until the end. I hope things went better for the Malfoys after that - but, who knows?
I've never considered any attraction from Draco for Ron before. That is certainly a rare pair, for sure. (I've always seen Draco paired up more with Harry and Hermione in the past. He was certainly worth more than Pansy - at least the way she'd been written in the books.)
Just as much was placed on Draco as Harry. He had his mission to perform as well as Harry had his. It's amazing just how strong both had to be to stand up to that pressure, and Draco was hardly given credit for that. Sadly.
Anyhow - this was beautiful and showed the tender, more emotional side of Draco Malfoy that we're never allowed to see in the book. If he had chosen a path to being friends with Potter and Weasley, maybe everything could have ended up a bit differently, right?
<3juls
Oh my poor little Draco loving heart.
This story I think will resonate with so many of us, particularly that line of, "He wondered if he could create an anti-love spell." I know I personally could have benefitted from this, hell even now I could benefit from this, there are certain people we truly just wish to forget in order to move on.
By the end of this story I was sat there screaming, "RON JUST LOVE HIM!" even though I knew it wasn't going to happen, it couldn't have happened, it would have ruined the whole point of the piece.. I can just dream.
What a beautiful ship that could never exist. You're truly talented, thank you so much for submitting this to my challenge.
- Alice x
Hey Lexi! Here for EvS, team Silver.
I enjoyed this piece a lot. You use Draco's infatuation with Ron to paint a nuanced psychological portrait of the character. Your Draco is complicated, at turns relatable and repellent, with an undercurrent of pitiable desperation throughout. It's clear that you've thought a lot about the character, and you do a nice job exploring his facets throughout this piece.
I love the complexity of Draco's feelings towards Ron here. Obviously he's infatuated with him, but he's also repelled by his family's blood treachery, irritated by his friendship with Harry Potter, guilty because of what his father would think of his attraction to him, and also (maybe subconsciously?) inclined to push him away by needling him.
Initially I was unsure of why Draco would be attracted to Ron in particular, but your presentation of his reminiscences in the Room of Requirement really helped. He admires Ron's courage and willingness to stand up for his friends, traits that he, Draco, feels that he lacks. (I really liked that he was still irked by how few points Ron earned for taking down the mountain troll!)
I like this line a lot: "So enamoured with anything Muggle -- especially the Muggles themselves". It's really economical and it packs a punch -- it shows Draco's jealousy (of Hermione, whom he can see Ron fancies), his bigotry (towards Muggles), his tendency to parrot his father's views. . .
Draco's reflections on his duty to the Dark Lord and his family, and on his own feelings of unworthiness, are really gut-wrenching. I'd love to see this explored at more length.
One tiny continuity thing: is this piece set during OotP or HBP? Initially I thought it was OotP because of Filch's reference to Umbridge, but by the end it seems like it must be set during HBP because of Draco's mission. (If you need an HBP-compliant excuse to keep Harry from going to Hogsmeade, I think Snape had in him detention for like half of that year :P?)
Overall, a very nice piece!
Jane
Author's Response:Hey there Jane!
thank you so much for reading my One Shot! It means a lot to me when people not only read but also enjoy my stories and take time to write such meaningful reviews. Thank you for pointing out the error in Canon! I fixed it :)
I really enjoy writing Draco and I think I should write more about him and his life. If I do you’ll be the first to know ;)
Thanks again!
xo
LB
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