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Hi Emily! I'm here for prize review 1/3 :D
I can totally see Hermione methodically visiting places where truamatic things happened to her in an effort to let all of it go and move on. Malfoy Manor is one of the worst. That moment when Bellatrix tortures her is so chilling.
I like this idea that Draco did his best to help her. That he was disgusted by all of it at that point, and even though he was trying to survive, he still took this risk to save her.
Their conversation is deep and real. Draco is so hard on himself. Like, yes, he is culpable for what he's done--but it is true that he was a literal child when most of it happened. He should have gotten a chance to make things right.
Draco and Hermione do have some similarities--especially in how intelligent and driven they both are. I would have liked to have seen this world where they were friends instead of enemies.
The plot twist--so good! I totally didn't see it coming, and I got chills when Hermione said she was sorry he'd died. Really great job with that.
I hope they both find some peace after this.
Yours,
Noelle
Emily! Ok, so I am definitely not a Dramione person (sorry! eep!), but I feel bad having properly not read anything of yours for that reason. And actually I am very glad that I decided to give this story a chance because OMGAWSH. YOUR WRITING. *hearts in eyes*
You drew me in from the very beginning. From being stumbled upon in the ruins of Malfoy Manor, to the actual description of the ruins of Malfoy Manor, to the flashback scene...I mean, you really just grabbed me initially. So excellent hook into this one-shot, m'dear!
I was curious about how you would approach these two characters. Again, not really shipping the, I was just curious overall about how they would interact and such. I really thought it was bittersweet. Their conversations, their body language, speaking of the past and the present. I think it speaks to their level of maturity and how they have both grown individually since the war ended. It felt like a "real," conversation if that makes sense. :)
And the "you were a child," bit. Yes, I mean, we are all products of our environment. And desperation makes you do things you might not otherwise. And sometimes if you're also raised in the lap of luxury and privilege, you just don't realize that your complacency with systems of oppression can be harmful. Which I mean, I totally get Draco just being a product of his environment and not really coming to the realization of "maybe what we believe/what we're doing is wrong," until much later. And I think you do a great job of bringing this argument to life in this. We see the moments that defined him and changed his perspective on the whole "point," of the war. So yes, you made me like a character, I'm normally kind of like "whatever *shrugs about*" so good job, there! :)
And that PLOT TWIST! HOLY SHIT. I think the way you presented this reality to us, made it impossible for us to see it coming. You create a haunting scene by describing the ruins of Malfoy Manor, the dark and deep emotions Hermione feels as she remembers, and the storm taking place in the present around them. You had me focusing on so many other things that make the descriptions of Draco feel poetic and like they belong. And then BOOM. He's a ghost and it's like OMG. OF COURSE HE IS! Just masterfully done in handling that, m'dear! <3
And that quote in the description! Emily it's so powerful! It's human! It's wonderful! I love that sentiment and how you put it into this story and highlighted it in the description as I really think it works so well in the theme!
Excellent one shot and congrats on winning "Best Plot Twist," for this one!
<3 Courtney
YO EMILY.
Okay like. I’m doing this for the ballroom event so this review is gonna be hella shorter than it should be and it won’t even scratch the surface of everything you’ve done right with this fic but I just.
I like, am not a Dramione person, but I loved this, okay?
I love it because it feels realistic.
Like, this is a reformed/ redeemed Draco that squares with his canon characterization. The whole thing about, “I’m not brave, I just couldn’t watch you die” — which is STELLAR quote btw. And how he didn’t care for Dumbledore or any of this other bad stuff but when Burbage was murdered on his dining table where he eats breakfast — like yeah, that would fuck someone up. And that’s the thing about him, he was full of hate and spite and he was okay using hexes on people and being a dick, but when it came to the bloodshed, seeing it up close in person, he was like, “Hold up, no, this isn’t who I want to be.”
Just… the twist with him being a ghost, how you set up the story so it doesn’t seem that way, but once it’s revealed it fits perfectly… just amazing. And the use of the quote for the challenge felt organic, and the “spending the night in the haunted house,” this was a clever use of that prompt.
I just love it, wonderful execution of just everything you were going for here.
<3 Melanie
(fauiryland)
holy shit and oh my god, this was an incredible plot twist! i am here for the event and because of the inkys and just....i didn't see it coming at all. i thought they were going to meet and discuss things and maybe get together but this.... :O you pulled that off incredibly!
The description of the place was quite nicely done and eerie, and then when Hermione just meets Draco sitting there, waiting for her, I knew I should've been suspicious.
If I'm going to move on, I have to face what happened here." - this is a great line, it really illustrates Hermione's character in this, not only does it show she's brave, because coming back to the Manor must've been traumatic for her, but also it's Hermione and she wants answers
you did a great thing with the flashback, because it almost almost gives it away, and at the end it is all clear, but the flashback just teases, it hints, but never gives it away. such good work.
and then when it becomes clear draco is a ghost...damn, it is so chilling. but also beautiful and heartbreaking that he had waited for her, to tell her about him, about the one important good thing he did so he could be remembered, and then only he could move on. truly brilliant.
Eli for Team Snow Foxes
*reviewed for the fairy thingy - but also for the inkys*
So I hate Dramoine. It doesn't creep me out so much as I find it completely implausable. I could never find a reason to believe that Hermione would ever search Draco out and that he would ever consider her anything other than a 'mudblood'.
That being said, this was brilliant. I love how you found a reason to bring these two disparate characters together in a way that even a disbeliever like me can understand and sympathize with. The desire for closure that you have each of them searching for drives the whole conversation and I like how -even in the space of a single chapter- you have both of the characters grow and develop. Hermione comes to find out that Draco is 'not what she expected' (I did love your follow up quote from Draco - which I think was one of the challenge prompts). At the same time, you have Draco start to see this 'mudblood' -who he calls originally only by her last name and then eventually her first- as a person who is reaching out to him despite everything he's done and everything he stood for.
Separate from the excellent way that you developed the plot, I found your descriptive style to be very well done - detailing the ruins of the estate and the overcast weather outside as a way to set the mood and tone of the story you've told. That, in addition to the well-developed dialogue really delivers on the angsty interaction between these two opposing souls - driven apart by family, background and circumstance. The idea that things could have been different - but only in AU - resonates with me.
The twist at the end was icing on the cake - and for me characterizes your story as the best Dramoine I've ever read. Thanks so much for writing it.
-Drew
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i’m sorry that’s genuinely the most coherent start to this review i could come up with after finishing that because OH MY GOD I JUST.
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(ok i should probably start writing coherent words instead of keysmashes but WOW i was not prepared for that ending and like…… HOLY SHIT.)
(also hi i’m finally here doing the reviews from that one status update of mine from weeks ago)
god, i just don’t even know where to begin. i think the way you’ve written hermione and draco here is just brilliant - i think you’ve remained true to their canon characterizations, but you’ve also given them some extra depth. just…. draco’s self-reflection is just brilliant, the fact that he recognizes that he was this scared kid and he didn’t know what he was getting into and then eventually became so disgusted with it that he was willing to die rather than continue to truly go along with it - i think that’s some excellent character development and absolutely seems like something i’d expect from him. you made him come to life in this, which is just a little bit ironic considering….. well. :P
i think this might be the first thing i’m reading of yours, and damn i really need to read more of your work - your writing is genuinely so lovely and flows so well and your descriptions and dialogue are just perfect. the way you’ve developed this scene and developed the relationship between hermione and draco is really just so so excellent.
gah, the favorite color moment is just… so tender? i loved that little exchange even before i got to the plot twist, but i love it even more now. like, these are the last words they get to exchange with each other, and there’s something so wonderfully soft about them picking these tiny little facts about themselves to share in this moment - it somehow lightens the mood and makes it that much sadder all at once.
and…. well. i think you know my reaction to the end of this fic by now, because it’s what i opened with. i absolutely was not expecting that at all and you effectively shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces and had me literally yelling “WHAT” at my computer, so thank you for destroying me, it was an honor.
ugh this is brilliant and i genuinely just tried to go nom it for best plot twist and/or best angst only to discover it’s already a finalist for both (as it deserves) bc goddamn. <3
-taylor
Well the idea of Malfoy Manor in ruins so soon after the war has me GRIPPED right from the get go!
Your description in the flashback torture sequence is so good, seriously so good. Flashbacks are hard to write anyway but this one felt so sensory, I finished the last paragraph and realized I was clenching my jaw so hard because I could just FEEL her pain so viscerally.
I'll be honest, I haven't read much Dramione so I haven't really thought about the implications of them being together at Malfoy Manor, but gosh it is RIPE for shipping. I love the idea of Draco trying to subtly intervene to spare Hermione, it feels realistic with canon Draco, who we know is ambivalent at best about the Dark Lord and squeamish about violence, and if you interpret that scene where he claims he can't identify a disguised Harry...ooh I think I'm ready to board this train.
I also really love the idea that it's not Dumbledore's death that fully turns Draco against Voldemort, but Burbage's. I had never thought about the fact that they killed her in Draco's home, and the impact that must have had on him.
And the "version of me" line drop! It works soooo well in this context, omg. AND THEN THEY BOND OVER BEING AFRAID OF THE OCEAN. Ahhh it's just the exact sort of little detail you talk about on a date or something, and you both cling to it. But it works so well in this moment too, trying to find common ground after all that's happened.
Oh no!!! THE TWIST!!! I should have known based on the prompt of "haunted house" and the fact that the house is literally in ruins, idk what I was expecting to happen...but I was still totally surprised! And he calls her "Granger" again at the end...oh man.
This was such a lovely surprise in so many ways, and super well written! Thanks for writing and posting!
**Review left for the winter in fairyland event**
Hi Emily!
I’m surprised I hadn’t read this yet as I am always a fan of your work, your Dramione stuff especially, but I’m here now after Branwen’s rec & several of my fellow snow foxes reminded me to check this out. :) EMILY. WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME CRY AT TEN P.M. ON A MONDAY NIGHT, THIS IS NOT OKAY!!! I mean, should I have expected this was going to be sad based on the story summary and the tags in the story shell? Probably. Did I actually read the tags before clicking through to the story itself? Definitely not. Color me shocked at that ending! :joy:
But first of all, let’s start at the beginning of this fic. You’ve done an excellent job right off the bat with setting the mood for what this fic is going to cover, even if it’s a bit surprising to see that Malfoy Manor has already fallen to ruin in only five months. I suppose that’s what happens when no one is living there anymore though, eh? Hermione going there and then being surprised by Draco’s presence, even though it’s his family home but still standing firm and holding her ground is that true Gryffindor spirit in her. Your description of Draco’s initial positioning and the fall weather gives Hermione every reason not to stay, not to talk to him, but ultimately she makes the decision to stay, and that really gets me going. I think it’s a bit fitting too that Hermione is standing on broken glass -- she broke a lot of stereotypes and things in fantasy and YA books for a lot of us young (and older) women growing up, and had a huge impact on our lives, as she was the first to really do things differently. And then, sitting opposite her, Draco Malfoy.
The flashback to the trio’s capture and her subsequent torture is brutal, like you’ve written, and definitely helps to illustrate just how much it’s still impacted Hermione’s psyche even now, months after the war has ended and both Voldemort and Bellatrix have been reduced to total ash. Putting it in italics also helps (at least in my opinion) with a smoother transition between the present and past scenes occurring that keeps us engaged without an abrupt cut to either direction. Draco arguing futilely with his aunt about torturing Hermione so much was a very brave thing for him to do, even if he didn't think it was. Bellatrix’s admonishment of Draco’s plea was hurtful to read but the fact he even spent those few precious seconds, minutes, bargaining for Hermione’s life probably helped to save her, to keep her alive.
Something you do so well that I still feel like I am not great at is showing subtlety of emotions with the little bits of body language and movement that your characters do. It’s a blip for some people when reading this, but I really enjoy those brief moments when their bodies are saying something different than their eyes or their mouths,or it’s all a jumble together. And now that Hermione and Draco are sitting, this is when we get into the real meat of this piece, which also made me cry and my heart break several times as their conversation continued on. Just as an FYI for you :P Survivor’s guilt is a real thing, and I am glad you touched on it here with Hermione as Draco begins to recount his journey into becoming a Death Eater. Being a survivor when so many didn’t make it is a grief and guilt that few others typically can share with you, but Draco, at least, can empathize with Hermione in this case.
EMILY YOUR USE OF METAPHORS AND SIMILES ARE TOO PERFECT, WHY DO YOU WRITE SO AMAZINGLY!? The line about the door hanging by a single fractured hinge relating to almost falling apart but holding on is just, like, perfection and I will not be taking feedback from you at this time, thank you very much. Draco’s obvious pain and regret at having gotten everything so wrong so quickly is palpable for me, and he truly deserved so much better. Not only in canon, but also in this setting, too. When we’re sixteen, we think we’re invincible, that we know more about the world than we actually do, and that we know we can do things and make a difference when in reality, we’re still just children. And in Draco’s case, he was a child soldier, for a cause he thought he could support, then too late found out he could not escape, no matter how far he tried to run. I think you do an excellent job of getting into Draco’s head in his monologue without it just being a rehash of the book events; there’s a fair bit of nuance to what he did and why he did certain things, and also how he felt after he did those things or witnessed them before his eyes. His pain about Professor Burbage is what really got me in this section, I think.That connection of the table upon which she was mercilessly killed being the same where he’d have jam on toast in the mornings is a picture you simply can’t reconcile in your head; it’s an atrocity layered over a mundane reality that can’t be washed away, even if the bloodstains are gone.
Hermione’s acceptance of his explanation for why he saved her, why he chose to stand up to Bellatrix while Hermione was being tortured, is done exceptionally well. It balances all the right things and I think that’s what elevates this from a typical post-war Dramione -- they don’t immediately fling themselves at one another or anything, but rather simply accept each other for who they are, past transgressions and all, and choose to move forward and beyond their past. You did a great job of weaving that “version of me” quote in as well -- it’s extremely fitting for what’s going on, and for how these two tended to see each other over the last seven years, even if it wasn’t accurate to the person standing in front of them.
Once they’ve agreed to get to know each other, I like that Draco just starts by stating his favorite color, like it’s a first-day-of-class icebreaker activity. That adds that little bit of levity we need for such a heavy piece as this is. Thank you, also, for making his favorite color be NOT GREEN as that’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine in fic for some reason, just don’t ask me why that is, lol. :joy: AND HERE IS WHERE WE REALLY STARTED TO CRY, OKAY. Draco’s form rippling as the storm intensified, Hermione getting a chill as she rose from her seat, it finally sank in for me that Draco wasn’t actually here, but was just a ghost. And that, dear Emily, is what made this all the worse for me. Because they both got this closure, but now they’ll never get to know what could lie beyond for them in the future. And that’s what hurts the most.
The fic starting and ending with rain is proper, and I just want you to know how much I truly love this piece; it’s probably one of my favorite post-war one-shots that I’ve ever read. Thank you for writing such beautiful fic, Emily <3
~Madi
Fairy foxy review event
Hi Emily! I'm here for the fairy reviewing event. This fic was recommended among the snow foxes and I just HAD to come check it out. (*cough* Because I'm soft for Dramione. *cough*) I don't usually do this, but I'm going to review as I read. I want to soak this one up because I just know it's going to be beautiful (based on my previous experiences of reading your work).
I'm immediately drawn to the description of the manor in this state of disrepair, post-war, with its crumbling marble and shattered windows. You paint a picture with your words. It still feels so regal, yet the war has changed it to feel like a ghostly skeleton. It's eerie. Of course Hermione would return here to process her trauma--I think this fits her character to a tee. Yes, she is a Gryffindor and is therefore brave, but I also think she's very logical and she knows she needs to face this head on in order to heal.
The descriptions of the night she was tortured are so raw. Again, you paint a picture with your words. Reading this scene was absolutely visceral for me. I think the line that hit me the most was about the taste of "iron and bile" in her throat. It's hard to fully conceptualize pain when you're reading it in fiction, so sensory details like this make it feel so real. I genuinely shivered when I read that line. Wow.
OOOH WHAT ARE YOU INSINUATING, DRACO? I'm not sure if this is going to be a straightforward Dramione romance of it's just going to be like... exploring feelings, but his line about her knowing he would be there gives me a llittle spark of hope. Did she really know he would be there? Or is he just voicing some wishful thinking? It seems like Hermione is grateful for him saving her, but she's still not exactly warmed up to him yet. Or maybe she just hasn't admitted her feelings to herself? So does she have multiple motives for going to the Malfoy Manor? HMMMM?!
"Being young doesn't excuse the things I've done" -- Oof, that line hit me in the chest. Draco has grown a lot here; he's no longer the selfish brat that he was in the books. I can definitely see Hermione's perspective here--I mean, he *was* young when the war was ramping up, and being raised in a world of Death Eaters meant that he was shaped a certain way, to believe that Voldemort's path was the right path. It's hard to escape that when it's all around you. But I'm also glad to see Draco claiming some accountability here, because he's right. Sixteen is old enough to forge your own path, and I think a part of him could see that he was on the wrong side. He could've stood up. But he didn't.
Yep. The line about how there's a vast difference between preaching blood supremacy and watching a Muggleborn being murdered... yeah, I got chills. That just confirms that he knew he was on the wrong side of the war. And it makes me think... at what point do people who are basically brainwashed "wake up"? When is the line crossed? And how do they escape once they're in so deep, even when they *do* realize that what they fought for so long is... wrong?
"I'm not brave, Granger. I just couldn't watch you die." - Not kidding, there are tears in my eyes. This is so powerful, Emily. Draco's resignation to his fate. His desire to do something *good* for a change. The refusal to believe that he is a hero in any way, shape, or form, because of all the sins he had committed in his life before that moment. This wasn't so much a selfless act as it was an act of desperation. But to Hermione, it was everything. Gosh, this is so complex. The way you explore these characters and this moment is honestly stunning.
Oh. My. God. The moment Draco tells her his favorite color. STOP IT. You're breaking me, Emily. This is such a tender moment. OMG. It's like they've returned to their first year and are getting to know each other all over again, as they should have (instead of letting all the preconceived notions of Gyffindor vs. Slytherin get in the way). I mean... Draco was legitimately a spoiled brat, but there was definitely more to him that Hermione never got to see because she just saw him as a bully. I loved the line that inspired this fic, about how the version of Draco she'd created in her mind wasn't his responsibility. I think it works especially well for a Dramione fic, because they both put each other in boxes and it's hard to break out of those. I'm glad they're getting that chance now.
HE WAITED FOR HER TO COME BACK SO HE STAYED AT MALFOY MANOR ALONE. Yep, I am well and truly broken now. I also love the fact that Hermione chooses to see him as brave even though he doesn't see himself that way. She is consciously re-writing her narrative of Draco Malfoy. Bless her.
WHAT THE FUCK. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. HE'S A GHOST?! I HAVE LITERAL CHILLS. ALL OVER. OMG. EMILY. NOOOOOOOOOOO.
Okay, I did NOT see that coming. At all. I still have chills (not kidding). I don't have words anymore. Okay. Now it all makes sense. Why he's staying at Malfoy Manor alone when it's in such a state of disrepair. Why he knew to expect her. OMG the fact that he couldn't "pass on" before seeing her again just... *melts*. I know this isn't a straightforward romance or anything, but there is clearly *something* there, and I think that makes it even more sad. It's just the whisper of possibility and the fact that he's dead and they can't ever explore it makes my heart ache. I am glad they got this closure, but it just... AH IT WASN'T ENOUGH. But somehow it also was? Like... there is this promise of them seeing each other again one day, on the other side, and I...
Shit, I'm crying.
I'm very glad that I chose to review as I read so that you could see my genuine reaction to that twist ending. Oof. That hit me in all the feels and, as always, your writing is absolutely beautiful. So glad I read this. <3
xx Gina
EMILY. EXCUSE ME, EMILY. WHAT. THE.--
also, hi, i'm here for fairyland!
so i don't read a ton of dramione, but not because i'm actively against it or anything, so i figured it was about time i'd read some by the queen of dramione herself. and man oh man, you did not disappoint!
when i first read this, going in, i was like, "oh, this is gonna be so good. hermione will get closure and then they can take the steps moving forward and maybe become friends" BUT THEN YOU GAVE ME THAT GODDAMN ENDING THAT I DIDN'T SEE COMING AND HAD TO READ TWICE, WHAT THE ACTUAL?!
also, your writing is absolutely beautiful in this. i got chills at some parts, and the flashback was perfect. it gave us enough of a sense to remember what, exactly, had happened here, and why it was so big for hermione to come here after everything that happened. and then why they were talking about random little things, like their favorite color being blue and if they could be friends in another life and you just--ugh, that gut-wrenching end. WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME, EMILY
and i absolutely loved this line: I saw her eyes dim. I was sitting at the table where I'd eaten breakfast with my parents on countless mornings, and her body fell and hit that table like it was nothing. it just really stuck out to me and i could see why that would have shaken draco so much as to why he'd want to save hermione. and when he said he wasn't brave, he just couldn't watch her die--
ughhh, emily. sorry this review is incoherent and shouty and there's a lot more i want to say about this fic, but please just know i absolutely loved it and you did an incredible job with this, from capturing hermione's ptsd and nailing their characterizations down
i loved this so so much, thank you for writing and sharing with us!
Hi, Emily
What a clever, natural, unforced way of combining all three challenges. I'm impressed.
This is an absolutely lovely story, and the writing style is superb. All the sentences flow so naturally, and nothing sounds forced or contrived. The visual details are slotted into the narrative so neatly and naturally that we get a detailed vision of the scene in the ruined house while scarcely realizing why we can see it so clearly.
This is an AU story in that Draco does not survive the war, but of course I didn't pick up on that until the very end. It speaks of Draco's having put himself between Hermione and his aunt, but not until the end of the story, when he and she speak of his 'moving on', do we realize that he actually died for her, presumably on that night. Did he die by the knife that, in the book, killed Dobby?
There are many unanswered questions floating on the margins of the story. Why was the manor house destroyed? Why did Hermione expect that Draco's ghost would still be there? She thinks to herself "What else had he been through to so thoroughly shake him from who he had been?" I guess she will never know the answer to that question.
Thank you so much for writing.
Vicki
For the Fairyland review event, snow foxes.
I….I just need a moment to stare at my computer screen for a moment because I. am. Floored.
That ending was so unexpected! I even read all the challenges and should have seen it coming, but was so enraptured with the storytelling that I wasn’t thinking about an epic plot twist!!?!Okay, going back to the beginning though. This line here, “Being young doesn’t excuse the things I’ve done” was all of the angsty, tragic, anti-hero that I stan. I’m writing a Regulus story right now and this mood is so on point with these poor boys.
And then this one, “I’m not brave, I just couldn’t watch you die.” The fact that he sees his actions as selfish is such a good understanding of his character. That paragraph before and that line was just [chefs kiss emoji]
Outstanding job. Truly a joy to have read - even though it makes me want to cry.
oh...and one more thing....ALL HAIL THE FROST KITTENS!!!!
Hello, my dear Lady Emily! Happy Christmas!
You have a way to surprise me, miss... I totally wasn't expecting Draco to be a ghost! But I really loved that final twist! It was very sad, but it also gave so much additional depth to the story! Such an original and brilliant take!
As always, your characterization was spot on. You capture both Hermione and Draco so well in all of your stories and this is no exception. And while this is AU, it feels so authentic and in tune with canon, and I love that. I love the way you portrayed Draco's guilt and vulnerability and I loved Hermione's perspective through it all, the comparison she does in her mind between the arrogant boy and the broken, brave man. And while age doesn't excuse bad life choices, when you are sixteen, and angry, and scared, and misguided, taking the wrong path is not even a fault, in my opinion.
The bit when you wrote Hermione's memories of Bellatrix's torture gave me chills! But I love the idea of Draco stepping in to protect her! I understand that he couldn't stand to watch another murder, but it was still incredibly brave of him, standing up to his crazy aunt like that. And giving his life for someone he'd despised for years. I also really, really loved their final exchange, all the things they never knew they had in common... so clever and beautiful! And the idea that they could've been friends in different circumstances, or just with more time at disposal... it's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time!
This was really a beautiful and deeply emotional piece! You are a very talented writer, my dear! Thank you for gifting us of this beautiful piece!
Yours truly,
Lady Malfoy
i hate you for this ending oh my god
i mean i love you for this ending, but also i hate you for it, what a fucking punch in the gut, it was just so brutal and such an amazing twist
i had other thoughts but they've been driven out by the sheer What The Fuck of this ending omg you are incredible
Author's Response:Omg, I'm so happy that you liked this story. Honestly, hearing that you enjoyed it means so much to me. You know how much I admire you and your writing.
For me, I really loved writing it. I knew from the beginning how it would end, but I tried hard not to give it away before the "twist" was revealed. The fact that it caught you off-guard is actually really great! I wanted it to be surprising.
If you ever reread this, you'll have to try to spot the little hints at the true situation that I peppered in. ;) And if you go look at the banner, you might notice some coloration on Draco that will give you yet another clue.
Honestly, thank you so much for this review. If I'm down at all around the holidays, I'm going to reread it to lift my spirits. You're the best.
Love,
Emily
Hey Emily! This story has no reviews, ahh! I must fix!
I love the dark vibe of this story already. I love how you can write Draco and Hermione (and in general) in so many different moods and genres, it's so impressive!
It's so brave of Hermione to return to Malfoy Manor. Your descriptions of it are so gorgeous. Obviously I know the gist of what happened but I'm still on the edge of my seat wanting to know all the details of how the manor was destroyed, and what Hermione and Draco went through together. I love that he stood up the Bellatrix, that can't have been an easy thing, either. I also love that despite all the hurt Draco had done to her over their school years, she still sees that one ray of good and is sticking to it. That's a big thing to do, too - honestly I don't think many of us would!
Draco's speech about Prof. Burbage was so hard to read because that was such an incredibly sad moment, but I really appreciated getting Draco's feelings on it, as well as the fact that it was the moment things really began to change inside him.
WAIT WHAT.
WHAT.
Oh my god I did not see that coming??? Wow what an amazing - but super sad - twist! You tricky writer, you. Oh gosh I love this story even more now. They're both finally free in the end <3
This was absolutely gorgeous, Emily! Good luck in all the challenges!
Author's Response:Omg, B. Thank you so much for this review! I'm so glad that you liked the story!
I really loved writing this, and I'm so happy that all of the emotions I wanted to portray came through. I knew how I wanted this to end, but I tried hard not to give it away before the "twist" was revealed. The fact that it caught you off-guard is actually really great! I wanted it to be surprising.
If you ever reread this, you'll have to try to spot the little hints at the true situation to see if you see the clues I peppered it. ;) Thank you for all of your compliments and for enjoying this so much. This review made my night!
Best,
Emily
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