Gin's Second Gloomy Place

Er, no, there weren't supposed to be two parts to the Long-ish Weekend Recs of yesterday, because then you all get overwhelmed and angsty and start wringing your hands about how you don't have time to read long stories, and then you just start scrolling by my recs and flipping me a rude salute on your way past. I hear you. But people need to stop posting Awesomesauce Stuff I Like, okay. :/ I promise to go away for... at least a few days after this. :D

Darkstar by Anon at hd_holidays (Harry/Draco, NC-17: some warnings on fic that are all very, very mild, IMO, 23K)
After the Ministry of Magic decides that Harry's Auror position is a liability, they offer him an alternative: become part of an international covert operations initiative. Joining the project means Harry must forsake everything he cherishes and learn things he never wanted to know about himself.

Here is something about me you might not know: I adore the Jason Bourne series like crazy. CRAZY. This? Is HP meets Bourne. a;lskjdfl;sj. The action-adventure superspy plot of it had me totally riveted, and the universe the author develops is way cool and very well done. In one of the opening scenes, we see Harry's death reported in the Prophet. From there, he disappears underground in an unnamed city to take up his new training, back to basics, with an international special ops force that doesn't want Harry Potter, Expelliarmus expert with a conscience that can only get in the way; they want to create Harry Potter, gun-toting hit wizard who won't think twice about taking out the Minister for Magic if given the order. Hell yeah! Meanwhile, Draco has already been with this agency, Darkstar, for some time, and listen, every time he's onscreen the entire story pretty much ignites into giant flames of oh God, I don't even know -- sexual energy, assassin energy, authority energy, everything. Harry is amazing, the supporting cast is wonderful, but Draco not only completely steals the show, he gets it on its back, makes it beg, and then shoots it in the head.

... so to speak. :D I do have some minor quibbles with this story, such as a glut of exposition at the beginning that I wanted to slice out with a sharp scalpel, and a few lingering questions about the universe as a whole and how it works. But overall it is so insanely cool and well characterised and erotic as hell and so very, very memorable, that I find I can't dwell too much on a few little things. Persevere past the opening sequences and it becomes very awesome, very quickly. :)

Theft of Assets, Destruction of Property by helenish (Neville/Draco, NC-17, 23K)
Surely it is a mistake to allow a single youthful indiscretion to cloud an already promising career.

Grah, I've been meaning to rec this since I first read it about six weeks ago now. Many of you have probably already seen it by now; if not, I highly recommend setting aside some time for it. It's like nothing I've ever read before. It was conceived several years ago, the author says, and only finished this fall, but it definitely reads like pre-closed-canon fic. Both Neville and Draco are a little bit different than one might expect, but still entirely themselves. Well, perhaps I should amend that: for the fic to work, Draco is necessarily a bit lighter than I usually see him, but there are also reasons for that. In the end, it worked for me just fine. Neville is wonderful, and the world Helen creates surrounding Auror training as a mirror of graduate school, in a way, with Neville having to study his head off just to keep up, was a fascinating take on the training.

This is part forced marriage fic, part hurt/comfort, and part meta, to me -- on what, though, I'm still unsure. There is commentary on the possibilities involved in arranged marriages, I think, on the social currency attached to virginity, and definitely commentary on domesticity and gender roles. Helen beautifully captures a strained relationship in which one partner works outside the home and the other feels lonely, isolated, and unable (or unworthy) of his/her own work, and does it all from the vantage point of an m/m relationship. It's refreshing and nicely subversive, I thought, although I also found it a bit unnerving at times, because, does it only reproduce heteronormative gender roles? IDK, maybe I'm overthinking it. It's a fascinating study of all these issues, though, as well as just a beautifully told love story. It's hard to pin it down, but I love how it transcends genres. It's a story that will stick in your head for a long, long time.

All right, long!fic, begone with you! I'll focus on one-shots for the rest of the week. Maybe. ;)

Iz dun.

I didn't even bother tabbing the book up this time, as it wasn't all that helpful the last time. Basically, this entire course has been an exercise in using an index properly and putting your hands on information quickly. The most useful in terms of actually learning about the meds has been doing the med sheets. Of course, I procrastinated those until the last minute. *eyeroll* I think next semester, whether that's part of the course or not, I'll do them for each class of drugs we cover, because that way, I may actually learn stuff.

Main thing is, by noon tomorrow, this semester will be DONE!!! Thank all Gods for small favors.

I'm procrastinating my Pharm exam for no good reason, so here's a meme stolen from bluedolfyn: Using only EPISODE names from ONE TV SHOW, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat an episode title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "My life according to (show)." (Okay, I cheated and grabbed a radio play or two, but it's the same show.)

Describe yourself: Cyberwoman (What? I'm online way too much to pick anything else!)
How do you feel: on good days, Small Worlds Not so good days, Combat
Describe where you currently live: Out of Time
If you could go anywhere where would you go: Asylum
Your favorite form of transportation: Adrift
Your best friend is: Lost Souls
What's the weather like: From Out of the Rain
Favorite time of day: End of Days
If your life was a TV show, it would be called: Reset
What is life to you: Something Borrowed
Your fear: A Day in the Death
What is the best advice you have to give: Everything Changes
Thought for the Day: Random Shoes
How I would like to die: Ghost Machine
My soul's present condition: Fragments
My motto: To the Last Man

Unf. *raises head blearily* So, the S.O. and I went to a holiday party last night. You know the kind: too many people you don't know; too little energy to make chit-chat with them; too many warmed-red-wine-and-cinnamon (?) concoctions freely flowing that make it all more bearable... And so I woke up this morning with a teeensy bit of a hangover, methinks. Fortunately! Had nothing planned, so I gathered the warmest blanket in the house, headed to the couch with the laptop and coffee, and clicked on the first thing on my f-list. Which happened to be AWESOME. Here:

Portrait of a Headmaster by Anon at hd_holidays (Harry/Draco, NC-17, 21K)
When Death Eaters find their way into the Hogwarts portrait collection, the Headmaster is forced to work with the Head Auror to find a way to protect the castle, including their own children.

First of all, what, is this the deliciousness of hd_career_fair all over again? Draco is the Headmaster of Hogwarts, okay, and that drew me in right off the bat. It's a great characterisation of him: quietly authoritative but also inwardly uncertain at times: just as I imagine he'd be. The second thing that drew me into this story is the tremendously inventive and magically-creative plot about portraits. If you like your HP fic to get all creative with the magic of the canon 'verse, I think you'll like this story. The magic is fabulous, including a wonderful sequence that gives the reader a sense of what it's actually like inside the portrait world, and how it actually feels to move between portraits. So cool! And the third thing I liked about this story? Ooh, Harry Potter, you goddamned god of sex and Auror-ness and magic, you. GODDAMN. The chemistry between Harry and Draco just sizzles, both in and out of the bedroom. A wonderful Saturday afternoon hangover fic. :D And, you know, a wonderful fic all 'round, for other occasions, too.

A Romance by Anon at Snupin Santa on lupin_snape (Snape/Lupin, NC-17: non-magic AU, 35K)
Prompt: a non-magical AU, supermarket-aisle paperback romance with unusual careers.

This is the story I mentioned last month that I'd got a sneak-peek on, and which had made me fall in love with Snape/Lupin all over again. Eeee! Although -- *stern glare at author* -- the title and "summary" aren't as enticing as perhaps they could be, trust me that this story is worth its weight in gold. It's a non-magic AU with Lupin working in the train yards of a dusty American town when Snape, the more upper-crust new guy, arrives to join the team. The chemistry between them instantly ignites, but that's only the beginning of a long journey they have to undergo before they might be able to be together. Along the way, they have to get over some issues in both their pasts, a series of headdesky misunderstandings, issues regarding being out as a gay man in a small town and a working class community, and... a cat (named Hairy) who isn't quite ready to give up his share of the attention in the house. :) It's a beautiful, easy-to-read tale that will suck you into its 'verse right from the opening scene. The train yard setting just blossoms around you until you come to love the job as much as Lupin does. If you like non-magic AUs in which the canon characters appear in unexpected ways, I think you'll also like what the author has done with several familiar characters in this story. Another wonderful tale to sink into on a lazy winter weekend. :)

Off to catch up on comments, oi. :) We're getting around that time of the month when comments drop off a bit at fests, so if you read something you like, be sure to drop a line to the author to put their anon mind at ease. :)

Albino Hedgehog on a diet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8409188.stm


Bald Hedgehog gets massage

When he curls up.. well it looks like she's stroking a pet turd. Giggles

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8344733.stm


I want a pet hedgehog!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8300124.stm

Dear whomever put together the flier for the big agency interfaith thingy,

I realize that times are tough, people are stretched thin, and it may be a bit hard to find someone with the time to proofread your flier before you go to print. And I also am entirely aware that we all make goofy mistakes and generally don't pick up on them ourselves.

Given that, may I humbly suggest that, while it's not the be-all and end-all of proper writing, turning on spell check might avoid the problem of having your flier announce that the event will be on "FIDAY" in big, bold, 32-point font?

Just a thought,
me

Photographic evidence that will haunt my husband for the rest of his life:




I'm thinking of having Christmas cards made...

Hey VL! Guess what?! GUESS WHAT?!

The Demon Daddy has a Battalion Holiday Party tonight.

Guess what else?!

HE HAS TO DRESS UP LIKE AN ELF!!

Oh, there will be pictures. Lots and lots of pictures!

Tickets are already on sale for Barrowman in panto next year (2010/11), but it'll be in Glasgow, not Cardiff. About the only thing that'd get us back to Glasgow, I think, would be if Gary Moore were playing there again, and if it were the same venue as last time, well, Patsfan's on his own. (Which might not be a bad idea anyway, considering that dragging someone who is not overfond of musicals in the first place to a bloody panto is probably not the sanest plan ever.)

Ah well, it would've been a nice bonus, but c'est la vie. Maybe GDL will be doing panto again next year, and in a location closer to either Cardiff or someplace Moore is playing. Moore's tour schedule stops at last week on his website, so no idea where he'll be at that time yet. (Slightly nervous-making, as if we're trying to book stuff around this time next year, and he doesn't have his January schedule up yet, that could get interesting.) Patsfan seems to be getting behind the idea of the trip not necessarily having to revolve around Gary Moore this time, but if he's playing anywhere in the UK at all, Patsfan's going to want to go. He is, clearly, a much more dedicated fanboy than I am a fangirl.

I wish I could even remember what it was about Glasgow (other than the lousy concert venue, and that's not enough to sour me on a city) that left such a bad taste in my mouth. It may actually be as simple as having been on the edge of a fibro flare that (thankfully) never quite took hold, but at that point I was terrified it was going to ruin the whole trip. There's this vague memory of some kind of hand-lettered fliers around that creeped me out, but I don't even remember what they were for. *shrugs*

On the school front, and finishing up is actually a prerequisite to having a graduation trip after all, this semester's finally winding down. Got a B on yesterday's exam. None of the four questions I got wrong would've benefited in the least by more studying, which is good considering how little I did. Have the last Pharm exam to do this weekend and then the final on Monday. Now, if I could just get next semester nailed down, that'd help. I kind of procrastinated some of the paperwork to be able to register for the spring, and it is now, so far as I know, sitting on the English Dept Chair's desk, waiting for a signature. That I didn't take care of this last spring is probably a sign of the ongoing ambivalence that has been cropping up again over why the hell I'm doing this in the first place. If I end up either having to sit out a semester or else take English 102 at this late date (or both, there's some confusion over whether it's a prereq or coreq for Nursing 201), I'll have no one but myself to blame. On the other hand, if Practical Criticism isn't close enough-if a bit more intense-to what they describe 102 as here, which is basically "learning to write about literature," then I just don't get it.

Babble.

Tuesday can't get here fast enough. That, at least, I'm not remotely ambivalent about.

...there are achievements so great in their magnitude, so daringly tethering over the furthermost reaches of the scary Unknown, of such an overbearing and gut-wrenching hyperbolic value it would be a crime to confine them to one's own memory when they weep with the need to be shouted over the rooftops.

So I shall not keep to the modest silence that befits me so well.

I am wrapping Xmas presents.

And I am doing so sober.



Please, please do mind the crashing waves of applause that cannot but accompany such a statement. I wouldn't want you to be deafened.

Gah, it's already so hard to keep up with recs! Damn you, December. :) I keep reading awesome stuff and compiling these sort of thematic-based recs lists in my head, rather than fest-based; like, I've read a couple of good infidelity fics, and a couple of good non-magic AU fics, etc. But before I can code them up, I get distracted by more new and shiny. Heh. Well, the month is still young, I suppose... Here are three that I fell in love with just yesterday, two of which aren't even for fests! What? People are just posting regular non-fest fic this month? Who knew? :)

someday you'll get your happy ending by angeldylan628 (Harry/Luna, PG-13: EWE, 3K)
summers were always miserable, but she's teaching him that things can change.

I stumbled across this yesterday and instantly fell in love with it. It follows Harry out of the Battle of Hogwarts and into his new life where, as one might expect, he's having trouble adjusting. Luna is the only one who understands. Well, that's just canon, right there, and exactly why I like this pairing in general. :) I called this fic quiet in my comment to the author, and that's what makes it so successful, to me: it's fairly angsty but remains just this side of overly-emo. The language is beautifully sparse, the action tightly contained, and much of it is left between the lines for the reader to infer. A very different piece than much of what I've read lately, and I adored the originality of it as well as its pretty prose.

Champagne and Business Cards by leashy_bebes (Teddy/Scorpius, NC-17: distant cousin-cest, if that bothers you, 7K)
Yet another high-society dinner, another boring night of showing his face and talking to the right people, but Scorpius is about to learn that these things don't have to be all champagne and business cards.

If you like next-gen fic, hopefully you already know never to miss any of this author's posts. If you don't generally go for next-gen... well, it's not up to me to convince you. You might read this as almost original-character fic, in that case, but it's some damn fine erotica either way. It actually gave me a bit of a Charlie/Draco vibe, which is not meant to be an insult to the characterisation -- I like Teddy and Scorpius just fine -- but I do think this fic succeeds on many levels, one of which is in broad appeal regardless of who the characters are. If that makes sense. *reaches for more coffee* Anyway, umm, what I mean is, you start with two bored 20-somethings at a Ministry function their families have forced them to attend, and this is what you get when they sneak off to do naughty things together. A simple premise, probably a PWP at heart, but also so much more. The chemistry between them just ignited not only my computer screen but my entire house, okay. Pardon me while I go reread this like a million times until I figure out how she did it. :)

Fix by Anon at hp_cestfest (Draco/Bellatrix, NC-17: incest, 1.5K)
How do you fix magic?

Ohhhh, this one is just exquisite. Gorgeous prose, a series of moments slotted beautifully into HBP canon, a very eerie and perfectly IC Bellatrix, a dream-like quality that leaves you a little bit unsure if any of it really happened, and just, a;lksj. Short and punchy, this fic draws you in right from the beginning and doesn't let go. I adored the originality of it, and did I mention the pretty, punchy prose? Everything she touches has a pulse until she stops it. a;klsjdf. Utterly love this!

See something you like? Even if LJ is hoarding the notifications, go on and leave a comment anyway! The authors (and artists, of course) will appreciate it. I feel like after a couple of years of us all wringing our hands over comment-declines during December fest season, this year has actually been quite good -- at least from my vantage point. I see a tonne of people commenting and recc'ing again this year, which is wonderful. *clings to HP fandom* See? We're still not going anywhere! :)

Due to a slight oversight - it being a big day here in tax - I've left my actual drabble at work. (Not so big a day I couldn't sneak in a bit of writing)

So, instead, I give you linkies

Harry Potter

Title: The Practice of Literary Erotica towards the Amelioration of Boredom
Author: iulia_linnea
Pairings: Lucius/Severus, implied Narcissa/Kingsley, Lumionus
Rating: NC-17


Good Omens fic

Title: Control

Gift For: Vic

From: Secret Author!

Pairings: Aziraphale/Crowley, random/Crowley

Incentives Warnings: D/s themes, bit of BDSM, bit of het, lots of slash

Rating: NC-17

Not the first snow. Even last weekend wasn't the first snow, though nobody seems to remember that. But the first school delay. What impact does a 2-hr delay even have when you're due in at 10? Color me clueless. I'm guessing the campus is opening at 10:30, as the first classes are, for the most part, at 8:30. *shrugs*

Fun, fun. Not looking forward to shoveling. My back is already bugging me this week.

Part of me wishes they'd just closed, but while I do get paid if my tutees don't show, I don't if I'm not at least there, so I guess that's not what I wish after all. Now to find the motivation to get this day started.

Do YOU see slash in this picture? Like... blatant, slashy slash?

I went to have lunch with the hubby today (for those unaware, the hubby is in the US Army) and noticed that he had his Distinguished Order of Saint Martin on display and this picture is part of the presentation package thingy that sits out (it's apparently Saint Martin and a beggar... I think we ALL know what he's begging for *wink wink*).

I tried not to giggle. I did not succeed.

Yeah, yeah. Don't ask, don't tell. *sporfle*

Moar recs. For those keeping track, these two completely blew my mind and are both going on my list of stories to put in the vault to be stored for all time. Yes, really. They are that good.

His Father's Son by rickey_a (Albus Severus/Scorpius, Draco, NC-17, 7K)
Scorpius Malfoy tries to find his own way in the world.

Okay, so, first of all, you can't tell a single thing from that header, really, which is not the author's fault. I sympathise, to which any of you who might have read my Albus genfic last month could attest. "Al wakes up and has a nice day," or whatever the summary was, doesn't tell you a goddamned thing. But in that case, I hope it was evident by the end why the summary couldn't really be any more specific. Same applies here. It's nearly impossible to review this story without giving away the farm. At heart, it's a lovely teenage romance story between Al and Scorpius. Underneath a few layers, it's also a slightly unsettling Malfoy family drama. Underneath a few more, it's an incredibly clever play on all the elements that make the Potterverse so compelling in the first place: the magic, and all that entails. This story eventually takes one crucial scene from canon and flips it completely on its head. You will never read that scene the same way again. You might not ever read these characters in any other fic the same way again. I don't think I will. This universe is now the only one I can see for them. It's astonishing how Rickey did it, really. Absolutely stunning, in terms of narrative construction, in terms of characterisation, and in terms of a plot that could not be more brilliant. I'm being vague, I know, but trust me. It's an unbelievably well-crafted story. Damn, I can't even use one of the tags I want, without spoiling it! :)

(edit: Ah, I see I should clarify: this was originally written for hp_darkfest, so it has some dark themes, but I didn't mention that originally because tbh, assumptions about what might be in it are what kept me from reading it for the past 6 weeks since it went up. It's maybe a shade darker than anything that happens in canon, but not much, IMO. There are spoiler warnings on the fic, if you need them, but I beg you to try it without reading them. It's not about sexual abuse or gore or anything. But, of course, YMMV, and I don't want to lead you into blindly reading something outside your comfort zone. :)

Give Chase by Anon at hd_holidays (Harry/Draco, NC-17: EWE, some D/s, bondage, 6K)
All Draco knows is that he can’t stop running.

I just. I can't even. *flail* The sheer originality of this fic is amazing in itself. I've never seen anything like it. It plays on every Potter/Malfoy rivalry you can think of, especially Auror/suspect, and crafts an ongoing game of CHASE as the basis for a slowly evolving D/s relationship. Like, running through the streets kind of chase. Maggie mentioned her running kink in reviewing this fic, and yeah. Seriously. The action sequences are incredibly well written, and that cannot be easy. By the time you finish it, you'll be panting yourself, charged with adrenaline and ready to take off down that alley once more to try to get away. It's exhilarating. Both men are wonderfully characterised, but the way we see Harry from Draco's POV especially got under my skin and tugged hard. “Malfoy.” The hairs on the back of Draco’s neck stood on end. “Why the fuck do you run when you know I’ll catch you?” al;ksjdfl;askdfjl;askdf. Fresh and original and hot like burning and tense and adrenaline-fuelled, and just, wow. Amazing story.

Read? Liked? Think I'm on crack but read and liked something else instead? Either way, go on and leave a bit of feedback for a hard-working author or artist today!

Huge congratulations to all the winners! Some really amazing fic there, all of you!

And big thanks to sshg316, mollyssister, losille2000, and deemichelle for developing and modding these awards.

I have decided that daily_deviant's Kinky Kristmas fest is really secretly a Make Eey Happy fest.

Hello, my kinks. I would rec specific fic and art from this fest, but seriously, it's ALL so damn delicious that I can't pick just one.

I urge you all to go to Kinky Kristmas and roll around in the kinky dirty gorgeousness that's been posted.

As for the other fests I'm participating in/reading, have some fic and art!!

A Holiday With Old Friends on snapelyholidays. Snupin art with a bit of backstory ficlet. Lovely and awesome. I love this person's Snape.

A Haunting Past on snapelyholidays. Severus/Lily/Remus with some delicious potion's accident smut. God, I love it!

Rock and a Hard Place on snarry_holidays. Lovely dirty wall-sexxin' Snarry art. I love this "mystery" artist to pieces, and this is just one example of why!

Of Hope Restored on snarry_holidays. This one's long (20k+), but with forced bonding, deaged Snape Snarry, can you really turn it down? Can you? I didn't think so. :D It's an awesome fic.

The Storm and After on harry_holidays is some dark and gritty and perfectly dystopian Drarry with some incredibly ingenious and imaginative magical effects. I'd be reccing this up and down even if it wasn't for me. The fact that it's my gift? Is just the icing on the cake!

Cultivating Trust on harry_holidays is a lovely, sweet Draco/Neville with a perfect blend of Narcissa and Scorpius. It's beautifully written and Neville really shines in this fic, which I love to see. :D

The Song of Surrender on bestmates_xmas is a gorgeous, long bit of Harry/Ron fic in which Ron goes above and beyond for Harry. Harry has special needs in this fic (rope bondage kink) and it's just perfectly written. I loved how the author handled the relationship here. It was believable and perfect.

Ego Boosting on bestmates_xmas is a really wonderful fic in its own right, but it OWNS MY HEART for the fact that there are TABLES full of NUMBERS in this fic! NUMBERS! TABLES OF THEM! *loves* *loves so much* Y'all have to go read this one. It's fun and awesome and so much a perfect example of why I secretly love this pairing to death.

The Distraction of Attraction on bestmates_xmas is another lovely, fun, bromancey fic. I know, I'm reccing a lot from this fest, but everything's been so awesome and great and really, they've posted a LOT of fic there, so. Heh.

A Little Sideways on smutty_claus was a lovely and almost heartbreaking Cedric/Luna. I think I might have held my chest through most of it. Very awwwww and sniffle. LOL.

AND! Last but not least, happy_trekmas began posting today, and they started off with a bang!

Double-Ridged is Kirk/Spock art of deliciousness, exploring one of my favorite tropes from that fandom. Whee! Spock-cock at its finest!

Gah, I've read a ton of excellent fic this season, and it's only the first week! How will I ever keep it up? Hehehehe. "Keep it up." Heh.

Oh, and just in case you just wandered in and have never met me before, all the art linked from here is NWS! Because I'm a perv like that.

Savage by Anon at hd_holidays (Harry/Draco, NC-17: some violence, 19K)
In a post-war world that lives in fear and ignorance of werewolves, Draco Malfoy has taken every step to keep his condition hidden. When the delicate balance of his life shatters in a single moment, it is Harry Potter alone standing in his defence.

ALERT: H/D HAS WEREWOLF FIC. NO ONE TOLD ME THIS. a;lskdjf. Remus fen all over my flist, if you don't actively hate H/D, head on over and check out this fic. (Er- and everyone else, too). :) It does all the things I love about werewolf fic and then some, and it does it with Draco as the werewolf. It's canon-compliant, completely plausible in the universe it establishes (oh hi, Greyback skulking around Malfoy Manor during the war, RIGHT?), and the sex scenes are hot as hell. There is also a wonderful scene between Draco and 10-year-old Teddy, who is also a werewolf (which is very nicely explained), a fantastic OC in the Ministry, and one Harry freaking Potter who works for werewolf rights and is all about saving the world again, and just, a;slkdjf. Fantastic story.

The Distraction of Attraction by Anon at bestmates_xmas (Harry/Ron, NC-17, 6K or so)
Harry discovers the perfection of Ron's derriere.

Looking for some lighter fare? Oh my God, I was stuffing my fist into my mouth to keep from laughing out loud at this one. Wonderful characterisations of Harry, Ron and Hermione as they try to complete an Auror-training assignment that features one irritating catch, courtesy their instructor: they all have been hexed with a distraction to keep them from completing the task. Harry's is... Ron's arse. *dying* This is a terrifically well-constructed fic, plot-wise, in addition to just being funny and cute and awesome. :)

Winter's Day by Anon at ficadron (Ron/Draco, PG-13, 2K)
Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.

Short and incredibly lovely, this fic gives us a brief glimpse of one cold winter day as Ron and Draco work through an unnamed problem in their relationship. Not really a conversion fic, if you don't believe they'd ever be together in the first place, but an incredibly touching look at what must be a difficult relationship, if you do. :)

One Step by Anon at ficadron (Ron/Draco, NC-17: AU, past abuse that is heavily implied as sexual as well as physical, 13K)
My summary: Bill and Fleur both turned to look sharply at him. "It's all right," Ron said quickly, not wanting his brother to think that he had put him and Fleur - or their home - purposefully in danger. "He's not armed. He hasn't got a wand. He… he's defected. I think. At least, that's what he told me."

Gah, I didn't even know about this fest until yesterday, and then was doing recsletter stuff and fell in love with two stories from it. a;lksj. :) This is completely different from the fic above, but just as well-written and compelling. It's a bit AU from DH, but also fits very well into canon. Set after Ron leaves Harry and Hermione, it supposes that he finds a recently-escaped Draco in the forest and brings him to Shell Cottage to recover. The banter between them is some of the best I've seen for this pairing, tbh: harsh, horrible insults, but also a shared sense of camaraderie, and just, yeah. Incredibly well done. The ending is terrific, too.

Also! Remember how I was talking about Kinky Kristmas at daily_deviant the other day, and how I'd put prompts in and stuff? I've already got two fics out of it! *dances*

Give Her What She Wants by Anon at daily_deviant (Draco/Hermione, NC-17: BDSM, 4K)
Hermione missed out on the dinner party because she was otherwise occupied, since Draco gave her exactly what she wanted and more.

So, I was writing for hd_career_fair and fell a bit in love with the idea of Dom!Draco, and then this prompt happened. :D I have a soft spot for filthy Draco het, what can I say. Don't judge! :) Smoking hot fic, this is, with some great work with exhibitionism and voyeurism and nnnrf, the relationship between Draco and Hermione is amazing. And the ending melted my little heart. :)

What is Right by Anon at daily_deviant (Harry/Scorpius, NC-17: infidelity, 5K)
While looking for Albus, Harry learns something about his son’s best friend he was probably better off not knowing.

Infidelity!fic win! I love this pairing for that theme, I really do. Here, Harry and Scorpius are on a road trip together, locked in small motel rooms, and really, they're only human. What do you expect to happen?! :) *swats Harry* Don't look so surprised. The kid is fit, okay? :D But it's not all PWP; there is a nice bit of angst to it, and Scorpius, bless him, will surprise you a little bit. Wonderful story.

Thank you, my mystery authors! Remember for all of these, or anything else you read/view and enjoy, a little comment telling the creator you liked it is the best gift this holiday season. :)

I am off to put up my Christmas tree now!!!! ♥

OMG, you guys. I totally scored in the gift fic department today.

Have you ever read something and just thought, "You know, I should stop writing completely because I will never ever be able to write like this"? That totally happened to me.

My major downfall when it comes to writing is being descriptive. I just can't do it. I don't have that skill set. But the brilliantly imaginative author who wrote my gift at harry_holidays has more ability in the tip of his/her pinky toe than I'll have, ever. God, y'all, it is just AMAZING.

My only quibble is that I wanted more. More, more, more. I want to read more in this universe. I want a 500,000 word epic. I want... everything. LOL! I am so damn greedy. But seriously, how can you read something like this:

It had been raining in London.

Harry could smell it. It was in the unique city-scent of damp concrete and the tang of scorched steel and ozone lingering in the air. It was in the cautious eyes that stared at the sky from broken and curtained windows, and in the silence of the streets and alleys, and the lone unmoving hubcap balanced edgewise on the rim of an open manhole.

...and not just immediately be sucked into the story. I wanted to weep with the beauty of the details, and then again with the element that drives the fic (which I won't give away here; you'll have to read it yourselves). You guys, if you've never trusted me before, trust me now.

Run and read The Storm and After, just as fast as you can. It's 3600 brilliant NC-17 words of Harry/Draco relationship, but that's really only the very tip of the iceberg here. I mean. OMG, just go read it.

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Christmas. More so this year for some reason. But that's a rambly post for another day when I'm not actively procrastinating writing up med sheets.

The thing is, the Focus on the Family annual campaign to "stand up for Christmas" has always struck me as logically inconsistent on a number of levels. It was very nice, then, to be pointed to this article by a Christian author that addresses some of those very things. He even touches on the Pagan roots of some of the traditions (not to mention the timing) of the holiday, while keeping a fairly balanced look at the end result. (I have about as much patience for "the Christians stole Saturnalia" hysteria as I do for "retailers who don't say 'Merry Christmas' are evil.")

Well worth a read.