Name: Anise reviewed Clippings on Apr 11, 2011 03:34 pm

This is perhaps my favorite chapter to date. We see so much of Draco's conflicting desires here-- he wants to understand Ginny, he wants to punish her, he just plain wants her, and it's impossible even for him to say at this point what will win out. He has potential power over her right now, and a darker part of him relishes it a little bit, I think.

But he's also afraid for her, and after the most recent incident, he probably should be. (The absolute nadir for DH!Harry had to be when he laughed after hearing how Ginny was punished "cruelly" for helping to steal the sword from Snape's office.) Let's just say that it'll be fascinating to see where Draco and Ginny go from here...

Author's Response: Gah, you just sum things up so well! I've got nothing intelligent to add. Here's hoping the upcoming stuff lives up to expectations *crosses fingers* Oh, turns out I do have something to add: I always figured that Harry's laughing there was relief that she got thrown in the briar patch, so to speak. But yeah, he didn't seem to give a care to how much danger she'd put herself in. Even if he was ignorant of the fact that the Cruciatus was an A-OK punishment at the time, being caught by a Snape with no Dumbledore to rein him in is a horror unto itself.

Name: Boogum reviewed Clippings on Apr 09, 2011 08:56 pm

I love this chapter! I think it is my favourite so far. You really do have a wonderful way of writing Draco, and you're making me increasingly curious about what the heck Ginny is really up to. Just what did she and the others try to do by breaking into Snape's office?

I'm also really, really appreciating that Pansy has a backbone and is not some airheaded twit. You can tell that this girl is intelligent and knows how she should behave to save her skin. I like the fact they have a truly Slytherin relationship going on. They're not close friends, not by a long shot, but she wants to help in her small way, even if only to tell him to stay clear of Ginny (which I actually think is advice he should probably listen to. That Ginny is a sneaky one).

Look forward to the next chapter. ^_^

Author's Response: DA members breaking into Snape's office during DH? What could they possibly want? ;) I admit that I usually write Pansy much brattier than she appears here, but she's never completely vapid. Draco was likely with her for over a year (at least GoF Yule Ball to HBP school year start) - why would he be caught dead in her presence if she had no redeeming characteristics? Some people pull the arranged marriage card but you don't have to pretend to like someone you're contracted to marry. I love how you show me new facets of my own writing. I didn't purposely set out to make Draco and Pansy's relationship a Slytherin archetype, I was mostly working the "ex trying her damndest not to care but doesn't want everything to implode" angle.