Name: Anise reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Dec 03, 2014 09:56 pm
YES! A REVIEW! You're not imagining it. Really. :) It's been pretty nuts lately... and actually, it still is, but I've been keeping this fic in the back of my mind.
Another great chapter! The dynamics are captured so well-- Harry's cluelessness in some ways, his shrewdness in others; Ginny's determination with more than a hint of rash behavior that could get everyone in trouble, and Draco's almost eerie control over himself in the kind of situation that could fall apart so easily.
I think that Ginny has kind of been avoiding much thinking about what would happen if Harry found out a few facts, but that does fit in with her reckless qualities, too. We really see it here:
Her jaw dropped. “You think I came here to be with Harry?”
He looked at her coldly. “Aren't you? One week ago you were telling me that he was pressuring you to come back to school and you were adamant about not even setting foot in this place. Apparently, he managed to change your mind.”
Draco saw what Ginny didn't, and I think a lot of it is that she really doesn't want to deal with even picturing what would happen if Harry found out exactly what was going on. I think a lot of what we see here is how young Ginny really is; even with everything she’s been through, she’s still very much a teenager. But in THAT case...
Okay, I don't do actual critique for many fics here. So if I do, it's a MAJOR compliment... this is such a great narrative. It can be seen as constructive critique, or, well, feel free to totally ignore it, too. ;)
You do have some great NC-17 scenes, both in this fic and in the previous one. But I feel like what happens between Draco and Ginny on a physical level is kind of floating by itself in outer space somewhere rather than being integrated into their interactions, both between each other and within themselves. In particular, I keep thinking this about Ginny. I'm never sure if she was a virgin when she and Draco first ended up in bed, but I would say that I think so. And in that case, I feel like we need to see more of how this decision affected her. , I do think that saving herself for Harry and then giving it up to Draco would be putting her in more turmoil than we see here. "How could I have done this, now I feel incredibly guilty, I never pictured Draco being my first instead of Harry, I've cheated him, well, Harry didn't have the right to expect that from me, NOW what do I do (I don't think they were using birth control either time??)", etc, etc, etc. I really think that what Ginny decided to do with Draco would be affecting her more on an internal level. I could buy this kind of reaction a lot more easily if she were an older and more experienced woman, although, to tell you the truth, I think we'd still be expecting more internal reactions from her. Sex between Draco and Ginny, I think, offers so many opportunities to show the fault lines in their relationships with others, to expose weaknesses and strengths in themselves, and to trigger a lot of self-reflection.
But, again... PLEASE remember that I almost never ever ever do critiques like this for fanfics, because so few of them really merit it. so this is a big compliment... ;) And all just IMHO; maybe some food for thought.
And believe me, a truly wonderful chapter. :)
Author's Response: Hi! And my apologies for being so late in acknowledging your wonderful and thoughtful feedback. It is very, very much appreciated. Sadly, my writing muse has abandoned me and I've diverted my attention to other things. At some point, I do hope to finish this story. It is outlined and roughly written, but I just can't seem to find motivation to work on it. As always, I do want you to know that you are appreciated and thank you again. I did start to incorporate some of your comments. Best and warmest wishes. -G
Name: msm_2011simonebb reviewed
Chapter 8 - Solesta on Nov 28, 2014 03:56 pm
cute that we see jealous from ginny!! love the shop scene!!
Name: msm_2011simonebb reviewed
Chapter 7 - Doubt on Nov 28, 2014 03:47 pm
great job on this chapie!!
Name: Nutmeg44 reviewed
Chapter 8 - Solesta on Nov 24, 2014 08:02 am
I love that she threw the book at him. That was hilarious. And I love the little act of jealousy. They make such a cute couple and they haven't even figured out all their couple issues yet.
More! I need more! :D
Author's Response: Yeah, that was kind of fun. The better part is that we know that Draco has no issues whatsoever about stealing something (from that scene from Chamber of Secrets) but he loves the idea of messing with Ginny about her doing something like that. It seems she likes to call him names - and I'm trying to be creative about what she comes up with. Thanks for reading!!! :)
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 8 - Solesta on Nov 24, 2014 05:27 am
Refreshing to see Ginny being the jealous one. I thought it was hilarious that Draco was able to draw in that woman with his flirtatious moves. Please update soon!
Author's Response: Yeah... I think Draco enjoys giving her back some - so she knows how he felt about seeing her all friendly with Harry. He's forgiven her, but it doesn't mean he won't payback a bit. :) Glad you enjoyed.
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 7 - Doubt on Nov 24, 2014 05:19 am
This chapter is just as great as the other ones! I thought the way Draco was acting was appropriate because it definitely reflects his personality. Hopefully he'll control his jealous tendencies after this encounter. It's so obvious that Ginny cares for him hehe.
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Nov 24, 2014 05:06 am
Gotta love jealous Draco. Another great chapter!
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Nov 24, 2014 04:58 am
Yay, Hogwarts! Can I just say again that you write very well? I loved how Harry kept popping up at the most unfortunate moments hah! Keep up the good work :)
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 4 - Diversion on Nov 24, 2014 04:41 am
I really, really loved the sneaky!Harry and Ginny scene. Very canon, and it reminded me as to what I really love about the Harry Potter books -- it's not so much as a mystery, but also an adventure. One thing that peeves me in fanfiction (especially in the Draco/Ginny fandom) is when authors write about Harry in a bad light. You avoided this flawlessly; Harry in your story is very much in character to the point where I sympathize him and want things to work out for him and Ginny as friends. Kudos to you. I can guess where Draco has to go into hiding ;) On to the next chapter!
Author's Response: Oh! Thanks so much! I agree that Harry is often puled very out of character in a lot of fanfics and I hate when that happens. Harry sees all the Weasleys as family, so I don't see that he's evil, just a little dense sometimes and it's a fun balance to play with. He does make more appearances in later chapters, and he's going to get a bit suspicious of Ginny's dealings with her professor. You'll have to let me know how I do with that. :) Thanks so much for the support! Best wishes
-G
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 3 - Back to the Burrow on Nov 24, 2014 04:32 am
Absdushdbdj gahhh there's so much that I love about this chapter! Really liking the appearance of the trio (you write their characters spot on, btw) after only brief mentions of them from your past story. Also, George and Ginny's relationship made me smile :) While not exactly filling the void of Fred, I can see those two Weasleys being a lot closer personality-wise moreso than the other siblings. Your writing is such a good balance when it comes to feelings of happiness and moments of sadness; it really is a great way to depict what Ginny is going through emotionally. Love it so much. The last bit with Draco was also a nice, tender moment!
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 2 - Home Comes Calling on Nov 24, 2014 04:26 am
Good chapter featuring Mr. and Mrs. Weasley! Wouldn't have expected a different reaction from her, haha
Name: vintagepearls reviewed
Chapter 1 - Awakening on Nov 24, 2014 04:23 am
Incredibly hot and sweet. Loving how this story is a direct continuation from your previous one.
Name: spazzingqueen reviewed
Chapter 7 - Doubt on Nov 14, 2014 09:30 pm
Draco seems to behave more childish, sort of different from the one I imagined at the beginning of this story. But that's the point of this chapter right? He's less composed. I really like Ginny, she's headstrong, knows what she wants, but he really needs to start doing something that deserves her affections. And I guess that's what leads us to the next chapter :) Thanks for the update!
Name: Nutmeg44 reviewed
Chapter 7 - Doubt on Nov 14, 2014 07:13 am
I like it. It stays true to character for all mentioned - Sybil is obtuse, Ginny is determined, Draco is an arse and Harry is a puppy-dog. All fits.
I love that they have reaffirmed their affection and Draco is now in on the plan.
Name: msm_2011simonebb reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Nov 12, 2014 08:43 pm
like that ginny threw the ink well at draco!! hope harry find some interesting news to share with ginny concerning prof. trelawney soon!! hermione does get obession with tutoring ginny. i feel for ginny, having to dealt with hermione, when she is like that..
Author's Response: Yes - a lot of people seem to really like that ink pot. Ginny's temper and more of her old personality are returning. Glad you liked it!
Name: Anise reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Nov 11, 2014 09:32 pm
I WILL!!! write a review for this one. But it won't be until it drops off the "most recent" list, because I just realized that'll be tonight! But it will be here, so watch for it. :)
Name: spazzingqueen reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Nov 04, 2014 08:15 pm
Loving the drama here. Draco's jealousy is making him snotty, but that's forgivable. :) Glad Ginny threw that ink pot and told him off. Excellent! and man Harry is annoying, but I guess he's useful :D
Author's Response: LOL - Harry doesn't mean to be annoying. He just can't help himself. And Ginny will be dealing with that jealousy thing in the next chapter - at least a little. I love making her spunky again - she was so bruised in the first story that only Draco could draw her out of her shell by just annoying the crap out of her - and he will continue to do so. Glad you enjoyed and thank you so much for reviewing!
Name: spazzingqueen reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Nov 04, 2014 12:20 pm
Aah! You're back!
Love how the story is going, what a surprise Ginny's returning to school, didn't see that coming! Can't wait to see how this is going to go!
Name: Marinka reviewed
Chapter 6 -Detention on Nov 01, 2014 04:47 pm
Awwww,poor Ginny and Draco! I am glad that notification system back and you have updated again, so grateful that this story is not on abandoned list:)
Author's Response: Thank you. Oh, and I would never abandon a story! (However, I do slow down on writing when my life has other priorities). So glad you are a fan of the story, and I promise that more updates are coming soon. :)
Name: Anise reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Oct 28, 2014 06:47 pm
YAY!! Oh, I'm so glad this fic is being updated again. (I hope that "back for a bit" ends up being... a long bit, I guess. ;)
I just love this chapter! Your Ginny is such a great character, so subtly handled. She has a mix of emotions that feels very real. I'm going to have to go back and re-read *Journey Home* to see exactly where Draco and Ginny were left in relation to each other when the sequel starts out, but it's easy to see that her feelings are jumbled in a very understandable way. After being convinced for a long time that there was nothing positive to be said about Draco's personality, she adjusted her outlook pretty quickly. But the fact that so much of it was triggered by a physical attraction that overwhelmed them both... I think this necessarily means that she had to pull back a little bit. I don't think that either she or Draco really knew where they were in relation to each other by the time she unexpectedly decided to return to Hogwarts.
So this means that finding Draco as a teacher there does not have a predictable emotional outcome... I can see all the reasons why she'd be very unsettled. After leaving things so unfinished between them, she now knows that she's going to be seeing him all the time and can't express whatever it is that she really feels. So... this is such an interesting situation. I look forward to seeing where you take it! :)
Author's Response: My dear, you are always so thoughtful with your comments. I've struggled with Ginny's feelings with several upcoming scenes - and in part why this fic has taken so long. I love the concept of Ginny being very conflicted and it takes some searching into human insight and fallibility to really get the words right. In this case, she fell into this "relationship" out of a sense of loss and confusion in her life, and now she has to deal with the consequences. Part of me wants to play with that much more. The psychology of this pairing sparks a lot of potential depth - and it's been a great tool fro me as a writer to explore writing these emotions. Anyway, thank you for the lovely feedback.
Hugs
-G
Name: msm_2011simonebb reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Oct 25, 2014 10:49 am
Happy to see another new chapie!! gidge_8 you have been missed!!Hope Ginny can track down some information at Hogwart and suprise that Draco is pretending to be Professor.
Author's Response: Hahahaha! OMG - you sooooo get a prize! LOL. And thank you for missing me. You are a love!
Name: Kyasarin reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Oct 24, 2014 06:22 pm
I really enjoyed the first story in this series, but had resisted starting the sequal because I wasn't sure if you'd continue writing it. Now that there's an update, I've cruised through both stories in a day. I really like the direction this is taking, both that there are ties to the previous story and also that there's a new mystery. I'm looking forward to seeing where you take it.
Author's Response: The first story was my first venture into a mystery, and it felt very abbreviated to me, mostly because it was written for a challenge, so I had to get it out quickly. This one, once I started really trying to put together a true mystery, took more time to weave in some subtle pieces to the plot. I still feel I could have done better, but I like what I've come up with and it's been a fun writing venture. Good that you waited - because I was on a bit of hiatus - but I am committed to finishing my work. Thanks so much for reading, and I'm glad you've enjoyed this so far !
Name: Silvryn reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Oct 22, 2014 01:11 pm
Oh how the plot thickens... can't wait for more installments! Loving every bit of it so far :-)
Author's Response: Thank you! And yes, it does thicken. :)
Name: Anise reviewed
Chapter 1 - Awakening on Oct 21, 2014 06:30 pm
YAY!!!!!! Another chapter! I will review very very soon!!!!
Author's Response: My pleasure, my dear! Hugs!
Name: Nutmeg44 reviewed
Chapter 5 -Return on Oct 21, 2014 02:36 pm
I kind of like that Ginny is back at Hogwarts because I love the potential drama that provides but I love the idea of independent Ginny.
I need those three chapters like yesterday.
Author's Response: Hi! Yes, it was something she needed to confront, and while it gives a new direction for her, she's not going back to being "just a student". She's grown up and doesn't look at herself as a student anymore, if anything, she feels more like an undercover agent (albeit not a very good one). I think you'll like what's next. :) Happy reading! -G