Category: Long and CompletedFresh out of Hogwarts, Ginny Weasley moves out of the Burrow to start life on her own. Along the way, she is thrust into wizarding high society and, before long, into the arms of Draco Malfoy. But are all the finely dressed witches and wizards she meets really as they seem?
I read this story on the fic exchange and was completely enraptured with it. Ginny’s daydreams are great; every one of us embellishes and exaggerates our qualities in our dreams and you’ve managed to portray that wonderfully through those little scenes. I think one’s dreams and ideals of what one would like to be really define oneself and so these parts let us get to know Ginny much more intimately than any other prose would be able to.
I particularly enjoyed the high society that provides the background and much of the basis for the intrigue in the story. There are far too few such stories, if you ask me. Oh, and I just love Pansy and Blaise, especially in later chapters. *g*
I suppose I shouldn’t mention the other parts I enjoyed that haven’t been posted up here yet, in case I ruin it for others. However, I distinctly remember enjoying the scenes between Draco and Ginny when they were alone at the Manor.
Now that my exams are finished, I may just have time to have a read of Northanger Abbey. It’s one of Austen’s stories which I haven’t read, so it should be interesting to compare this story of yours to the original. :)
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the daydreams--they were my way of showing Ginny's naivitee. If you haven't read Northanger Abbey yet, you probably don't know quite how naive her counterpart is supposed to be. That doesn't quite fit Ginny as we know her, though, but the daydreams seemed to fit. I'm glad you enjoyed the high society (and Pansy and Blaise--they ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story, even though I never expected them to even appear!), and the scenes with Draco and Ginny at the Manor. I will post the rest of the story soon enough--feel free to continue to comment on parts you like. I certainly won't object! :) Anyway, thank you very much for your comments. I'm sure you will enjoy reading Northanger Abbey, and that my story will pale in comarison once you do! Thanks for reading and for the review!
I bought Northanger Abbey yesterday; this story of yours must have been wired into my subconscious, as I went into the Classics section of the bookshop without realising. Hehe. I haven't had time to read much yet, but so far Isabella and her brother are so aggravating and annoying! (As a matter of fact, I think I'm at this same part of the book - when Catherine realises John's deception.) I see what you mean about the extent of Catherine's naivite; I couldn't imagine Ginny being like that at this age. The characters here in your story are much more subtle in their actions than Austen's original, which I suppose they need to be.
In this chapter, I liked the moment between Ginny and George in the kitchen and also about Hermione and Ron's relationship. It builds up a picture of Ginny's life outside of the balls and parties of the Quidditch world; the world that she was used to.
I think I'll enjoy reading Northanger and your story in parallel; it's quite interesting seeing all the connections between them.
Author's Response:
How fun that you are reading Northanger Abbey at the same time! Though I'm sure my story will pale in comparison. Austen is such a master storyteller. On the other hand, my story is only superficially like hers--I had to change quite a bit to make it work. The original is really a parody of the gothic novels of the day, so the characters are really overblown and the plot is pretty farfetched. I definitely wanted to tone it down!
I'm glad you liked the bits about the rest of Ginny's life--I was hoping to contrast it with the balls and the like. I'm glad it worked! Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy Northanger Abbey!
Light-hearted and fun. Ginny Weasley finds herself the target of a bit of manipulation while helping Narcissa Malfoy plan her 25th anniversary ball until mischief and a little mayhem land her squarely in a Cinderella situation. Romance abounds, with a litle help from the faeries. Winner - Best Portrayal of Ginny Weasley - 2008 dg ficexchange.Category: Long and Completed
I thouroughly enjoyed reading this story on the dgficexchange and it's great to read it again here on FIA. This was one of my favourites in the fic exchange, as it has a lovely plot and very well fleshed-out characters. I really hope to read more of your stories, as I like your writing style very much.
Author's Response: I\'m so glad you enjoyed it! It was a joy to write. Hopefully you like it better here. I actually did quite a bit of rewriting to get rid of rough areas. The length of the fic was rather aggressive for the short time frame I had for the exchange. When I re-read it, I was mortified at how rough some areas were, so this posting should be a bit nicer to read. And yes, I do have 2 other fics in progress, but I don\'t post until I\'m very close to being done. Those might be a little while as they are much longer than this one.
“Oh, puh-leeze!” ... “Next he'll be dipping the end of my braid into the ink pot, is that what you're saying?”
Hehe, Ginny doesn't realise how close she struck to the mark.
I particularly liked Ginny's reaction to seeing Lucius; it felt entirely natural that she would have such an aversion to meeting him, and Lucius' apology was certainly needed for Ginny to ever feel comfortable in his presence.
My favourite part of this chapter, however, has to be when Draco gently guides Ginny into the study after her talk with Lucius. That simple gesture says so much. It's the little things that make this story all the more interesting.
I'm glad to hear that there are more stories to come - and long ones at that! (I'm a sucker for lengthy fics) :D
Author's Response: So glad you like it. I need the encouragement. \r\nYeah, but likely not for a couple of months. I\'ve got a bit more work to do in some of the filler chapters, so it\'s less interesting to write. It involves nymphs and centaurs and lots of magical theory.... but that\'s for another topic.
*sigh* That whole scene with Ginny getting dressed up for the ball is wonderful. It's every girl's dream and you've expressed Ginny's awestruck wonder at it all - and her handsome prince ;) - very well.
Hehe, it's silly, but when Draco was taking Ginny to the ball and flirting with her, it felt like all was right in the world. It's very cute.
She hoped she could get someone to take a picture so she could remember this.
*snorts* When I read this line, I thought that Ginny must be rather deluded in thinking that her hosting with England's most elegible batchelor wouldn't cause more than a few pictures in the papers. Hehe. She's going to get quite a shock.
She floated over the dance floor as if she were a young girl at her first ball.
Ginny's observation of Narcissa during the dancing was lovely. And I also particularly enjoyed reading that moment when Lucius and Narcissa said goodnight to their son.
Hehe, a jealous Draco is always amusing to see. It's amazing how quickly Draco and Ginny can go from kissing in a faerie garden to being hostile towards one another. But then that's what makes D/G so interesing.
By the way, I love Camille's reactions; they're totally what I would do: squeal in surprise and then pester for more details. It was fun reading it. :)
Author's Response: He really is my favorite character. So spoiled, yet in an endearing way. Thanks!
Apologies for not reviewing the last few chapters, but I've been too busy to read fanfics of late. I loved reading through this chapter again, though. It's lovely. The lows and highs that Ginny goes through are so heartfelt that I can't help but get sucked into the action as it takes place. It's a great story to re-read. :) I'm so very glad to hear that there's going to be a sequel to this! I can't wait.
Author's Response: I love re-reading it too! Sometimes I can\'t believe that I wrote it. Thanks so much for the feedback. Nice to know that others get a similar reaction from reading it. I think that\'s the hardest thing about writing is wondering if the readers are seeing what I think I expressed. Your review helped a lot.
Ginny and Draco's story ends in a photobooth. Inspired by the D/G fanart and the Death Cab for Cutie song of the same name.Category: Completed Short Stories
How bittersweet. It's a great ending. Everything about Draco and Ginny's relationship seemed real and their parting even more so. Just one niggling little thing; the nickname Mal-ferret rubs me the wrong way; but the rest of this one-shot's more than good enough to make up for that.
I hope that you'll be writing more D/G in the future! Keep it up! :)
When Draco’s best friend marries into the Weasley family, he finds himself in the company of a certain ginger-haired lass with amazing regularity.Category: Completed Short Stories
How lovely. I read this on the dgfixexchange and enjoyed it very much. I like the Ron/Pansy pairing, especially when Pansy is conniving and sneaky, so it was great to see all of that in this cute D/G fic. The symmetry of starting and ending with a wedding ceremony was nice.
I hope you'll be carrying on with your WIP fics.. (like Pursuit of Happiness, perhaps?) :).
The greatest power that a person possesses is the power to choose.Category: Completed Short Stories
This is such a powerful story. I had read it on the dgficexchange before, so even though I knew the ending, it was so painful to read of Ginny and Draco's respective choices again. To some extent, knowing what was going to happen made it all the more excruciating; it's almost like knowing a car crash is about to happen but being powerless to look away. Poor Draco; what a terrible betrayal. And Ginny: she's not going to be able to live with herself after that. Am I right in thinking that her Unbreakable Vow forced her to take part?
If only Draco had given up the wand; if only Ginny could have convinced him to do so; if only Harry hadn't walked in at that moment and cemented Draco's resolve not to give in. So many possibilities, but, however bitter it is, your ending has the most moving ending, I think; chilling and heart-wrenching and so full of angst. This is going to be added to my favourites list, for sure.
Author's Response: What a LOVELY review! I\'m glad you connected with the story so much. You\'re right - knowing what is going to happen but being powerless to stop it IS all the more excruciating! Her vow did make her take part - I\'m glad you caught that! :D The whole story was all about choices - and I\'m glad you could see all the little things I tried to add to make that point. I appreciate the favourite! It was my first try at angst - I\'m glad it didn\'t flop! Cheers!
The idea of "renting" her soul out to anyone - let alone a former Slytherin nemesis - did not sit well with Ginny Weasley. But circumstances always tend to go askew and when she finds herself in a dire position, Ginny has no choice but to relent, accepting the deal and the seven wishes offered as payment.Category: Long and Completed
I am totally hooked. It's refreshing to see such a unique premise for a D/G fic, so I shall be very interested in reading some more. I'm intrigued at how Ginny's first wish was worded incorrectly, as I'm sure that she's going to get something other than what she'd bargained for. That sinister spark in Draco's eyes surely wasn't there for no reason.
I love the banter between Draco and Ginny. Ginny's rebuffs are especially amusing to read; it was a shame to see her locked up on account of her last one, though. Ah well, I guess it makes the story all that more interesting.
Hoping that you update soon. :)
Oh Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. You don't know what you're throwing away! :(
Poor Draco! He must've been so crestfallen when Ginny mentioned Oliver's name instead of his.
I am very much looking forward to the next chapter- this story is a refreshingly unique one.
No!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!! This *can't* be happening! >:(
I'm such a melting pot of frustration, disappointment and shock that I'm not sure quite where to begin..
I can't believe that Ginny's barely thought about wish will lead to her not ever seeing Draco again.. although I wonder what the loophole to this is.. maybe she could be able to hear him? Or will she have to reach the stage at which she's ready to use her last wish to get Draco back? I dunno.. whatever it is, I can't wait to read it!
The D/G moment, brief though it was, was a very hot scene. I hope that there'll be more D/G in the end. Frustration, turmoil and angst, in the meantime, would be great to read - you manage to express it so well. ;D
Ginny's knack for getting into trouble follows her as she goes away for college, forcing her into a dangerous situation.Category: Works in Progress
This is a very interesting start to the story. I like Ginny's stream of consciousness monologue narrating the story. It took a little while to get used to, but it's growing on me.
So Draco is mooning over Ginny already, then? I wonder how that'll pan out. And I can imagine that Pansy and Ginny sharing a room will only lead to disaster.
Looking forward to reading chapter two.
Author's Response: Stream of consciousness is my favorite writing style, and it\'s easy for me to write that way, so it just made sense to me. Draco\'s not really mooning over Ginny, per se; he\'s just curious as to why Ginny\'s at the Lufkin School. The reason behind this curiosity we\'ll find about in chapter two. Thanks for your review!
Interesting that Draco has wholeheartedly taken on the joint role of 'fairy godmother'. I wonder how long it'll be before he feels more romantically, rather than fraternally, inclined towards Ginny.
I'm looking forward to the next chapter. :)
Author's Response: It won't be too long before he wakes up and starts to fancy Ginny. :P Thanks for your review!
Hired by the Malfoys to manage their public relations after a bout of bad press, Ginny discovers that some relationships just aren't meant to stay strictly professional.Category: Long and Completed
I *adore* this story. I have been rather remiss in reviewing, as I have barely had time on the internet these past weeks, but I always try to keep up with your new updates of Where I Stand. The characters are brilliant; the plot is very involved and interesting. I like how Ginny was the one to initiate the kiss, rather than Draco; it's something that is rarely seen in D/G fics outside the humour section.
I bow down to your superior skills in writing a totally *amazing* Luna. I've read Lunas in other stories where she's quite off the wall, but none have quite been as out-of-the-blue as yours or make Luna Logic make so much sense. ;D
This part had me laughing quite loudly - the element of surprise is a great factor in it, for sure.
"Unless a Bulgarian nevoldart has taken up residence there." She paused, brightening. "Has one?"
"No, Luna. No sudden growths on my knees."
"Oh. That would have been helpful. Well, I guess you just have me, then."
Hehehe. I look forward to the following chapter. I hope it'll be up soon!
ps. Blaise's advice-giving to Ginny was great to read, too. He's quite a multi-faceted character in this story, which you manage to show even though this is a D/G-centric story.
Author's Response: *blushes* Thank you so much! As I\'ve mentioned to other reviewers, Luna\'s character can be tricky for me to write, so I\'m really glad to hear you think she\'s written well! And Blaise is just a hoot to write. :) Thanks very much for taking the time to review!
Idea from the song of the same title by Justin Timberlake. Draco owns a club, and he likes to watch Ginny dance.Category: Completed Short Stories
Hmph. Rather presumptuous of him, don't you think? ;) This is a good one-shot. I think if it had fewer explanations of what's happened in the past, the flow of the story would be smoother.
A Ministry election finds Draco and Ginny positioned against each other once again.Category: Completed Short Stories
I read this story on the exchange and loved it. It was great to read it again. Both Draco and Ginny's characterisations are brilliant. It's great to see how Ginny's easily riled up and impulsive, especially with Draco instigating it. :D The political basis of the plot was well thought out - it didn't feel secondary to the D/G, but nor did it overpower the latter. There was a good balance between them both.
I would love to read an outtake chapter! I hope you do decide to post one up. :)
Author's Response: I was inspired to use a political theme with it being election year here in the U.S. and all. I'm grateful for your comments. Thank you for reading it--again. -seegrim :)
While on a mission for the Order, Ginny Weasley is captured by an unknown nemesis. She is taken to the Velamentum, an order shrouded in mystery. A proposition is given to her. She accepts, and her world is turned upside down. Concepts she firmly believed in are challenged. Friends become enemies, enemies become allies. Trust is non-existent, danger abounds. And in the midst of this, Ginevra Weasley manages to fall in love. But does she love a friend? Or a dangerous enemy?Category: Works in Progress
Hehehe. I like how Snape gave them a fright. Draco and Ginny's fights were amusing. I'm looking forward to seeing how they'll deal with their mission.
Author's Response: Yes, Snape is a sneaky guy. Well of course, Draco and Ginny will be completely professional and polite to each other. ;) Or not. Thanks for the review!
As Ginny prepares for the final battle against Voldemort, she reflects on the one boy she let down, the young man she'd been too late to save from the darkness, the man whose acts of murder were on her hands because, in her heart she knew that she was the one to blame.Category: Completed Short Stories
That last part had me sobbing. Draco's cry of anguish was so heartfelt - I could feel him tearing himself apart for what might have been, what should have been.
Wonderful.
I must say that the last line was a very potent way to end the story, bringing it full circle. I greatly look forward to reading more of your work.
Author's Response: I\'m glad you thought so, I have my beta reader to thank for her suggestions in how to end it! I\'m glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your review!
A series of letter extracts showing events through their eyesCategory: Completed Short Stories
"Pristine white, apt for a Malfoy, matches your hair."
Heart-wrenching, but starkly beautiful in its own way.
Author's Response: That is what I hoped to achieve. Thank you for your kind comment.
It was more than a fleeting thought. Fleeting could be pushed aside. Fleeting could be ignored. This slow burn, this ache...it had the promise of addiction, the means to swallow them both whole. Started as smut, but developed quite the plot.Category: Long and Completed
Hehe, cute ending. I laughed at this line: "Not pausing to wonder why Harry was his own category of sin" It's just so true of Draco to consider Harry such. Heh.
The 83 engraved on the ring was very sweet.
Selling herself into a marriage contract, Ginny finds herself playing a deadly game, ultimately pitting her husband against her lover and a father against his son. Many twists and turns, depth and evil characters - and a long story of sweet and true love.Category: Long and CompletedNew! Epilogue is up! Yes, I know, the story has been "complete" for a couple of years, but this ending has been partially written for a long time and it ties up some loose ends.
I read your replies to the reviews and I think I'm quite apprehensive regarding the 'shocking' and 'surprising' part of the next chapter - surely Ginny isn't going to be given to someone other than Draco? I've got a horrible feeling that it may be his father. I hope I'm very much mistaken, but it seemed rather suspect that Narcissa seems out of the picture.
In any case, this was a great introduction to the story - I like Ginny's steely determination. Poor Ginny! Doing this must have cost her a lot. :(
Can't wait to read the next chapter.
Author's Response: Ohhhhh..... I so love to respond to every review. I really do. But I\'m going to have to stop saying anything for a little while, or I\'m afraid I might start giving things away. \r\n\r\nJust know that, whatever happens, this IS very, very strongly a D/G fic, but I really wanted it to be original. So, bear with me. I promise, there will be so much D/G goodness that you\'ll love it. \r\n\r\nTo everyone who sends a review... I\'m sorry if I don\'t respond. It\'s better for you to enjoy the story as it unfolds if I keep my yap shut. :) Just know that you are loved and appreciated for sending me your comments, both good and bad.
Yay, I guessed correctly. Although poor Ginny, for having to go through with such a marriage to save her family. :(
Author's Response: One would hope that they feel guilty...
Oh my goodness! That was *totally* unexpected. About half-way through, I was thinking that maybe Ginny would become pregnant with Draco's child and only later on would they find out that it's not Lucius'. But with this development, I guess that will not at all be a possibility.
I wonder how Ginny will get out of this - for surely she eventually will. I can only think that maybe spending her time helping Teddy will keep her sane - for I don't know what else will.
By the way - Teddy was *adorable*! So very cute. Bella was exceedingly manipulative and cruel - perfectly in character.
I look forward to reading more.
Author's Response: Yes, I love Teddy! So glad that the plot twist caught you a bit. There will be answers to many things soon, so stay tuned! Thanks again for your feedback!
Best wishes
-G