Wow, just wow.
I've been reading a lot of D/G fanfics the past couple of days and this is the one that I couldn't stop thinking about. I haven't reviewed plaything yet but I guess I owe you one :)


In general, I love the setting, I think the Christmas theme works for the story and I like the visual with the snowy landscape.
I absolutely fell in love with your character portraits, especially Draco; he is so vulnerable in this story. I could feel his hurt. And yes, I cried a little.
I love how Draco tries to tell himself that she’s with Harry now and that she deserves to be happy with him. And how he tries to anger himself with her supposed betrayal, to steel himself from the pain he knows he must inflict again on them both.

Ginny is a little bit to insecure in comparison to how I normally envision her. But it fits the story. Hell, I probably wouldn’t be able to ever leave my bed if someone treated me like that so it still shows she has a brave and strong personality because she tries to continue her life. And she is smart and true to herself and the feelings she has for Draco and the feelings she knows, deep down, he has for her, because she figures it all out. I felt for her when she had finally put it all together, only to be broken by him once more.

Specific parts that I loved:
-The fear Draco feels when he realizes he hadn’t thought about her since he woke up
It’s a great introduction to the theme of the story

-‘Her shoulders were often hunched, and she would wrap her arms around herself, as if she were broken- and he knew she was. He had broken her himself.’
So this reminded me a little bit of Twilight, but I don’t care because you have used it so much better than Stephenie Meyer did! I especially love the last sentence.

-‘the liquid pain in her beautiful amber eyes’
-‘burning in his eyes and in his heart.’’
Beautifully written

-How he hasn’t been able to call her by her name.
This made him more human to me, it made his pain more real.

- She is still able to love and accept him, after all he’s done to her.
Ginny is great and sweet and she deservers so much more. (Not that there’s anything out there that beats Draco (fu cking) Malfoy, she just deserves to be happy with him I guess)

-‘He’d never felt so betrayed in his entire life.
“Draco…” she said softly, but was immediately silenced as his lips crashed down on hers.’
The nerve he has to feel betrayed! But still, its one of those little sentences I always glance over to fast. To eager to read the whole story because I HAVE to know how it’ll end I usually end up missing these small gems. It is a great characterization of Draco.
Immediately followed by the moment we’ve all been hoping for. The Kiss.

-‘Now his lips curved into a smirk, even as his heart broke a little more, even as he struggled to memorize her face, to memorize the exact shade of red of her hair, and the way it contrasted against the paleness of her skin.’
I love this part, how he consciously prints this image of her in his mind. And the part about his heart, breaking a little more, is beautiful.

-“Mmm…” he purred softly, biting his lips as his eyes bore into hers. “Very nice- but not as sweet as I remember.”
I couldn’t believe this even though I knew it had to be coming. I guess my heart just broke a little when I red this.

-‘She’s Potter’s now, he told himself desperately. And it’s better that way. He’ll make her happy, and he’ll keep her safe. Long after…long after I’m gone…’
I love that he has to tell himself little lies to be able to continue.

…

So… All in all. I loved it! It’s perfect! You’re great and I wish I was half the writer you are:)

Author's Response:

Oh wow, I can't believe that I missed this gem of a review. I'm only just reading it now, so I apologize for the delay in responding. Reviews like these are few and far between, and I think that they're one of the great rewards of sharing your writing with others.

I want to thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely and comprehensive critique. I loved and agreed with your analysis of specific things, and I'm glad that what I was trying to say came through. I'm also - selfishly - happy whenever I hear that one of my stories made someone cry a tear or two, because it means that the real emotional connection with the characters that I always aim for actually occurred.

Again, thank you for telling me how much you enjoyed this story. I think you made my day, my week, my entire month. 

~Rowan ^_^