Draco needs to find a Christmas tree for his mother. He manages to unwittingly acquire a weasel along the way. First place winner in Lyndsie's holiday fic competition.Category: Completed Short Stories
The banter was great and very funny! Nice job on this Christmas fic.
Draco is afraid of his feelings, so he only projects hate. Ginny basks in her emotions, showing Draco that there's nothing more powerful than love.Category: Completed Short Stories
That note was so typically Draco. :D This was very cute story.
Author's Response: Thank you! Draco's note is actually a direct quote of the note sent in the song. The song fits so ridiculously well with their characters.
Honesty is important to naive Ginny Weasley. Understanding is all the old followers of the Dark Lord seek from her. Clarity hits home in the one of the darkest of ways.Category: Completed Short Stories
The ominous tone was nicely maintained throughout and kept me engrossed in reading this. I wanted Ginny to undergo a bit more angst though, before coming to terms with what happened because it is a pretty ghastly thing to witness the murder of your own brother. Maybe in a more expanded version? :)
Author's Response: Perhaps there could be more to this soon. War Scars definitely has that tone that I haven't worked with in a story quite yet, and the plot-bunnies might kick my tush if I don't elaborate more. ;) You'll have to go with this for now though! Thank you for your review!
Yep. That second new chapter is actually here. This fic will continue!! :)Category: Works in Progress
The sequel to Draco's Dangerous Dilemma.
Nearly two years have passed since Ginny saw Draco in a coffeeshop for the first time after the war. The two of them have been trapped in a seemingly neverending cycle of lust, betrayal, revenge, and despair ever since-- until one night of passion at the Pureblood Ball proved to them both that their bond could never be broken.
But there's a world outside the fragile love budding between the pair. And Ginny just may find out that Draco's past casts a shadow that neither of them can outrun in time to save him...
Chapter NINE Quote of the Day:
“So here’s where we are,” she said. “The sketches are ready. The clay models are done. I’m happy with them. You?”
“Very much so,” said Draco. His mouth quirked upwards. “Remember Bob Ross and his Happy Trees? I’d never have believed then that we’d reach this point, but we have.”
“We’ve come a long way since then,” said Ginny. She remembered how furious she was when she first learned that she’d be working with Draco on the fountain project, and that he’d somehow finagled his way into the Junior Minister of Art position. How snippy and cold she’d tried to be to him; how snarky he’d been to her in return. How exhausted he’d always looked, too, and how much she had wanted to smooth away the dark circles from under his eyes and put a real smile on his handsome face. She’d threatened to report him to the Minister of Art and have someone else reassigned to her; she was ashamed to think of that now.
“We certainly have,” said Draco, giving her one of his real smiles, the sort she’d never imagined his face could possibly form in those days. She tried not to smile in return. She wanted to remain as serious as possible.
You maintain the sexual tension between them so well. This is a great introductory chapter as it right away builds up the sense that all is not as it appears and that a storm is brewing. Very intriguing.
Author's Response: Thanks! Well, you're right about that... (hands out another Perceptive Reviewer Award. Now taking requests for designs. :) More soon!
Draco and Ginny struggle through love, lust, betrayal, and revenge. Is redemption possible? Read it and find out. A companion fic to Rinney's Rolling In the Deep.Category: Long and Completed
Chapter Four- THE EPILOGUE. Sorry, there STILL can't be a quote of the day-- they would all give too much away.
Yay! It's finally posted! And I absolutely love it. I love this future world you concocted too, and you gave just enough details about it so that it wasn't hard to imagine but still quite intriguing. Nicely done without resorting to an infodump. I found myself wanting to know more about this futuristic HP-setting. Also, it was awesome how you tied in the title at the end.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) Mm... the future of D/G was fun to write. I think that they go up in their own private bathysphere, and the octopi get quite an eyeful.
I'm so happy you decided to do a companion fic as I was absolutely engrossed by Rolling In the Deep and was really curious about what would happen next. This is a great beginning that stays really true to the DG that Rinney depicted. Such raw emotions are displayed, and I love those moments that show Draco's vulnerability amidst the control he's trying to exert over Ginny.
Author's Response: Thanks SO much! :) I really felt that it was important to stay true to the Draco and Ginny that we had at the end of RitD. Draco is teetering right on the edge here, in particular. There's no way to look at what might have happened and get fluffy fluff out of it (IMHO,) but I DO think that a happy ending is possible (not giving anything away. ;)
You had me really going this chapter. For a bit I was like: *gasp* what if this is all in Draco's head?? What would that mean?? He's certainly mad enough to make something like that plausible.
You did a great job with maintaining the suspense throughout. It's just chilling and engrossing and makes you really want to find out what happens next.
Author's Response: I completely spaced out on replying to these particular reviews... but better late than never! :) I could see the all-in-his-head option as being a possible one, for sure. In that case, he'd probably be in the asylum alongside Ginny. :P But I think this one was more interesting to write. :)
Yes, epilogue, yes! Even without it, wow what an ending. This was such an emotional read and such a fitting conclusion to Rinney's story. I'll admit I did shed a tear. Tragic, but not utterly so, and very much poignant.
Things I especially liked in terms of the writing was the cadence you maintained with your phrasing that really effectively mirrored Draco's madness and state of mind. Great job on the imagery as well. It's crisp and effective. Overall, a terrific job with extending the story of the mad but awesome Draco and Ginny that Rinney crafted.
Author's Response: Thanks SO much! The epilogue is actually coming very soon... almost all of it is done. I REALLY don't know what people will think of it, but it's something different, for sure!
Put two students together from separate houses, add massive work loads, stress and hormones. Let's see what happens.Category: Works in Progress
I really like your characterization of Ginny-a lot of spunk and strength in her, and the hints of the DG dynamics ahead are very promising. Your premise, however, I think is a bit of a stretch because Hogwarts' staff aren't likely to put hormonal teenagers into a room together. Parents wouldn't approve and if anything happened (pregnancies, sexual harassment, etc.) the school would be in big trouble. Keep in mind that they're 16/17 in this setting, and our modern day colleges (18+) would never even put males and females together in a dorm unless they willingly choose to be co-ed roommates. I would suggest trying to work in some scenario to make it a bit more believable or change up the set up just a bit. They at least have private bedrooms right? Perhaps something like there was some mistake/a prank played with the roommate assignments that stuck Draco and Ginny together. That sort of thing. That would help to add a more believable setup on top of your already promising beginning with great characterizations.
He touched a gentle hand to her cheek. “You, love, will never be sneakier than me.”Category: Completed Short Stories
LOL! (It was literally) This was funny and sweet. I loved the emotional roller coaster you took Ginny (and by extension the reader) through. Though I've always figured she would've flown off the handle as soon as she heard about the affair. And I absolutely love your closing line. So fitting and so true. Haha.
Author's Response: I'm glad you liked it! I did think about Ginny getting angry, but I decided it against it because then Draco could bust her for spying. hah. Thanks for the review, dearest! :)
When Ginny hears a nasty rumor, she confronts the slanderer himself. One-shot.Category: Completed Short Stories
So many things I love about DG wrapped into this little fic-the angry but hilarious confrontations, the witty exchange of insults, and of course the romance. Your raging Ginny was perfectly executed and I loved her rebuttal using Harry. That was just perfect. Happy to see you writing DG again. More to come I hope? :)
Author's Response: I do have a big project in the works. :X I'm trying to finish writing it before I post any of it, but hopefully that won't stop me from writing more drabbles or one-shots every now and then as well. Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the story! :D
So you're a fanfic author, and you want to get published. But you're kind of thinking that an eentsy bit of the HP characters as written in your fanfic just might end up wending their wicked way into your original material. To wit, Draco and Ginny. What's the situation? What does U.S. copyright law really have to say here? Well, luckily Anise has come to the rescue with the cutting-edge news...Category: Essays
Disclaimer: I AM NOT a copyright lawyer. However, I DO have a master's degree in another field, and I HAVE done a lot of academic research. Also, I consulted an attorney during the writing of this essay. That being said, she's a friend, and she gave me her time for free. Results not guaranteed.
It's really nice of you to compile this guide. I'm sure a lot of fan fic writers would find it helpful. One thing that's annoying is that Rowling seems to have a very rabid sector of fans who are keen on proclaiming everything is a copy of HP. I facepalm whenever I see one of these reviewers commenting on another book series as they seem to think Rowling is the originator of just about every literary trope in existence. I think Rowling was great at incorporating common tropes and folklore material into her work and putting some new spins on them with some inventions of her own, but you got to give credit where credit is due. *sigh* ANYWAY, good luck with your Death Train novel! I can't wait for you to prove that woman and her clueless entourage wrong.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) Yep, JKR didn't exactly invent every single element she used, let's just say... and there's nothing wrong with that. BUT, it's what occurred. Death Train really has nothing in it-- NOTHING AT ALL-- that anybody could possibly see as having come from canon HP material. The plot, the setting, the events-- all different. But here's the interesting thing about it: the relationship between the two characters provides the driving force, and it is basically the fandom D/G relationship. It's the relationship that we believe they should and could have had in the books. The main characters (Stetson and Gwen) could be a fandom Draco and Ginny. Once I really understood that, DT began to take off (into disturbing realms.) But that is not the specific expression of any idea, which is the part that's copyrighted. When DT is done, I'll post some excerpts, and I'll see what everybody thinks! :)
The line between what's right and what's easy is often a blurry one.Category: Works in Progress
Great chapter Pam-very intriguing. I really want to know what caused the estrangement with her family and what happened that night. This is a very interesting relationship you've set up between Draco and Ginny. It isn't so clear cut and makes you wonder what really is going on between them. I'm curious though about the fact that Ginny's taking on this case to in part preserve her reputation--won't the alibi still be an important part of proving him innocent?
Author's Response: Because she is his lawyer, she cannot be called to testify. Draco knows that she values her reputation, so when other attorneys instantly come to the decision that he should settle for a plea bargain, he decides he'd rather go without her alibi and instead blackmail her into going to trial. There is a reason for this, though ;). I'm glad you're enjoying this so far, and I hope to have more to post soon!
Pam, you HAVE to continue and finish this one. It's got a unique premise going for it and you've set the stage and pulled us in beautifully. Very nice use of details that builds intrigue along with bringing a Wizarding courtroom to life. I especially loved the bit about the Weasleys. You've managed to invoke many questions right off the bat that will keep a reader interested. So in short, I will pester you if you don't continue this. I know where you hang out...online ;)
Author's Response: Haha, thank you. I've gotten some pretty good feedback and a lot of people seem interested, so I think I will continue this. :P I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! And do feel free to pester me, that way I don't lose focus!
The Very End.Category: Completed Short Stories
Epilogue Quote of the Day:
He struggled to prop himself up on an elbow. “Lovegood—Luna-- do you remember being… I really don't have the least idea how to explain this… somewhere else?”
“Somewhere that looked like King’s Cross Station?” asked Luna.
“Yes!” Draco tried to sit up all the way and failed, flopping back down onto the bed.
A thoughtful look came over her face. “I think that I do, but I don’t believe that anyone else does. Maybe it’s better that way.”
“Probably. Look, uh… where’s Ginny?”
“She’s not ready to see you just yet,” said Luna. ”Here’s a napkin.”
“I don’t care about a napkin! Where’s Ginny?”
I'm certainly glad you went with a happy ending. It really wasn't that overly sappy and fit right in with the story. The story itself was excellently paced from beginning to end. The mystery kept building until the reveal. I just wanted to clarify - so because Harry should have died and that last piece of Voldemort was never destroyed, it ended up creating this alternate timeline. But once Voldy was destroyed and Harry went on to the afterlife, that timeline dissolved and everyone was brought back into the original timeline. Is that right? I'm really amazed at your ability to weave all these fairly unique story lines and be such a prolific writer at the same time. I've no doubt you'll easily 'win' NaNo. Best of luck with Death Train!
Author's Response: Thanks! I could NOT resist this ending... this was a softer Draco than the others I've written; he has less of a hard shell, and I think it's the kind of ending he'd like. :) And yes, that's what created the alternate timeline. It went wherever dissolved timelines go. ;) Nobody in the 2nd one remembered what happened (except for Draco, Ginny, and Luna.) And I think I'll make it through NaNo! :) I have 26,998 words as of 11/9. Check out the 30 Covers, 30 days project at my website. A different cover every day.
I thought Harry's actions were very fitting for him in this chapter. I was struck by this bit: "You tried to break the rules. But you can’t do that without someone paying the price. Your problem is that you’ve always let other people pay that price." I think in canon, this was especially true concerning the end of the Order of the Phoenix. It was that book that made me not so fond of Harry, especially when he went on to blame Snape for having a part in Sirius's death.
I loved the ending of this chapter. Go Draco! I'm not sure I understood everything revealed in the chapter, but I'll read on to the epilogue first and then ask if I need any clarifications.
Author's Response: Thanks! I do think that Harry had a lot of basic decency and goodness in him, but I also think that even in canon, we saw how easily that could be distorted. I see what you're saying, but I actually liked OotP because it displayed that side of him-- what bothered me so much was the fake, pat way it was all dismissed in HBP and DH.
Just when I thought we'd get some answers, the intrigue is still building. So glad I can read on to the end with all these questions bubbling in my mind! Great job on conveying the creepiness that is Voldemort - or of what's left of him that is. Though now, because I have a rather active imagination, I can't get that image of him from my head. Eek.
Author's Response: Thanks! Yep, the mystery did kind of continue to the very end. Sorry about the Voldie image... Death Train has Satan (the one I've written before, of course!) and I think he's much more fun than Voldy.
So I've finally had a chance to catch up, but now I have to wait for the continuation, alas. Will you be updating this through next month or will you be focusing solely on Death Train? I loved how in this chapter you aligned their coming together with essentially the climax of the story - at least it feels like it was a climax as I'm not sure how long you planned this story to be - but regardless, that parallelism made the scene quite impactful. Looking forward to the next update!
Author's Response: Nope, it's all going to be posted by Nov. 1st. After THAT, I doubt there will be anything new until December. (Although I guess you never know.) There are two more chapters, and then an epilogue. And the biggest surprises are yet to come. ;)
Wow, what a chapter! Revelations that just churns out more questions - that's always a mark of a good mystery. I get the sense that Harry's talking about going on to the afterlife, and now we have that bit about different realities as well. You're just doing an amazing job at building on the intrigue with each chapter.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) This one is definitely in the mystery genre. And your guesses are very good...
“I don’t think I’ve seen you since that time I was locked in the dungeon at your house for ever so long.” -Oh Luna, I found this bit funny in a dark way. I have to admit though that the part where Draco is babbling does seem slightly out of character for him.
Didn't expect Ron to show up. I wonder if he'll end up disappearing too? Ginny's reaction when she talked about Harry is also very interesting. I wonder what their story is, but I guess we'll find out eventually. Again, I can't predict where you're taking us but I'm certainly enjoying the ride and looking forward to the destination.
Author's Response: I do love Luna. :) This is a really different Draco from the one I usually write... much softer and more vulnerable.
Another great chapter, Anise. I'm so glad you're still an active DG writer. So many other great DG writers have moved on, sadly. Anyway, back to the story.
I love the banter between the two and, as expected, you're fabulous at generating unresolved-sexual-tension. I have a couple wild speculation as to what is going on, but really can't tell anything for certain, so you're doing a great job with making things not so obvious. I was glad to see that they found Luna, and I laughed at how Luna-like she sounded - mentioning the walking shoes bit while normally people would be freaking out about not being able to find their house.
Author's Response: Thanks! Basically... I was completely ready to quit D/G and starting to write BBC!Sherlock (still a Sherlolly shipper, btw) and classic ACD Holmes fics. Then a number of things happened... and I realized that I really did NOT want to quit D/G writing-- I wanted it to EVOLVE. That's what really is happening with Death Train. But as far as new, long D/G fics... not so much.
I quite like the characterization of Draco you have in this story. It's nice to read a Draco who's not all ice and completely in control, which I think is a closer to canon take on him given what his family went through with Voldemort and the war.
I was slightly thrown off again by the scene change (between Ginny asking to stay the night and Draco not being able to fall asleep) - maybe put in a break (like an extra line of space)? I've read this style of writing before and it's great for cutting out unnecessary exposition, and they usually utilize extra space or some other signal that helps the reader to immediately jump to the next scene.
I especially liked how you described Lucius's suicide as "a double-edged sword that slit through the fabric of all their lives." It was nice and vivid and a fitting metaphor. And I'm quite intrigued about what Harry has to do with all of this as I don't think that's the last we'll hear of him.
Author's Response: Thanks! Yes, in some ways I do think that this is a more canon Draco. His mother was his greatest source of support, so losing her was very difficult for him. Dang, I'm still working on those transitions. Always trying to avoid the attack of the Dreaded Infodump of Doom. ;) ?And no, we haven't heard the last of Harry at all... hmm... I wonder if we might even SEE him at some point...
Curiouser and curiouser! I loved Draco and Ginny's interaction in this chapter. You write their dialogue so well. It just flows. "There’s no statute of limitations on Bat-Bogey hexes" was probably one of my favorite lines. That and the statement at the end - "It was that she felt like the only solid thing remaining in a shifting world of mists."
Author's Response: Thanks! Yep, things are about to get curiouser yet...
It's all terribly intriguing, and I've always loved a good mystery in a story. You sure do know how to spin a story to keep us reading. And again, I just love the way you're writing Draco in this one.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! :) There's much more to come, and I think the solution will have everyone surprised...
Quite intriguing. I love this characterization you have of Draco so far, and the Inanims part made me laugh. I did find the transition between that part and the pub scene a bit rough though. It did make me double-take and took me out of the flow of the story for a second. Overall, I'm really curious where you'll be taking this.
Author's Response: Thanks! :) Yes... I'm kind of in a writing style where I'm trying to get rid of each and every vestige of infodumps right now. I think it can definitely be overdone, which is possibly what you noticed. This will be headed to LOTS of interesting places! :)