Fic search: In-Character Draco, and Draco-Center fic + Rambles

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

I love Draco's character. Particularly, the traits that aren't 'good'; self-centered, selfish, spoiled, childish, attention seeking and naive. But I notice it is becoming a trend to warp him in fictional stories, and I am not much of a fan anymore. For instance, Draco suddenly becoming this person that takes care of someone (Harry) and not minding not being the center of attention at all. Not even a tiny bit. I am also tired of Harry out shining Draco, and Draco being okay with it, when he would most likely not be.

I like it when Draco is jealous of Harry.

I like it when he gets annoyed when Harry is the center of attention.

I LOVE it when he is himself, and another male character (Not specifically Harry anymore) still falls in love with him.

I like it when Draco doesn't have to mold himself into a 'good' person (Suddenly having to be brave, or have courage like a Gryffindor. Or apologies for every little wrong he ever done Harry and his people, as if they were completely in the right.).

I like it when Draco realize that the 'dark' wasn't completely wrong, and the 'light' wasn't completely right.

And I like it when his character in a story isn't pushed to the side-lines for most of it, and pulled back in when convenient.

I am aware that this isn't always the case, but out of 10 stories, 6 of them will likely be that way. Which means I have to get off my lazy butt and add (update) my own stories, I know. But I like the idea that I am not the only one who feels this way, and need reassurance in awesome stories.

1. In-Character Draco


2. Draco-centric (Just Draco, and about him. If the story involves him thinking/obsessing about Harry 70% of it, no thank you. I really just want one were Draco is focused on Draco, and what is going around him.)

No top Draco. No Het. I have read my fill for the week, and want to retreat back too familiar bottom Draco.

A perfect example:  Title: Who Will Guard the Door
Author/Penname: musamihi
Primary Pairing/Characters: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Summary: The day his father is sentenced, Draco takes the Mark and is given his impossible task. Thorfinn Rowle, assigned to be his mentor, is less interested in assisting him than in satisfying his own appetites. As Draco sinks further into failure and watches the war sweep his parents away from him, he takes refuge in the Manor – a member of the family he never knew he had. But the Manor suffers its own wounds during Lord Voldemort's residency, and the Chosen One may be the only force that can heal them.
Link: http://dracobigbang.livejournal.com/13023.html

Comments

[digthewriter]

FIC: Rarely Pure and Never Simple (NC-17)
for hd_fan_fair
http://hd-fan-fair.livejournal.com/56772.html

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec! I haven't read this story before. ^^

[digthewriter]

It was posted yesterday. It hot off the press. Read it and let me know what you think ♥

[peanuts-mum.livejournal.com]

That's fantastice isn't it

[thania-hinata.livejournal.com]

Exactly!! I totally agree with you~
Absolutely nice!Draco sounds like someone else. Even after the war, he won't change into someone sooo nice like that
Well mahaliem fics have Draco like what I want. Nice but not nice, witty snarky, crazy and kinda selfish :))

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up. Any war is life changing, but not that much. D: I feel in love with Harry/Draco because of their keen difference from one another. It kind of defeats the purpose when Draco is molded into Harry's dream guy.

[gitonk.livejournal.com]

exactly my thoughts!!
i hope you will get a lot of comments^^

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

Glad you agree! :)

[nattish.livejournal.com]

I certainly like stories like you're describing. They have a different feel, and leave you with the understanding you're reading something about Draco's life and not his romantic life, which I suppose is the difference: You'd like a Draco-centeric drama (or character piece, or what-have-you) with elements of Harry/Draco, not a Harry/Draco love story.

I'll think on this for recs, but in the meantime -- thanks for your example rec. I'm really into it right now.

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

And you worded better then I was able. ;) I do enjoy a Harry/Draco love story, but I no longer want that to be the focus. I have a feeling looking for recs for such a thing without diving into Top Draco, or Draco in a Het pairing will be impossible, though.

It is a wonderful story. I find myself going back and re-reading it every now and again.

[nattish.livejournal.com]

Lol, it's understandable! I get tired of the convention of Draco stories where he's obsessed with something other than himself (or, if he is into something else, then he should at least be skewed towards how the obsession will benefit him); I do my best to write him that way, even if it's a romance story.

Have you been to capitu's my_drarry_recs? I'm not sure how easy it would be to find the exact type of story you want, but she does have filters for bottom!Draco and drama and all sort of categories. It's a great place.

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

I will be sure to check it out. Thanks! :)

[arinna05.livejournal.com]

I love authors who manage to write believable HD stories preserving canon Draco assholeness :) - there's one story in particular that I found years ago and is still possibly the most canon-faithful fic written in this fandom: Reparo (http://bigbang.inkubation.net/bbb3/reparo.html) by amalin. It's Harry's POV, but still an amazing read.

Other than that one I can only remember Under the Cold, Wan Moon (http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=14240&chapter=1&font=&size=) by slytherincesss, Take These Lies (http://www.hdcareerfair.de/hdtravelfair/184fic.html) by white_serpent and brummell's Stain of Silence (http://brummell.livejournal.com/329.html) - all are Draco-centric.

Honorable mention: lettered's Ain’t No Friend Of Mine (http://hd-inspired.livejournal.com/61407.html), because it's a great character study and I will never not rec it :).

Hope they fit your search criteria!

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec!! :)

[cesumiss.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs. No doubt love all the stories and spend the weekend entertaining reading them.
My favorite were nevertheless "Take these lies" and "Stain of Silence"

[arinna05.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you liked them, be sure to check the rest of brummell's fics (http://brummell.livejournal.com/2991.html), too; there aren't that many, unfortunately. The top/bottom issue shouldn't be a problem, as there's only bottom!Draco, if I remember correctly.

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

Reparo was good (Harry and Draco were in-character), but I didn't like how Harry kept pushing for Draco to see things his way. I completely understand that Draco wasn't right in believing himself better in others, but I am the type a person that can see benefits in almost anything. I don't like when people say 'evil' or 'innocent' because for me, it's usually never either or, but all in the same.

I don't understand why Draco must see things Harry way completely. It's like forcing a religion on someone, because you think it's right, and their is wrong.

People go to war for things like that...and yet, Harry still persist. The reason why this irritates me so much is because most often then not I don't think many authors or readers see it as wrong. At least the general idea.

While I don't mind some one changing their mind on their own, Draco is all but forced too after the war. And even when authors write it were he comes to the decision on his own, mentioning the words 'light' and 'right' ruins it for me.

I could go on and on, but I am not. I just wanted to mention that while Draco and Harry were in character, I didn't enjoy the story as much with Harry practically screaming "I am right, you are wrong, so come and and be right with me!". Peer pressure, much? Though it was much more subtle in this story, but it happened quite a bit.

[arinna05.livejournal.com]

I actually liked the story for the exact same reason you didn't - not because Harry is trying to bring Draco into the light, but because, despite his inherent good intentions, he's still basically a self-centred person, and the author managed a wonderful 'show, don't tell'. It's Harry's POV and everything should be taken with a grain of salt - because Harry's words and Harry's actions (the way he strings Ginny along, for example) are not the same. There's both light and darkness in Harry and his little sexual awakening happening with Draco behind everyone's back - when he manages to convince himself it's alright to keep it a secret because it's Malfoy, and who cares about him and anyway, nothing compares to how awful Draco is, right? - makes him pretty awful in turn. The fact that Harry is the paragon of light and Draco is the secret keeper of his dark side - while everyone still playing along with their assigned role - made this story a wonderful read for me. Also, the fact that Draco had his own drama going on and Harry was completely oblivious to it, while still using him for sex :).

Well, it's been a long time since I've read this, so hopefully I'm still talking about the same story :).

I tried to rec you stories that pick up a Draco similar to the one in the books and build up from there, but there are wonderful Draco characterizations in these ones, too:

Lotus-Eyed One (http://serpentinelion.livejournal.com/357949.html) by jakuako
Between Two Fires of Beltane (http://hds-beltane.livejournal.com/114511.html) by secretsalex
Marginal Notes (http://serpentinelion.livejournal.com/254108.html) by blamebrampton
Though the night yield no glimmer (http://rainspots.livejournal.com/5775.html) by scoradh (this one's Draco/Goyle)
Things We Mistook for Contempt (http://ron-draco.livejournal.com/200725.html) by derryere (Draco/Ron)

I've been out of this fandom for a long time now specifically because I couldn't find any more satisfying things to read and it seemed pointless to waste time searching. Hope these are good, please let me know if I've recced you anything wrong :).

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

The first and the last two, I haven't read before. I think I am just going to take a step back from Harry/Draco for now. I did really enjoy the last two, especially the AU Draco/Ron story. :)

[takarai-karin.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I read a lot of eighth year fics, so I enjoyed a Draco much less prone to dramatics thanks to the war. I don't enjoy fics where he's grovelling trying to prove himself to get in the good graces of Harry's, of course. But there is something I find very compelling about a Draco who has internal demons and keeps things inside (until they blew up, one way or another). And for postwar fics, I have a definite soft spot for competent-at-his-job!Draco and swot!Draco.

That being said, I think these fics have Draco being IC:

Title: Now The Shining Sun Is Up
Author: lettered
Recipient: aoifene
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco (Ron/Hermione, Ginny/Dean)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~23,000
Summary: Someone at the Ministry has it in for former Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy launches his political career as a rebel. Harry thinks it’s all a laugh.
http://hd-holidays.livejournal.com/93652.html

Title: On One's Knees
Team: Fanon
Author: pir8fancier
Prompt: Strength
Wordcount: 32,239
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Lots of swearing, I know that bugs some people
Summary: Five years after the final battle at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has been paroled from Azkaban and works nights as a janitor at The Daily Prophet. Harry Potter, recently married to Ginny Weasley, is training as a Healer at St. Mungo's. One wastebasket=one head injury=our story.
http://hd-worldcup.livejournal.com/18858.html

Title: In Dreams
Author: moonflower_rose
Recipient: annafugazzi
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco, Harry/Ginny, Harry/OFC, Draco/Blaise and Ron/Hermione
Rating: R-NC-17ish.
Warning(s): Character death (not the main pairing!)
Epilogue compliant? For a split second, and then never again - EWE
Word Count: 37,500 give or take a few adjectives
Summary: When the simple act of opening the front door plunges you into the depths of a political conspiracy, you know you should have stayed in bed.
http://hd-holidays.livejournal.com/212982.html

The last is basically a case-fic. An awesome one, at that. Also, I know you've probably read this, it being a fandom classic and all, but I can't rec IC!Draco fics without mentioning Mirabellawotr's Shadow of His Wings. I like politics and inner-workings of the magical society in fics, so that one is right up my alley ^^

[lzay-niight.livejournal.com]

The first story I read and enjoyed quite a bit. :) I remember loving Draco's characterization in it.

The second also hit him spot on, but the ending (epilogue compliant) ruined it for me, even though Draco was gay. In fact, I think it made it that much worse. I can't digest the idea of it, and grown to dislike it greatly even with the cute kids. I don't like how they never consider adopting, and how being with a another female to produce a child seemed like the only way. If they had put more thought into it (This is their hold life they are putting on the line, they should have put more thought into it) then they would have likely seen that. Or simply had a surrogate mother. Either way, there are ways to avoid such a half-life. Ways that are rather obvious to me, and so I just stuck to avoiding the topic altogether.

I have begun reading the last story, but then realized it also was epilogue compliant, but since it says it will be temporary I will continue reading it.

[mistal-darkange.livejournal.com]

What about Oath Breaker by Goblin Kat KC (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2473502/1/Oath-Breaker) and the sequel Oath Breaker II: Dawn and Twilight (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4109022/1/Oath-Breaker-II-Dawn-and-Twilight)? Not sure on how in character Draco is, since I'm not the best judge of "in-character", but they are very Draco-centric stories.