In honor of Rectober...

I'm not a terribly frequent reccer. Or, at least, I don't post recs frequently on LJ. I do have my masterlist of favorite HP slash fics, and then for a few fests each year I compile spreadsheets of recs with links on google docs. Unfortunately, that seems to be the most I manage to fit in. And, really, I'm just not a natural flailer. But I can try! I wanted to support Rectober because I do think reccing is important and I'm so grateful for those who are constantly supporting the fandom in this way. A good reccer is, I think, a gift to the community.

I know that there are a few big fests going on right now, so I assume the recs from those are being taken care of. I decided instead to compile a rec list of few fics that are very important to me as a reader, writer, and human being. Many of them are older, so I suppose odds are good that you've already read some or most of these. But if you haven't, I hope you enjoy them.

The fic that made me want to write in the HP fandom.
Title:A Consummation Devoutly To Be Wished
Author/Artist: Mirabella
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 6719
Summary: Um... dracoisaveelaandHarryishismate. Shut up.
Why: I think of myself as a comedy writer first and foremost, and while I read a lot of the classics first when I started reading in HP, this was the first true comedy I picked up. And was it a good one! I giggled like mad reading through it and came out the other end thinking, Wow. If I ever write HP fic, that's how I'd like my comedy to be. (Debatable whether I've actually achieved this...) For the first time it made me think that there might be a place for me as a writer in the fandom. I joined late after many authors and many, many stories and artists had built this corner of the fandom, and I wasn't sure that I had anything unique to add to the existing library. There were, after all, more stories than I could ever, ever read already posted. But this fic let me know that there was a place here for humor with a side of crazy. And while it was one of the earlier stories I read, it remains a favorite because it inspired me to move from being a reader to a writer in this overwhelming and intimidating new fandom. That and it's fucking hilarious. :)

Note: It seems that my existing links for this story have just become inactive and word is that mirabella is in the process of moving her fic to dreamwidth after the original posting site was sunsetted earlier this year. There are PDFs of this story available on the great wide internet and it seems Wayback Machine should be doing its thing soon. So it is possible to get to this story, but I'm not sure the best place to link you to. Clicking Mirabella's name above will take you to her fanfiction. I recommend checking there first for the story. I have located this backup version but clearly it is not the best version and it lacks appropriate attribution, etc.


The fic I wish I'd come up with.
Title: The Holy Tree is Growing There
Author/Artist: lotus_lizzy
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~18,000
Warnings: Main Character Death(s) (highlight to read), angst, sex
Summary:
The winsome, winsome elder tree
Beneath whose shade I sit reclin'd;-
It holds a witch within its bark,
A lovely witch who haunts the dark,
And fills with love my mind.
~George Burrow
Why: It is pretty much my goal in the HP fandom to come up with a plot this perfectly lovely, this absolutely gorgeous, this sweetly melancholy. This storyline makes me want to weep in awe of the beauty in this world while crying tears from its tragedy. If you are a warnings sort of person, do read them. There is a reason this story inspires tears. But it also reminds me of the best that is in us. It is unforgettable.


The fic that made me weep like no other.
Title: Kiss me with Fire
Author/Artist: lucilla_darkate
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: R
Word Count: ~4k
Warnings: Angst and everything that goes with it.
Summary: They know each other, heart and soul, but still it changes nothing.
Why: I am not a crier. Really, it has happened with like approximately six fics ever. This is the one that made me snotsob. (Attractive, no?) The warnings may be inadequate for some of you; there's a reason it made me weep. But as someone who hates being spoiled, I'll just advise caution. This story is short but it packs a punch. It's warfic, and it is absolutely devastating. However, I also find it beautiful. The characters are true and unapologetic. The setting is unforgiving. And this story, too, is one I will never forget.


The fic that made me want to be a better writer.
Title: The Eight Tale (Or, perhaps, The Eighth Tale?)
Author/Artist: lettered
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~10k
Warnings: meta, sex, and sad (don’t say I didn’t warn you)
Summary: Draco Malfoy tries to fix the past, but instead mucks it up some more. For Harry, it all becomes quite clear.
Why: I read this story about three times in a row to ensure I'd placed all the pieces together just as they should be. And then I read it again because I was so damn amazed by it all. This fic is meta and sad and maddeningly brilliant. I love just how much of my brain was engaged while reading it. And I was left rather in awe of how it had all been assembled but in such a smooth poetic sort of way. There are snarls and questions and paradoxes. And I hope one day I can write a story so engaging and so clever. It's something to aim for, no?


The fic that awed me.
Title: Lamp in the Cooling Room
Author/Artist: libby_drew
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: R
Word Count: ~9k
Warnings: none
Summary: Draco and Harry become snared in a trap, but they're not alone. Love guides our path for reasons we can't always understand. The Lovers: A card of crossroads, tension, and a decision. Duty or your heart's desire? A test that affects the rest of your life.
Why: I'm not a fan of kidfic, but this one is told from the point of view of a little Muggle girl who has been caught with Harry and Draco. This fic was beautifully told, and it reads almost like a fairytale, slightly detached, slightly poetic, and slightly challenging to the reader. It left me questioning myself as well as what I know of canon Harry and canon Draco.


My favorite HP fic. (I admit it; I have one. Don't you?)
Title: The Pure and Simple Truth
Author/Artist: lettered
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: PG
Word Count: 70k (It happened by accident)
Warnings: No porn. No plot. No, really!
Summary: Harry, Draco, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, and Pansy go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Pansy, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Pansy―you guessed it―go to a pub. I could go on. In fact, I did. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Pansy, Ron, Blaise, Luna, Goyle, Neville, and Theodore Nott go to a pub. In various combinations.
Why: There is always one, isn't there? One fic that stands out in your mind as perfection in fanfic form. For me, that story is The Pure and Simple Truth. I'll tell everyone and anyone to read it. Twice. It just makes me...happy. The writing is brilliant. Writers who struggle with dialogue should read this as a tutorial. It is so damn snappy. It inspires me to do better. Oh and the characterizations? Outstanding. Phenomenal. It is a cast of seemingly dozens but each person is vibrant, unique, loveable--and as flawed as any other person in the world. Maybe it's because I love redemption. Maybe it's because I love snark and naivete and forgiveness and truth all sitting around a table sharing pints. And maybe it's because the Pure and Simple Truth is perfection in its simplicity. (Bonus: A scene with wizarding ballroom dancing is absolutely delightful.)


My favorite non-HP fic.
Title: When Morning Comes
Author/Artist: Starlingthefool
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~9k
Warnings: Violence
Summary: If life were fair, anyone who managed to survive the apocalypse would be given a fuzzy blanket, some tea, and a nice bed to hide under and weep. Life is not fair, obviously, and there's no actual end to the end of the world. Instead, there's grief and pain and mud and death, there are minor miracles, and there's the love that gets you out of bed in the morning, despite everything. Life goes on.
Why: I don't read much outside of HP fic these days, but every now and then I need a breath of fresh air. I read this Merlin fic after reading ~90 HD fic in a row for the last hols fest. The writing is super smart and snappy, the content original. It's a bit bitter, it's sprinkled with dark humor, and it is heavy on the angst. It was, however, written for a HEA fest. So you can hang onto that when things look bleak. For those of you who've never watched or read Merlin before, it matters not. It's AU where the apocalypse has come and gone...and that's the problem, isn't it? This is good for anyone who likes an excellent story. Which fandom it is, is pretty much irrelevant.