2023.08 ~ Top 10 Longest Fics Posted On AO3

My favorite reclist of the year! It’s the best excuse to reread beloved fics and shout about them again. I couldn’t wait any longer to post it, so, without further ado: here are my personal favorites from 2023 and why I love them, along with a banner I’m really pleased with. 

Thank you, sweet writers, for giving us your wonderful stories. Wishing everyone a happy December and an amazing and soft new year!

I Fall On Grass by @tackytigerfic Drarry, T, 3.1k

I adore stories with mature characters and this one is no exception. It’s so charming: gentle pining over the years, throughout the realities of life and parenthood, written with such a light hand. And lovely worldbuilding of a slow life that they built for themselves, which left me smiling the whole day after reading it. It feels like a soft caress for my soul.

It’s Me or the Peacock by harrows Drarry, T, 4.6

Do you ever feel like reading a fun, lighthearted fic that will have you grinning all day? Look no further, this is the one. Picture this: established Drarry taking the plunge to move in together, except Draco is bringing his “avian third wheel” with him, adding a feathered twist to the mix. Harry can’t quite believe what’s happening and that’s not even the half of it. This fic is a delight!

Sun Shower by @moonmanatee Drarry, T, 6k

Meet Orkie (short for Snorkel), the delightful cat who loves his boy Harry very much. They share a special bond, silently understanding not to delve into the origins of their pasts. What matters most is their companionship and the comforting routine they’ve woven together. Now, enter Draco Malfoy, a fashion icon with phenomenal outfits, his mud-loving dog, Hubert, and a dash of mouthwatering culinary creations. Your heart will grow three sizes by the time you’re done reading; mine certainly did.

Birds Behaving Badly by @peachpety Drarry, E, 10.5k

Oh, this fic!! I swear my whole body was wiggling with delight when I read it – it’s hilarious and hot and so witty. Draco has a type, which leads to a fun case of mistaken identity, all artfully resolved with the intervention of a conniving seagull, Kevin. Brace yourself for some sassy Slytherin banter, side characters so vividly portrayed they’ll steal your heart (Goyle, I’m looking at you), and the enchanting backdrop of a magical Brighton in the summer. Cue the squeals of delight! 

A Saviour’s Guide to Manners and Decorum by @wolfpants Drarry, E, 13k

I have read every fic Wolf has written this year and, let me tell you, choosing just one feels like an impossible task – I wish I could include them all. But here is my pick, and it’s not because it happened to be my birthday gift. This fic is a gem, seamlessly blending humor with a soft, wistful touch (oh, and do I need to mention it’s also incredibly hot?). It resonates because Harry just wants to be accepted for who he is, refusing to change for anyone (as he rightly shouldn't!). Enter Draco, who is here to help, and not to “fix him”. Sprinkle that with a subtle hint of D/s dynamics, a generous serving of UST, and a sensual shaving scene, and you have got the perfect fic. LOVE!

I only want the ones I envy (I envy) by @porcelainheart3 Drarry, E, 13.5k

This fic is so stunning! A coming-out story with writing so clean and sharp it made me laugh out loud through (lots of) inevitable tears. It has a very competent magical inventor Draco, who wears sock garters(!). It has Harry on a self-discovery journey that feels so very real; with a heart-wrenching childhood flashback that will leave you shattered. It has the most supportive friends. It has banter and flirting and so many wonderful details (look closely at the newspaper in the fic for an extra dose of laughter). And let's not forget the most incredibly emotional blow job; talk about smut with feelings! It’s one of those fics that made me read the rest of the author’s catalog immediately (and trust me, you should too!).

A Time, Dark and Divine by @moonflower-rose Established Drarry, Draco/Ron/Harry, E, 17k

Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this fic is so scorching hot. And their dynamic is so complex: jealousy and possessiveness wrapped up in a delicious package of a boys' trip in Thailand. A stunning Ron POV filled to the brim with complicated history and tension, incredible characterization for all three of them, culminating, inevitably, in hot-hot-hot sex. I couldn’t get this story out of my head for days. If you, like me, like feelings with your smut, this one’s for you! 

Waking Up Slow by @sweet-s0rr0w and @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm Drarry, E, 22k

This story is so charming and whimsical! First of all, this Draco is such an utter delight that I fell in love with him right away. He’s so entertaining! The concept of Christmas in July gives the story a wonderfully atmospheric and slightly wistful tone. Add to it a very domestic and playful dynamic between Draco and Harry, top-notch dialogue, so many creative details, and an absolutely delicious and intimate sex scene. From beginning to end, this fic is so warm and touching; a gentle romance that feels as if it was enchantingly sprinkled with a cheering charm.

the first in line by @oflights Drarry, E, 29.5k

This fic is hilarious, mischievous, and sexy all at the same time. And also a little bit unhinged in the best possible way. It had me in its grip from the very first sentence: “When the clock strikes midnight on his 25th birthday, Harry is having a threesome with a werewolf and a vampire.” (chef’s kiss!) and it didn’t let me go. We have a reluctant and grumpy Veela Harry, an over-the-top Draco, summer vacation vibes, a magical yacht, wooing with a hot air balloon (and more!), plus an absolutely delightful non-monogamous background Romione. Gah!!!

Of Magical Beings Being - Magic by @rockingrobin69 Drarry, E, 30k

What’s actually magic here is Robin’s writing. It’s… wait, I don’t think I have words for how rich and full this world is, how special! There’s pining and soft angst and an unreliable narrator and exes to lovers, but somehow all that doesn’t even begin to describe what this story is. It’s witty and fascinating and soft and playful. It’s about loving the other person so much that you do the wrong thing because you think that’s what they want, even though it hurts you. It’s about manifesting them in everything you do until they come back. It’s about Love, about Happiness. It knocked the breath out of me. It’s unbearably lovely.

Winner takes it all by @skeptiquewrites Drarry, E, 41k

This fic is absolutely devastating in a sort of gentle way. My heart broke a million times for this wonderful, hardworking, cornered Draco – who’s looking after his mum – as well as for a whole bunch of beautifully written side characters. The story starts with a bet, and from there, it unravels with Tee's razor-sharp writing, infused with nuance that makes the narrative incredibly rich and undeniably real. If you're in the mood for a cathartic cry, followed by a sweet, happy ending, don't walk – run to this fic!

No one upsets Aziraphale without provoking the wrath of his demon.

Incorrect Good Omens Quotes Masterpost : here

Shout out to Crowley cosplayers that fully dedicate themselves to The Walk I don't know how you guys do it without tripping over your own legs I once saw a video of a Crowley cosplayer doing The Walk in a pride parade and I think about the will and endurance of that person whenever I need motivation to do anything

Support course! Deku <3

Piss off!!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!! :)))))

Sounds a bit unlikely.

Crowley: Do you want to play 20 Questions?

Aziraphale: Sure!

Aziraphale: Whats your favorite color?

Crowley, laser fucking focused: Triangle. Do you love me?

fight club (kinda), but it’s hogwarts

severus snape saw himself as a realist, honestly. the other hogwarts staff members saw him as way too pessimistic, but, frankly, he believed they were just too optimistic.

severus was shocked at how intently the rest of the professors truly believed that the declining animosity amongst the student body was a secret, unanimous agreement of inter-house unity.

severus, of course, knew otherwise. being, shockingly, the youngest member of staff had its perks, you see.

the room of requirement wasn’t the well-kept secret that the other staff members believed- knowing of its existence but not it’s location. the room was used widely by students in severus’ time in hogwarts, primarily as a duelling room- where students settled their quarrels with an audience, away from the watchful eyes of their professors or even just practiced duelling for fun.

having, naturally, been challenged to countless duels during his time in hogwarts, severus recognised the decline in aggression between the houses for what it really was- this well-kept secret has been passed down from parents to students again once more.

severus knew that these duels should be running along proper duelling etiquette, but he also knew that any curse bar the killing curse was free game. if someone could heal it, or cast the counter-curse, you could use it. if not, you couldn’t. simple as that. most students have the common decency not to use the remaining unforgivable curses- but the key word was most.

severus could tell the rest of the staff, but where was the fun in that? all students present at a duel, not just the duellers, likely will have taken a vow of silence so it couldn’t be revealed to staff. multiple students with a solid grasp of healing would be present at each duel. different nights held different year groups. it was surprisingly well-organised.

most importantly, though, it severely lessened the amount of detentions severus had to give out.

maybe it truly was a good thing, severus mused, as he rounded a corner in the dungeons on his way to his next class. double potions with the slytherin and gryffindor fifth years.

there had miraculously been a slight improvement in inter-house relations between the two usually feuding houses. it seemed that this duelling had sparked a grudging respect and severus had noticed a steady decline in the amount of his students in the hospital wing for gryffindor-related incidents.

severus had also noticed an obvious distance between potter (potter-black, he amended in his head) and granger and weasley since that demented sorting hat had demanded his resorting at the beginning of the year. the combination of potter-black’s change of legal name, his sorting into slytherin, his certain involvement in illicit duelling (which granger was very against- her loud protests outside his classroom was half the reason severus worked it out) and his close friendship with nott and zabini (and shocking civility with malfoy) had certainly spelled the end of the golden trio.

severus heard the chattering outside his classroom abruptly stop, and he swiftly disillusioned himself despite not being in sight yet.

“heir theodore nott. i, hermione jean granger, challenge you to a wizard’s duel at 8pm tonight on the grounds of the horrific injustice you and your housemates are doing by corrupting one hadrian potter-black to your dark magic ways. i nominate ronald weasley as my second.”

oh merlin, severus thought. out of all the students granger could pick a duel with, she goes for the death eater’s son who reads dark arts books like they’re bedtime stories.

“and what’s in it for the winner?” came nott’s voice.

“if i win, you stay away from harry. if you win, i- i’ll leave harry alone,” granger said.

“granger,” severus recognised potter-black’s sharp tone, “renounce it. you can’t duel.”

“what, harry? you think a mudblood like me can’t handle myself against one of your new death eater friends?”

“get your head out of your arse, granger,” zabini chimed in, “that’s not what hadrian’s saying and you know it. you hate the duels because the dark arts aren’t off limits, yet you want to duel someone who can wield dark spells when you have no duelling experience? you’ll get hurt, hadrian’s trying to stop that from happening.”

“sounds like a threat, zabini. you won’t scare me. nott, do you agree?”

there was a pause, and severus was sure he could hear a harshly whispered warning to nott from potter-black. similarly, he could hear weasley pleading with granger not to go through with this. severus imagined the latter was down to his fear of potentially having to duel nott himself.

“i, heir theodore tyr nott, formally accept hermione jean granger’s challenge to a wizarding duel tonight at 8pm on the grounds that she needs to mind her own sodding business. i nominate hadrian potter-black as my second.”

severus felt a rare twang of pity for granger, as he recognised the barely suppressed glee in nott’s voice- clearly, he had been itching for something like this for a while. whatever happened tonight would not be pretty, and, as he cancelled his disillusionment spell and set off towards his classroom, severus decided he would brew some quick speciality healing potions to send up to poppy in the hospital wing as a little gift.

for the first time in all his years of teaching, severus almost wished someone would create a disaster in this classroom. that way he could throw out as many detentions as remotely possible, and hopefully prevent this disastrous duel.

he was almost tempted to ruin granger and nott’s potions himself as an excuse to punish them, despite the fact granger was competent in potions and nott was top of the class, but he soon scrapped that idea upon remembering exactly what kind of father nott senior was. young theodore, as terrifying and powerful as he may be, would not survive a summer with his father if he failed even one potions class.

severus sighed to himself as he stalked around the classroom towards its end, pretending not to hear the furious whispers or see the rapid hand gestures that potter-black was directing to nott beside him or nott’s hands held up in innocence as he swore he wouldn’t try to kill granger. severus also really ignored the quick kiss nott pressed to potter-black’s cheek when he was focusing on the gryffindor side of the classroom, and he also ignored the way potter-black stopped his protests and settled for merely glaring at the boy beside him.

he did, however, deduct fifteen points from gryffindor after weasley’s hands shook hard enough for him to mess up his potion to the point of the cauldron melting through the table.

severus sighed to himself, as the last of the class left the room. he wouldn’t say he had ever been particularly impressed with potter-black in potions, but he did have to admit- he had never seen a functional draught of peace brewed with quite so much aggression.

he shook his head as he readied himself for his next class, telling himself that whatever happened in that duel tonight was not his business to stop. he was, however, quite eager to see just how it would turn out.

oh, to be a fly on the wall of the room of requirement.

Oh, Crowley. Nothing lasts forever.