kinda miss social media in 2012 where the concept of an influencer didn’t exist and everyone was using instagram’s premade filters and posting pictures of random shit like a handful of skittles or an overexposed sunset... those were the days
Note: This is totally my personal preference in fanfics and in no way do I intend to undermine the effort the writers put in writing,drafting and posting their works.
Making Dramione as the ultimate pairing doesn’t necessarily mean you need to turn Ron into a villain or bash his character. Stories where Ron and Hermione mutually realise that they are better off as friends rather than inserting cheating/infidelity in the storyline seems to flow better. Exception: Plotline that starts with married Romione.
Same for Drastoria. Astoria Greengrass is one character that can be wrote in the most freeform manner since almost nothing in mentioned about her in the actual HP Books. But given the pivotal role she played in Draco’s character redemption and raising Scorpius against the traditional pureblood beliefs , she deserves a bit of respect. Leave her character as an ex-girlfriend or a true friend of Draco if the story is about eventual Dramione.
Draco’s relationship with his father. Unless it is the exclusive demand of the plotline for animosity between Lucius and Draco, Draco hating his father is quite absurd. Yes, even for redeemed Draco Malfoy, he had love and respect for his father even if he doesn’t conform to his pureblood beliefs and conspiracies.
Whitewashing Draco’s character. The greatest beauty of Draco Malfoy’s character is the stark contrast between his and Harry’s character inspite of both of them having a compassionate heart and caring for their loved ones. Unless it is an AU, it doesn’t quite connect if Draco’s character arc is sickeningly sweet and cheesy. He’s more of a tsundere. Snarkiness and edginess are a significant part of his character.
Similarly, darkening Hermione’s character. Unless it is a Dark-themed, BAMF themed fic, it doesn’t make sense if Hermione goes all Harley Quinn being in love with Draco and does all the vile things including betraying her own friends just to be by Draco’s side. She’s Hermione Granger for crying out loud! Not Bellatrix Lestrange.
Please don’t show a love story between irredeemed Draco Malfoy(one who hates the whole lot of Gryffindors like his father and still looks down on Hermione’s blood and only looks out for her when he needs sth from her) and a clueless Hermione Granger. This kind of plotline is the reason why others call this ship toxic.
Unless it’s a OneShot smut or ‘porn without plot’ labeled fic, please donot base the whole fic with both of them banging each other. A storyline and a cliffhanger is what keeps a reader go on.
Follow-up: The good things
Since I ranted too much on bashing the plotlines, I REALLY REALLY have to talk about the ones that I admire.
Post-war fanfics: Draco and Hermione returning as 8th year students.
Post-war fanfics: Draco and Hermione coming face to face as coworkers in the Ministry.
Marriage Law fanfics: where Dramione are chosen compatible to marry each other and live under one roof.
Time-travel fanfics: where Dramione either go into the future and find themselves married to each other or go into the past and try to change things for the better.
Battle Scars: Both Draco and Hermione battling their own traumas post war, that unites them in a unique bond.
Political fanfics: Post-war Ministry issues where both Draco and Hermione find themselves involved in a political mess, her being a war heroine and him being an ex-Death eater,in a way that ultimately connects them to each other. This kind of stories offer intellectual storylines with interesting dialogues and planning.
Ongoing Wizarding War storyline: In which either Draco defects and joins the Order or works as a double agent, thus bringing Dramione together.
Yule Ball fiction: Where Draco actually goes on dancing with Hermione or have a moment with her during the Triwizard Tournament/Yule Ball.
Amorentia fiction: In which both Draco and Hermione smells each other’s scent as the thing that attracts them the most.
Self-discovery fanfictions: Hermione is shown trying to discover her individual identity outside of the 1/3 of Golden Trio while Draco tries to redeem himself by genuinely doing something useful.
Sharing Mindspace fanfic: I think I might like the trope of Draco and Hermione being able to read each other’s minds/only one of them being able to read the other’s mind as well. Update- I’m liking it wayyy too much.
Draco and Hermione sharing Dreams: This is a clever trope and needs to be utilized more.