hackthis_archive (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hackthis_archive) wrote2003-02-03 11:27 am
hackthis_archive) wrote2003-02-03 11:27 am
Well, damn
Things I have discovered this morning:
1. Y’all like this poll thing, don’t you?
2. Smallville is like Cheers. Just call me Norm.
3. Sorry I forgot the ‘fingers in too many pies’ option
3. There is an actual audience for Ocean’s Eleven slash. Who knew? Maybe I really will write some...
Harry Potter
Vigil
On the last day of the last year at the end of the last battle, Draco Malfoy will go to the top of the highest hill on the outskirts of Hogsmeade and wait for Harry Potter.
This will be his decision: the culmination of years of anger and hatred and desire.
Draco will wait, with a patience that he has only recently been granted, and he will not mind. He knows what is to come: the sky will be set on fire, and the earth will be scorched beyond recognition.
The end will have come at last, and it won’t be about pride and falls.
It will be about a simple desire.
+++
The sun will rise in the east as Draco makes his way, carefully, to the top of the hill. His steps will be precise and even, they will never falter despite the rocks and other detritus. There are 1,253 steps to the top. It’s a long walk, but Draco will never break a sweat. He will never grow tired.
There will be golden shards of light crawling over green grass, and birds singing songs that Draco will ignore. He will hum a little tune by a Muggle singer that he’s not supposed to know, and he will pick at the threads on his best, white Oxford shirt.
It’s not actually white anymore.
As the sun crests over the top of the hill, Draco will shove his hands in his pockets and begin to think of other sunrises spent in detention. He will also think of all-night study sessions and the roof of a derelict house in a non-wizarding part of town. When he reaches the paramount, he will sit down and begin the day. There are groves of trees to count and birds to spy. He’s got plenty of time to let go by.
Draco will begin to pick at the blades of grass, and try to do that Muggle trick that makes it whistle. He’s never been that good at it, but he’s getting better.
It will have taken him 45 minutes to reach the top.
+++
At noon, the sun will be unbearable, and there will be sweat building along Draco’s hairline. His neck will turn red with the burn, and he will unfasten another button on his shirt, trying very hard not to think about the limits of the human body.
It’s all psychosomatic, but Draco has never been a great fan of the heat.
Instead he will divert himself by trying to remember illegal potions that turn people into fairy tales and exactly how he felt the first time he caught the Snitch. Draco will begin pulling at the grass underneath the jeans he’s wearing, unconsciously falling into nervous habits he’s not supposed to have. He will get dirt and grass on these jeans as well, which really doesn’t matter as these jeans were never his at all.
He will think of the first time that he heard The Rolling Stones, and the way that Harry used to relax under him when Draco would kiss him at night.
Draco will think a lot about Harry Potter. He will think a lot about his father.
He will make every effort not to turn in the direction of smoke and endless screaming.
+++
The sun will begin to set, leaving a rose and lavender cast across the sky, and Draco will gather himself together. He will stand up and brush the grass from his clothes and the dirt from his hands.
He will wipe his palms on his trousers and not care about smudges and stains.
That’s the thing about being incorporeal: the little things don’t really matter.
As the second to last rays of light fall into the west, Draco will turn to the east and see a ghost waiting for him. Harry’s face will be covered with dirt and his eyes will be illuminated by dying light. He won’t say anything important, but Harry will smile just for Draco and that’s what Draco’s been waiting for since the day he died. The big smile reserved for special secrets and mornings spent hiding under the duvet.
Draco will approach him, cautiously at first, because he’s been waiting a long time. But then he’ll have an irresistible urge to brush the leaves out of Harry’s hair or wipe the dirt off Harry’s nose, and wind up kissing Harry instead because he’s been waiting for this moment his entire life.
Kissing isn’t just a province of the living.
So when the sun is long gone, and there’s no light left to see from except the waning moon, Draco will take Harry by the hand and walk them both back to his grave.
And on the last day of forever, Harry will ask him if they’re finally going home.
-finis-
Edited at 1:00pm with thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fearlessdiva and bonibaru.
1. Y’all like this poll thing, don’t you?
2. Smallville is like Cheers. Just call me Norm.
3. Sorry I forgot the ‘fingers in too many pies’ option
3. There is an actual audience for Ocean’s Eleven slash. Who knew? Maybe I really will write some...
Harry Potter
Vigil
On the last day of the last year at the end of the last battle, Draco Malfoy will go to the top of the highest hill on the outskirts of Hogsmeade and wait for Harry Potter.
This will be his decision: the culmination of years of anger and hatred and desire.
Draco will wait, with a patience that he has only recently been granted, and he will not mind. He knows what is to come: the sky will be set on fire, and the earth will be scorched beyond recognition.
The end will have come at last, and it won’t be about pride and falls.
It will be about a simple desire.
+++
The sun will rise in the east as Draco makes his way, carefully, to the top of the hill. His steps will be precise and even, they will never falter despite the rocks and other detritus. There are 1,253 steps to the top. It’s a long walk, but Draco will never break a sweat. He will never grow tired.
There will be golden shards of light crawling over green grass, and birds singing songs that Draco will ignore. He will hum a little tune by a Muggle singer that he’s not supposed to know, and he will pick at the threads on his best, white Oxford shirt.
It’s not actually white anymore.
As the sun crests over the top of the hill, Draco will shove his hands in his pockets and begin to think of other sunrises spent in detention. He will also think of all-night study sessions and the roof of a derelict house in a non-wizarding part of town. When he reaches the paramount, he will sit down and begin the day. There are groves of trees to count and birds to spy. He’s got plenty of time to let go by.
Draco will begin to pick at the blades of grass, and try to do that Muggle trick that makes it whistle. He’s never been that good at it, but he’s getting better.
It will have taken him 45 minutes to reach the top.
+++
At noon, the sun will be unbearable, and there will be sweat building along Draco’s hairline. His neck will turn red with the burn, and he will unfasten another button on his shirt, trying very hard not to think about the limits of the human body.
It’s all psychosomatic, but Draco has never been a great fan of the heat.
Instead he will divert himself by trying to remember illegal potions that turn people into fairy tales and exactly how he felt the first time he caught the Snitch. Draco will begin pulling at the grass underneath the jeans he’s wearing, unconsciously falling into nervous habits he’s not supposed to have. He will get dirt and grass on these jeans as well, which really doesn’t matter as these jeans were never his at all.
He will think of the first time that he heard The Rolling Stones, and the way that Harry used to relax under him when Draco would kiss him at night.
Draco will think a lot about Harry Potter. He will think a lot about his father.
He will make every effort not to turn in the direction of smoke and endless screaming.
+++
The sun will begin to set, leaving a rose and lavender cast across the sky, and Draco will gather himself together. He will stand up and brush the grass from his clothes and the dirt from his hands.
He will wipe his palms on his trousers and not care about smudges and stains.
That’s the thing about being incorporeal: the little things don’t really matter.
As the second to last rays of light fall into the west, Draco will turn to the east and see a ghost waiting for him. Harry’s face will be covered with dirt and his eyes will be illuminated by dying light. He won’t say anything important, but Harry will smile just for Draco and that’s what Draco’s been waiting for since the day he died. The big smile reserved for special secrets and mornings spent hiding under the duvet.
Draco will approach him, cautiously at first, because he’s been waiting a long time. But then he’ll have an irresistible urge to brush the leaves out of Harry’s hair or wipe the dirt off Harry’s nose, and wind up kissing Harry instead because he’s been waiting for this moment his entire life.
Kissing isn’t just a province of the living.
So when the sun is long gone, and there’s no light left to see from except the waning moon, Draco will take Harry by the hand and walk them both back to his grave.
And on the last day of forever, Harry will ask him if they’re finally going home.
-finis-
Edited at 1:00pm with thanks to
fearlessdiva and bonibaru.
no subject
scy
no subject
and may I ask, what IS Ocean's Eleven? :D
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no subject
Yes there is. It's me! No really...
Coz we slept thru' the movie hon, I think I need to see the pretty boys at it, just a little more.
You awake yet? (I'm not! *g*)
no subject
Yes there is. It's me! No really...
Coz we slept thru' the movie hon, I think I need to see the pretty boys at it, just a little more.
You awake yet? (I'm not! *g*)
Hey, darlin! I bet you're happy to be back home... with the real chocolate. Curses. And hey, I did not sleep through the whole movie, just some, okay a lot of it.
no subject
Man, are we just lame or what? I wanned to meet you for so long, and 25 minutes of giggle and then a lot of snoring... Wow - ya wanna join my "stoned old ladies" club? Free joints and denture fixative!
no subject
Very nice, as always. Lyrical. I have to confess some confusion on the practicalities, however. Draco is alive, but Harry dead at the end? It's Harry's grave to which they are returning? Has anyone really had time to bury Harry, assuming he died in the last battle? Or did Harry die much later and that's why Draco's been waiting a "long time"? Of course Harry's appearance as a ghost in the last paragraph has to be a surprise, that's the point of the story, but I'm still a little unclear on whether Draco's dead as well, or just planning to kill himself so he can join Harry, or what.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the piece very much despite my confusion. And it's always nice to see you writing HP. :)
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I am COMPLETELY excited about your Ocean's Eleven slash. Going to be fantastic.
I think the issue with this piece is all the very specific, very material physical detail. Draco's sunburn, shredding the grass, getting his clothes stained, etc. It's the sunburn and his feeling the heat that particularly coded it for me that he was still alive. You won't want to make him completely immaterial, of course, because that would ruin the twist ending, but I think if you backed off on those physical details and made them more ambigous it will read more the way you want it to.
Also the last sentence, if you clarify whose grave they are going back to - if Harry's just died and Draco's been waiting for him, then it must be Draco's grave to which they are returning. I would think Harry's body is probably still on the battlefield somewhere (soon to be used in some Black Ritual after Voldemort's victory, no doubt, though that's neither here nor there) and hasn't yet been buried. So they're moving in together post-mortem, (possibly into the Malfoy family crypt? And wouldn't that piss Lucius off.) then. And it's likely that Lucius killed Draco because Draco's spending time thinking about him specifically. Nice.
Is it a demonstration of my morbidity that I find it rather romantic that they're moving into Draco's grave together? I thought so.
no subject
2. I went and added a few subtle changes to the story, hopefully it works better now.
3. Is it a demonstration of my morbidity that I find it rather romantic that they're moving into Draco's grave together? I thought so.
Hey, I'm the one who thought it up in the first place, and it certainly seemed a bit sappy to me.
*bursts into tears*
The end will have come at last, and it won’t be about pride and falls.
you are really quite good at reaching in and ripping out the hearts of your readers, you know. (edited to say: this is meant as a compliment) *runs off to weep bitterly*
Re: *bursts into tears*
you are really quite good at reaching in and ripping out the hearts of your readers, you know. (edited to say: this is meant as a compliment) *runs off to weep bitterly*
::hands kleenex::
I suppose it's wrong that causing people pain brings me delight, but you know, nobody's perfect ;)
Re: *bursts into tears*
besides, i'm perfectly happy to be constantly tortured, if fics like that are the cause.
in fact, i'm eagerly anticipating my next round of torture. please say it will be sooooon!!!
~maerda "the masochist" erised
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Brilliant like always m'dear.
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*adds to memories*
The people at Kleenex pay me a lot of money to do this you know ;)
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My only, small, criticism of this version is that I think I would lose the phrase "maybe life will be better now that they're both dead." I think it's already implied, and to state it outright, for all my concerns about clarity, seems to take some of the gracefulness from the conclusion.
So lovely, and so sad. My poor boys. ::sniffs:: They never had a chance, those two. Hopefully life will be better now that they're dead.
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My only, small, criticism of this version is that I think I would lose the phrase "maybe life will be better now that they're both dead." I think it's already implied, and to state it outright, for all my concerns about clarity, seems to take some of the gracefulness from the conclusion.
So lovely, and so sad. My poor boys. ::sniffs:: They never had a chance, those two. Hopefully life will be better now that they're dead.
The Big Gay Dead Love. It's a new genre. Thank you for all your help :)
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You're very welcome, love.
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I love this. Love love love. Because you know they wouldn't be able to be together until after they're dead.
Mmmm. Dead!Gay.
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I love this. Love love love. Because you know they wouldn't be able to be together until after they're dead.
Mmmm. Dead!Gay.
People are all over this Big Dead Gay Love. Y'all crack my up. For real ;)
RE: Vigil
no subject
you made us think!!!!!!!!
and then he was!!!!!!!!!
Evil, pure evil in a beautiful shiny box.
I'm so impressed.
no subject
you made us think!!!!!!!!
and then he was!!!!!!!!!
Evil, pure evil in a beautiful shiny box.
I'm so impressed.
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it :)
Oh you...
But you...you are determined to draw me in aren't you? Guh. That made me get all misty and stuff. Beautifully sad.
*grumbles*
Re: Oh you...
You realize that I've been fighting the Harry Potter fandom thing because A) I'm already doomed because of too many obsessions and B) there is some mind numbingly scary bad fic out there.
But you...you are determined to draw me in aren't you? Guh. That made me get all misty and stuff. Beautifully sad.
*grumbles*
Okay, yes, there is bad fic, but there's really good fic too (points in direction of
Re: Oh you...
I also highly (like most highly, like from the top of Everest type stuff) recommend