cpetnm

GC, Awesome! Glad you took the plunge. C

GC, The forum admins want to move this to a different thread for cowritten stories, but want you to register. I know you are concerned about privacy. Some of the authors here have a separate fanfiction email... Whatever you want to do is absolutely okay with me! C

@Willow: Thank you for the heads up. We are both fairly new to the forums, so we appreciate the guidance. @GC, First of all, so glad to hear about Aunt T! Being a grandmother will be so good for her. I think when people are struggling, they are grateful when their kids are doing well. Your writing is fabulous. You might not know it (or maybe you do), but you have the skill and spirit of a writer. Your speech for Hermione gave me great insight into her character. I asked the members of H&V (do you read Dramione there?) if they knew of any GoT Dramione stories and only one was recommended. I wanted to see what was out there. I just saw this and thought it would appreciate it: http://www.mugglenet.com/2015/06/harry-potter-and-the-game-of-thrones/ Thank you for the great conversation, friend! C

Dear GC, I fear that it will take me more time to get comfortable with GoT's feel and characters. But when I commit, I commit! This story will happen, even if it takes a while, because it will be awesome. Anyway, I'm taking care of multiple sick children (so much fun, you wouldn't believe it) and thought I'd let you know I haven't forgotten about the story. Take care, C

Dear GC, I love the idea of the story starting at the Red Wedding an in true GRRM fashion, we're going to kill off lots of nonessential characters! Hahahahah (evil laughter)! I still have gobs to read, so be patient with me as I can tell you are a true GoT connoisseur. As you have probably guessed, I spend all my reading time with HP fan fiction. Happy Saturday, cpetnm

General Crow: You're amazing! There's so much good stuff to work off of, although I will have to do a fair bit of research to get the feel of the story right. 1. Will this be a one-shot of chapter story? -- I'm not sure. Once I get writing, I'll have a better idea. What do you think? 2. Shall they still have magic? I'm strongly leading towards yes. -- Agree. 3. Should we have this be during the War (name of your choosing), or after war. I actually have ideas for both.-- What are your ideas? I can see a really great wartime AU. -cpetnm

@Dark Willow: It was a story request, but I'm working out some details with the requestor. Is there a better thread for this? I'm okay with other people giving their two cents about the ideas.

General Crow: Okay, I finally got off my ass and figured out where we could discuss this story without compromising our privacy. Yay! You are probably much more of a GoT expert than I am, so I will let you lead with the ideas. This will be so much fun.

@Sherlocked: I'm going to start mapping it out so I have a plan! I like a combination of some quirkiness and lots of romance.

Review Responses to Chapter 18: The Dragon Who Loved the Swan Why are you guys so awesome, hmm? But you are, so thank you for your reviews. @ flubberyflobberworms: I can understand how the premise of the story could be weird at first, but I wanted a situation in which Draco would do almost anything to get and keep Hermione. And although he takes advantage of her situation, he treats her well and with the kind of care she desperately needs. Towards the end of their deal he worried that she would move on, not wanting to feel like she always owed him, but by that point in the story they’re in love and she chooses to stay with him. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story! Thank you for the sweet review. @Anna: What an incredibly flattering review! It was such a fun story to write and honestly, I’m a bit sad to end it. Thank you for the lovely review. @Luvtracker: I’m not sure if you’ll check this, but I wanted to thank you for the review for It’s Not Over. @General Crow: Thank you for sharing your family information. Your experiences are different than mine and you’ve offered me a new, fresh perspective. Mostly, I just want to thank you for the rich, entertaining conversations as I’ve written this story. Your astute comments have helped me develop my plot and characters. I have an idea for a new story and I’ll start it soon. It will be different, the concept will be interesting, I think. Take care, my friend! <3 @Malfoy'sgirl: I, too, am kind of sad the story is ending! While I was writing the epilogue I kept going and going and actually had to cut a bit. But now that so many of their issues are resolved, I feel okay letting the characters go. Thank you for your consistent comments throughout the story. You always made me chuckle, urging me to update. I am percolating an idea for a new story where Draco’s a magical mortician (!). Is that too crazy? I think it will be unusual, but I have some ways it will tie into how I understand the HP books. Again, thank you for all your sweet reviews! Take care. <3 @ Trelweny: Thank you for persevering and rewriting your review! I debated having D & H stay in their beautiful flat or moving to a campus apartment, but ultimately I thought they needed a fresh start where they would be equals. Draco was willing to make that sacrifice to further their relationship. Well, I wanted to thank you for your wonderful, insightful comments and conversations throughout this story. It was always such a pleasure to read what your thoughts were about a chapter. You helped me to write a better story, I can assure you! Take care, friend. <3 @ HarryGinny4eva: Hermione went on an emotional journey in this story, surprisingly with Draco as her guide. When I started the story, I knew I wanted him to end up being wonderful, but he started in a way reminiscent of the Draco Malfoy from the books, scheming to get what he wanted. You’ve been such a great cheerleader for this story, so thank you! Your ideas and encouraging reviews helped me to flush out my plot and the intentions of the characters and keep on writing. Take care, friend. <3 @starr: Your reviews have been so enthusiastic and sweet throughout the story, so I have to thank you for being a wonderful supporter! Take care, friend. <3 @ Sherlocked17: The girls were definitely naughty at the shower, weren’t they? Wouldn’t a wizarding sex book be awesome? A girl can wish, hehehe. I have an idea for a new story. It’ll be a bit darker, but still erotic romance. Draco will have knowledge of magical burial rights and he will have to help the wizarding world bury their dead after the Battle of Hogwarts. I think it might be cool…Anyway, thank you for your support throughout all my stories! I always look forward to your encouragement and our conversations. Take care, friend! <3

Review Responses to Chapter 17: A New Proposal Thank you lovely people for your reviews! That you’ve taken the time to share your thoughts and feelings with me has been so uplifting. @starr: Draco would have wanted to cement their relationship a lot sooner, but Hermione was not ready. But I felt like she was by the time I wrote Chapter 17. Thank you for the review! @ Malfoy'sgirl: I’m kind of sad to be ending the story, but I always worry about dragging it out. Getting them to the point where they became equal was difficult, but I knew it had to happen before I ended the story. There’s a letter from Luna that should help give an indication as to what happened with her and Harry and I put in a bit about the other characters I’ve included in the story. Thanks so much for the review! @ pickles: I have this theory that if I make a big deal about something or plan it too much, it will fail. I do like to be prepared, but then I let luck do some of its work to make things happen. I wanted the proposal to be part preparation (Draco and Hermione building a loving, trusting relationship), but some luck (window shopping and the magic of a perfect engagement ring). I’m glad you liked it! Thank you for the review! @Victoria: I front-loaded some friction in this story, so that by the end things smoothed out for Draco and Hermione. They did the hard work of healing and learning to love and it has paid off. Thank you for the lovely review! @Sherlocked17: Thank you for the encouragement! I agree that a fun romance story has both a meaningful relationship and great chemistry in the sack for the characters. And, yes, the dirty talk. I need more of that. Thank you for the review! @ Trelweny: I really thought about what would make the story conclude in a way that was both realistic and didn’t screw over either character and I felt that if they were both in the same position as teaching assistants, their relationship would become much more equitable. Of course Draco will always be in a better position financially, but that doesn’t mean he can’t work and live amongst the other students. He was holding onto the idea that he needed to be a Malfoy and live better than everyone else, when in reality, that only made it harder for Hermione to be at home in his fancy flat. Let’s see what you think of this chapter… Thank you for the review! @General Crow: I remember you said many chapters back that Draco would have married her and I think that was absolutely right, but she was such an emotional mess when their relationship began. It took all these months for her to understand her own worth and to mend relationships with her parents and Harry. Not to be too corny, but she really needed forgive herself for her actions and hardships instead of blaming herself for other people’s prejudices and fears (her parents) and anger (Harry). I wonder if part of growing up is breaking from parents. You were young to lose the relationship with your dad, but did it make you grow up faster or was it an inhibitor to the process of becoming an adult? I know for many people it can go either way. As for your aunt, I’m glad she is doing better and is feeling hopeful. Thank goodness things are starting to look up for her. Thank you for your lovely review! @CursedArtemus: Aww, thank you! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story. @ ilariasantaniello: Trovare un amore come il loro sarebbe una cosa meravigliosa, non sarebbe? Questa è la cosa che preferisco di storie di romanticismo, la possibilità di un amore così appassionato e appagante, rende le persone coinvolte in persone migliori. Grazie per la vostra dolce opinione! @HarryGinny4eva: I’m kind of sad the story is ending, too, but I felt like the natural conclusion was there and I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. You’ve been so sweet about this story! Thank you for your support. @Mocha Midnight: Finally, right?! Lol. It took a while to get to the point where I even thought Hermione might entertain the idea of marriage. Thank you for the review!

Review Responses to Chapter 16: A Cautious Reconciliation Thank you all for the reviews! I think this story was so fun to write because of all the great conversation I’ve had about it. @Malfoy'sgirl: Hermione’s parents in this story are the kind of overachieving, controlling parents that I imagine she might have had. I wanted her to reconcile with them, but have a reason to keep some distance from them. The Grangers just don’t get that their daughter fought in a horrible war and might never understand the devastation she suffered. Thank you for the review! @LemurGirl: I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! The last couple of chapters dealing with her parents had to be bittersweet, in my view. I wanted Hermione to have some resolution with them, but I didn’t want them to do a 180 degree turn and absolutely change how they treated her. Draco being there did create some complications with her parents, but I think she was better off with his support. Thanks so much for the review! @HarryGinny4eva: Hermione has certainly received the love she needed from Draco, but I think what she offered Draco was a true relationship where she accepted his faults and allowed him to see her true self. Romance is the best, isn’t it? Thank you for the review! @Trelweny: When I wrote Hermione’s parents, I considered that they would still think of her as a very young adult who needed their guidance. I think when someone goes through something as traumatic as what Hermione did, it often creates a chasm between the person and their loved ones. Family and friends want to continue to treat the person in the same way with minor acknowledgement that something has happened to change the world for the effected person. Since the Grangers are Muggles, it was even harder for them to understand what Hermione went through. So with the estrangement with her parents and distance from her friends, it makes what Hermione has with Draco something to treasure. Thank you for the awesome review! @MargeW76: What a sweet review! The way their relationship has evolved in the story has been both spurred on and complicated by the deal they agreed to at the beginning. Draco wants things to stay the same, while Hermione wants to feel like she’s his equal. Thank you for the great review, truly, it was just so nice to read. @Sherlocked17: Thank you! The sexy parts are always a little awkward for me to write, but practice makes perfect, right? Ah, the Grangers. In my imagination, they would be somewhat self-righteous and angry about the Obliviation, but have love for their daughter. They just don’t know her as an adult who has faced insurmountable odds and still overcome them. Thank you for the review, sweet friend! @starr: I think you will get your wish in this new chapter! Yes, Hermione’s parents are redeemable, but also infuriating. I wanted her to be able to move on, which she couldn’t do without having real conversations with them. At least they gave her that. Thank you for the review! @pickles: Hermione needed some resolution with her parents in order to move on. I think her eyes were opened about her parents and now she can approach her relationship with them with a grain of salt. Draco will help her remember that her life as a war heroine and a witch has changed her from the girl her parents think they know. Thank you for the review! @General Crow: Eight siblings? Wow! You totally have the Weasleys beat. I wanted the last two chapters to show readers that while Hermione could begin to patch up her relationship with her parents, she would never have the closeness she remembered as a child and her parents didn’t have the same daughter they knew before the war. But that’s okay for Hermione because she has love and support from Draco, even though their relationship isn’t perfect. Because relationships develop over time and good ones adapt as people change. In my humble opinion. Thank you so much for the awesome review. I think you will see some of your predictions come to fruition in the new chapter. @FieryPhoenix: I’m so glad the chemistry between H&D has come through. Thank you so much for the review! @Christopher: I agree, Hermione absolutely did her best for her parents. Though they continued to try to make her feel guilty for what she did, I wanted her to tell them under no uncertain terms that she would do it again if she had to. The reason I wrote them as so difficult is that I wanted to show, by contrast, that often the people who love and accept you for who your are aren’t your family or even your parents. I hope the next chapter is a little nicer to read, as some other things are resolved. Thank you for the review!

Review responses to Chapter 15: Missing You Thank you to those lovely readers (AngelDavis, susanmarier, ilariasantaniello, Malfoy’sgirl, starr, Trelweny, Sherlocked17, Elettra21, HarryGinny4eva, and General Crow) who wrote reviews for the last chapter. @AngelDavis: After my last story where Draco is emotionally stunted and still somewhat prejudiced, I wanted this Draco to be more of an adult and to have been changed for the better by the war. Thank you for the review! @susanmarier: Thank you for the review! There are a few more chapters before the end. In this story, Draco and Ron are changed by the war. They still have their own personality quirks, but they’re better people after the hardships they’ve endured. @ilariasantaniello: Hermione dovette provare con i suoi genitori . Il loro rapporto era tale peso impedendole godendo la sua vita , la sua libertà , e l'amore che si è sviluppato tra lei e Draco . Sono contento che ti è piaciuto il capitolo e spero che vi piaccia il prossimo ! @Malfoy'sgirl: I love that you wait for each chapter to post! What a compliment. J Poor Hermione, she’s had such a weight on her preventing her from being able to love like she should. She needs resolution with her parents, even if the result isn’t an ideal relationship. And Draco needs to know where he stands. Thank you for continuing to read and review. @starr: I wasn’t sure if Draco should have ended up in Australia or if Hermione should have dealt with her parents alone, but ultimately I thought she would need his support. He’d been so integral to helping her heal and he’s truly hurt that she didn’t want him to join her. More of the Granger parent interaction in this chapter. Thank you for the review! @Trelweny: Ginny and Neville, hehehe. In my mind he pines for her and it takes her time to realize he’s this great guy, but when she does, boy, she can’t keep her hands off of him! As for Draco joining Hermione in Australia, I felt that Charlotte and Benjamin Granger had each other for support and Hermione needed support, too. It certainly made the situation more balanced for her. Thank you for your continued support! @Sherlocked17: Aww, you are too sweet! I cannot imagine Draco and Hermione being smooth and easy, there’s just too much weird history for them not to be awkward. Thank you for the review, my friend! @Elettra21: Thank you! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the story. J @HarryGinny4eva: Sometimes (but not always) Draco knows what Hermione needs before she does, as was the case with Australia. He knew she’d need his support, but he had to respect her desire to reconcile with her parents alone. She can be a bit slow on the emotional front! Thank you for the lovely review! @General Crow: Oh my, a one year old brother? You are right, things certainly happen in their own time and it’s sometimes much faster or slower than we expect. Ginny and Neville had a relationship forged during the fire of the war and those bonds can be the strongest. Her youth and infatuation with Harry prevented her from seeing Neville as a potential partner until Harry finally showed her he wasn’t the perfect hero and boyfriend she had been dreaming of for so many years. I’m glad the last chapter hit the right notes for you with Hermione and her dad. I didn’t want their interaction to be too easy, but I think enough time has passed for Benjamin Granger to begin to forgive his daughter. The new chapter has some interesting interaction between D, H, and the Granger parents. Thank you as always for the thoughtful reviews and your support for the story!

Review responses to Chapter 14: Nightmares and Insecurities Thank you for taking the time to review! It’s so much fun to write and then to hear what you think about the story. @ starr: These two have a lot of baggage between them! I think for the most part they’ve made huge strides, but then some trigger issue will come up and will throw them off their path. Thanks for the review! @Malfoy'sgirl: I always wondered after J.K.’s books ended how the Malfoy parents would take their punishment after the war. Would they be bitter? Repentant? In this story, they at least have each other, the comforts of their home, and they know their son is safe even if he is somewhat reluctant to interact with them. I wanted Narcissa to understand the hatred and exclusion her son now faces and appreciate that the woman who should dislike him the most is, in fact, the woman who will give him a chance to prove he isn’t the boy he was. I still have to write Narcissa’s conversation with Lucius about Hermione. I’m percolating that talk in my head. Thank you for the review and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! @ ilariasantaniello: Pur sapendo Hermione non vuole Harry romanticamente non si ferma Draco di essere geloso. Penso che se Harry non fosse stato un tale coglione a Hermione , Draco avrebbe perdonato Harry, ma Harry è stato così diffidente e crudele. Draco si preoccupa anche che Hermione lascia la gente trattarla come spazzatura e che erode il progresso che ha fatto con lei. Grazie per la recensione! @HarryGinny4eva: Though Hermione’s parents have been harsh to her, they’ve had time (a bit less than 2 years) to think about their daughter’s actions. I’ve written them as rigid people, but they still love their child. I’m not sure if they’ll ever be involved in her life the way she wants, but Hermione is learning to make the best of the life she has. BTW, a little Neville/Ginny in this chapter. Thanks for the review! @ Sherlocked17: Poor Draco, he reverted to his old self for a moment. He really does love Hermione, but she’s not always conscious of what will make him uncomfortable. Even though he started their relationship in a bit of a smarmy way, in general he’s been really decent. Thank you for the review! @General Crow: The story is quickly coming to a place where Hermione and Draco have to make a decision about how their relationship will progress. I think over the course of their time together, Draco has been surprised by Hermione’s desire to pay her own way. The issue has been confused because of their relationship becoming romantic. As for the issue of her parents, in this chapter she finally goes to Australia to try to get them to speak to her. Chapter 15 just touches on how the trip will pan out, but I felt that I needed to dedicate more time to the Grangers in the next few chapters. I don’t think Hermione needs everything to be perfect with her parents, but she does need them to at least hear what she has been trying to tell them all these months. Thank you for the lovely review! @Trelweny: Hermione’s made great strides in her well-being and mental health, but she could benefit from dealing directly with the trauma of her torture. She’s thought about seeing a mental health professional, but has not seen one yet. Hermione hasn’t discussed it in any detail with her friends and any discussion she has with Draco about that night is fraught with guilt on his part. Thank you for reading and your review!

Review Responses for Chapter 13: An Overheard Conversation @ LadiePhoenix: I don’t know if you’re reading this story, but thank you for the review for Five Days! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It was a fun story to write and seemed to flow, although I’m always trying to improve my writing. @ Malfoy'sgirl: There are times I think it’s okay to have Ron be a jerk in fan fiction, but I kind of liked that the war helped him to realize it was okay to become a loving, reasonable adult. But of the three of them, Ron had the most support to become a functional adult. As for Narcissa, I think she suffered watching her son be used by Voldemort and she would want him to be happy. In her mind, if Draco had to be with a Muggle-born, at least Hermione was brilliant, famous, and respected. She also knows Draco loves his parents, but won’t be used by them again. Thank you for the review and now that we’re moved into the new house, I hope my updates will be more regular! @ Trelweny: I like the idea that Ron would value family and his connection with Hermione enough to help Lucius Malfoy, who’s always been so horrible to the Weasleys. And I know Lavender died in canon, but I think her effervescent adoration of him would have helped him deal with the gravity of the war and his job as an Auror. In this chapter I have Hermione and Narcissa meet, but there’s some confusion of feelings on Hermione’s part. Draco and Narcissa act reasonably, but their meeting dredges up feelings for Hermione. As in the earlier parts of the fic, she doesn’t always know how to channel her unhappiness and uncertainty. As always, that you for the lovely review! @ ilariasantaniello: Hehehe , l'ultimo capitolo era una sorta di zuccherino , non è vero ? Il prossimo capitolo potrebbe essere andata in quel modo , ma Hermione non sempre sa come trattare con l'accettazione da parte di persone che pensa dovrebbe odiarla . Grazie per la recensione ! @ Sherlocked17: Thank you! I still intend on adding to your cool round robin story, but my life has been kind of chaotic the past few months. I’m looking forward to things settling down so I can enjoy for writing for longer periods of time. @ Yoffee: Aww, what a nice compliment! I am having fun writing this story. It would be great to have updates emailed to readers, but I don’t think this site does it. Anyway, thank you for keeping up with the story and for the kind review. @ HarryGinny4eva: I think Narcissa (and maybe Lucius) can put their child’s happiness above blood status. They’ve already lost so much and both parents know Draco’s ties to them are thin after how they let Voldemort treat him. The older Malfoys wouldn’t necessarily have to believe in the equality of “lesser” blood, but they could overlook blood status in favor of more important personal qualities. Thank you for the review! @ General Crow: There’s a saying, which I’m sure I’m about to mangle, about how you can tell how good someone is by how they treat people who can do nothing for them. I think Lucius, when he really needed the help, was surprised by how kind Ron was to him. After the terrible way Lucius was treated by his side during the war, he might be surprised by how decent those “lesser” people could be. Did you find a place for your aunt? I hope her life is better with consistent care in a facility. Thank you for your review. @ staar: I think Narcissa does know how he feels, but she’ll get Hermione’s perspective on the relationship in this chapter. Thank you for the review!