Rectober is here! And so is my first rec.

[birdsofshore]

banner by raitala

Title:Sharing Different Heartbeats
Author/Artist: talithan
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~17,000
Warnings: None
Summary: It’s Harry’s first time in New York City, and he is determined to have a good time. How Draco Malfoy figures into this remains to be seen.

Why I loved it: I am getting a big crush on talithan. Her stories always twist my heart in the sweetest way and fill me full to the brim of H/D feels. This story is a gem. Harry and Draco have to share a bed, and the most gorgeous, tentative something develops between them during the night times. They are both so human, so real; we feel their desires and insecurities so perfectly, and it captures the beautiful fragility of the beginning of a love affair.

There's also SMOKING HOT asdfghjhgfdsghjkl smut. The things those boys get up to in the night times in that hotel bed - whoa. Ginny and Luna are also wonderful, and it's just packed with warmth, laughter, hopefulness, and a real love for the characters and for humanity in general. It left my heart clenching with romance and... I don't KNOW what, there's something about the way I feel when I finish one of talithan's stories that isn't quite like anything else.

Excerpt: This is quite long but I adore the exchanges between the different characters and the way the little uncomfortable moments and misunderstandings are portrayed. I love writing dialogue but I would give my right arm to be able to write this kind of back-and-forth between a group of different characters. Enjoy!

*

“I don’t wear pyjamas.”

“You sleep in the nude?” Malfoy says, the brightness gone from his tone.

“I sleep in my pants,” Harry clarifies. “But is sleeping naked so unheard of?”

“You aren’t sleeping in your pants in bed with me.”

“I’m a very warm sleeper. I don’t like to get too hot.”

Malfoy narrows his eyes. “Is this some sort of trick?”

“A trick to what?” He almost laughs. “What could I gain from sleeping next to you in my pants? Should I be concerned that you might take advantage of me?”

Malfoy balks at that. “I don’t—I wouldn’t—”

“Then why is it such a problem?”

He pauses, studying Harry, who tenses under his gaze. Then, finally, “Can you at least wear a shirt?”

“Fine. I’ll wear t-shirts to bed, all right?”

“Good,” Malfoy says, raising his chin. “We must at least keep the pretence of being civilised.”

At that moment, Ginny reenters from the bathroom, now wearing a very large t-shirt and nothing else. “What on earth are you arguing about?”

“Nothing,” Malfoy says. “It’s resolved.”

“Is Ginny some sort of uncivilised barbarian, then?” Harry asks.

“What’s that?” Ginny asks, looking back and forth between them.

“Of course not,” Malfoy says, seeming confused.

“She’s not wearing much,” Harry points out.

“Hey!” Ginny exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m plenty covered, thank you very much.”

“Malfoy was offended that I didn’t pack pyjamas,” Harry tells her. “Apparently this is uncivilised.”

“Harry sleeps naked,” Ginny says to Malfoy. “He doesn’t own pyjamas.”

Malfoy takes a step away from both of them, aghast.

“I wasn’t going to sleep naked!” Harry near-shouts. “I was going to sleep in my pants!”

Luna appears in the bedroom doorway. “Harry sleeps naked?”

Harry holds his head in his hands. “I wasn’t—”

“I do too, Harry,” Luna says.

Ginny eyes her. “But aren’t you wearing that to bed?”

Luna smooths her hands down the sides of her silky, knee-length nightgown. “Yes, I thought I’d preserve Draco’s modesty. Or yours, I suppose.”

“Thank you,” Malfoy says, and gives Harry a pointed look. “If only everyone could be so courteous.”

*

MY PLEDGE FOR RECTOBER: I'm going to try to rec twice a week during the month. If I mess up I will do two recs on the weekend to catch up. I'll also try to leave a quick comment, even if it's only a 'thank you!', on each rec post that I look at. Happy reccing and reading \o/