Fic: Rough Magic (H/D, NC-17, ~28.5k)

[birdsofshore]

Yay, reveals! Claiming my hd_erised fic. \o/

Title: Rough Magic
Author: birdsofshore
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~28,500
Warnings: Some mild d/s themes (a little light magical bondage), some mild consent issues
Content/Enticements: UST, first times, outdoor sex, post-war, the Forbidden Forest.
Summary: Malfoy's magic has run wild. But though wild magic is unpredictable and greatly feared, Harry's damned if he's going to let Malfoy rot in St Mungo's while they work out what to do with him.

This was a challenge for me because I knew that whatever I wrote for tryslora, I didn't want it to be something silly. So I thought I would write a short and intense PWP.

Ha. ha. HA. 28k later, I submitted this. The problem was that once I got started, I found I really wanted to explore what wild magic might look and feel like, and how wizarding society would regard it. I still had to keep it brief, or risk running out of time, but I enjoyed playing with things we know from canon such as Luna's mother's death, Harry's childhood wild magic, little bits of wandlore, and how Harry was able to gain mastery of the Elder Wand.

I also had a whale of a time writing Millicent. She wasn't really going to feature much, I was just trying to include some of the secondary characters that tryslora had requested, so I thought Millicent could work at St Mungo's, but then she marched in, all foul-mouthed and blunt, and, oh dear, I really loved her.

And the latest major self-indulgence I have to own up to is Axe-wielding!Draco. *head in hands* Oh, dear. I watched so many videos of men chopping wood, I'm ashamed of myself. Mr Birds says my new orientation is lumbersexual. I didn't dare give Draco a bushy beard or a plaid shirt, but I hope I managed to give some of you a little frisson at the thought of him all outdoorsy with dirty fingernails. :D

I can also now thank raitala, both for brainstorming this with me and for the constant reassurance that yes, I could write for tryslora, and that, no she wouldn't hate it. And for putting up with endless pestering to draw Woodsy!Draco. In the end, capitu started harrassing her, too, and she finally cracked, LOL. Here's her Draco looking as gloriously pissed off as I could ever have wished (I suspect this is more or less how raitala felt at being forced to draw him, heh).



(at raitala's journal here)

I'd also like to thank the wondrous who_la_hoop for betaing this for me. Thank you again, dear. And to lumosed_quill for much advice and reassurance, including my concerns about Millicent and the whole topic of hospitalisation and the stigma of wild magic.

Thank you to everyone who read and left super comments. If you didn't read it yet but think you might give it a try, I do hope you like it. Finally, thank you to the very clever this_bloody_cat for spotting me, even though it didn't really look much like me ;)

Rough Magic

Comments

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

I loved this fic to death, and particularly Millie! Oh, if only she could be my best friend, I would hold her close and cherish her bluntness with a smile on my face forever!

(I totally knew it was you, too! I didn't vote though, haha!)

[birdsofshore]

Oh, I thought I'd been so sneaky when no-one guessed me at the poll! I do always feel very visible. I have a lot of verbal tics, I think... or was it something else?

I'm very happy you liked Millie. She was revoltingly fun to write.

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

Haha, no you were very sneaky, it took me a while to guess! It's just once I've read a few stories by someone, I can usually tell (everyone has their little quirks, haha), so I never participate in the guessing polls, I don't want my job to give me an unfair advantage, lol!

And if you wanted to write like, an entire fic just with Millie being incredibly blunt to everyone, I may have to erect a shrine in your honour, haha!

[birdsofshore]

Hah, darnit, now I want to know what gave it away, and what the clues were for other writers, and also, what is your job? I don't think it's unfair if you are especially observant of details. But it must be funny to see everyone else flailing around and guessing wrong, if it's sort of really obvious to you. :D

I don't know whether there'll be more Millicent or not! I sort of suspect not, but, I never quite know what's coming next.

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

I'm an editor for a large publishing house, so I literally spend all day reading stuff other people write, haha. And the clues are different for everybody; for some it's the way they use punctuation, for others it's how they frame sentences, stuff like that that comes through even when they're trying a trope or tone they haven't tried before. With you, it's your paragraph structure - a lot of the time, you separate each moment of dialogue with action, rather than involving the two. :D And now you'll probably be able to think of nothing else! *evil cackle*

[birdsofshore]

Ah, I guessed editor. I probably knew that already, did I? But my memory is so shoddy.

That's really interesting, punctuation, wow. I don't really know what 'framing sentences' would mean, but this is so interesting. Ok, yes, I admit it, I can literally not think of anything else other than my dialogue now. O_o

So, do you mean like this?:

“Draco Malfoy?” McGonagall looked over her glasses at Harry. “You'll find him in the Forbidden Forest.”

How would someone else do it? I am so clueless about writing that it's not funny. Every time I write a fic and people don't actively laugh and point, I feel total relief that I got away with it again ;)

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

I have mentioned it before, so you probably did know. And by sentence framing, I mean things like, how often writers use long sentences compared to short ones, or if they prefer to use connectives or short punchier lines. With you, what you do is things like this (using Hungry as an example bc I have that one bookmarked, haha):

Draco's face curled into a scowl. "I'd like nothing better, Potter, but unless I cut off my arm – and believe me, I am considering it – we are, literally, stuck here."

Harry jerked his arm furiously away from Malfoy, but succeeded only in wrenching both of their arms painfully at the socket.

"Stop it, you idiot!" hissed Malfoy. "Can't you see we're attached? Calm down and stop yanking me around."

Character A says something, and then you have character B do something, and then it goes back to the dialogue.

Someone else might have character A react to character B's action within the dialogue - And stop jerking your arm, can't you see we're attached? - and others might have them react with their own action - Draco hissed when Harry jerked his arm furiously - or something else entirely, but none of them are wrong, just different ways of writing the same thing.

The way you write is lovely, you have absolutely nothing to feel self-conscious about! <3

[birdsofshore]

Thank you so much, I realised as soon as I asked it was probably a PITA asking you work type questions in your free time, but I appreciate it, and your kind words.

I'm always wobbling about my writing but I try to remember that it's not life and bloody death! It's a hobby! For fun! Writing about gay wizards, fgs!

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

pshh, don't worry about that, I'm always happy to help in any way I can with this stuff! I'm not a fantastic writer myself, but the one thing I can seem to do is help other writers, and I love to do it!

And everybody should write about gay wizards, imo haha!

[birdsofshore]

You? You are a FABULOUS writer! I can't wait for time to catch up on your erised piece and all the others that I missed

Thank you very much. Being able to help other writers is a wonderful skill...

[snowgall]

This is so fascinating! Now I want lauren3210 to identify the writing quirks of ALL my favorite writers :) Also, I wonder what you think are the clues that identify your *own* writing?

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

It takes reading a few fics from each author before I can easily figure them out, and I'm not sure everyone would like me pointing out their tells, haha!

Oooh, but my own? Um, I think I tend to use longer sentences, and I probably over-use the semi-colon, lol! And I use way too many similes and not enough metaphors. Oh, and if you come across a fic where the ending rambles on like the writer couldn't decide when to shut up? Yeah, that's likely to be one of mine too, haha!

[snowgall]

So interesting--thanks for answering my silly question! I've read several of your fics, and I don't think I ever felt your endings rambled on--in particular, I felt both Brevum Conspectum and (The Piece) I was Missing ended quite well (the other fics I read longer ago so don't recall the details as well). As for the other tells, I'd have to go back a re-read more closely to see if I could spot them. But it will be fun to see if I notice that about your writing in the future!

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

No, thank you for reading my stories, that's so nice to hear! <3 I have been trying desperately to work on my endings (I know I'm rambling, but I can't seem to make it stop!), but as the 2 fics you mentioned were my most recent ones, perhaps I've managed it somewhat? But yes, keep an eye out, we could all play a game of "count lauren's semi-colons" haha!

[divertazsc.livejournal.com]

Yeah, real winner. Love the dynamic between Harry and Draco throughout.

[birdsofshore]

Thanks so much! I'm always trying to capture an interesting dynamic.

[gracerene]

LOVE! Just thinking about this fabulous thing makes me all giddy!

[birdsofshore]

That's because we're kink twins. *nods* Your DTH prompts are slaying me!

[gracerene]

All part of my evil plan. *rubs handles together evil-y*

[birdsofshore]

*writhes about* I can't. No, really, I caaaaaan't.

[tryslora]

One more time, this was SO AWESOME. Love it so much. <33333333333

[birdsofshore]

Oh, you've been so kind, thank you! You don't need to say it any more, but your comments have all been appreciated.

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

Ahaha! You'll manage to turn us all into lumbersexuals yet! ♥ I know I've said before but God, that story was FANTASTIC!

[birdsofshore]

You know what really sucked this Christmas? Not being able to get tickets for this:

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/timber-84344

I was sulking quietly to myself all through December and I still haven't quite got over it...

edited to say, omigosh, and thank you. I'm so rude! But your comments are a joy.

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

LOL! I imagine you must have been miffed, that's quite literally lumbersexual paradise right there :D Are they really juggling with axes? As in, sharp real axes? Axes that cut? Because if so, I really need to go see this.

Oh, shush, you're never rude :) *pets*

[birdsofshore]

I think they are real axes that cut. I don't know. I know they're real BEARDS. *sulks some more*

I was rude! I got too accustomed to you being lovely about my fic every time I saw you, I was just, oh, yes, more nice comments from tbc, la dee dah !!

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

Now I keep trying to picture Draco with a beard O.o

[lq-traintracks.livejournal.com]

When you sent this to me to read through, I think instead of reading it, I ate it with a spoon! It's delicious and hilarious and touching and so so so hot! It's brilliant, and I'm so happy to have gotten to help even a little bit. I had such fun!!!! <33

[birdsofshore]

Thank you, dear, thank you so much! You helped loads, you know you did. ♥

[lq-traintracks.livejournal.com]

I loved this story so much, I really couldn't wait to read it all again once it posted, rather than taking the good ol' beta-out. ;-) :-):-)

[birdsofshore]

Now that's a major compliment. PUFF LOVE to you.

[capitu]

It's just that DRACO'S CHOPPING WOOD. So, you wrote like the hottest thing ever, yeah? And then Rai went and drew it. <3

[birdsofshore]

I know. There should be whole festivals of Draco chopping wood. There should! Lumber!Draco should be a famous fanon trope.

It's nice to see your waggy little tail, btw. ♥

[sophie-french.livejournal.com]

This is VERY HIGH on my to-read list!!! I just can't wait to read it!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

[birdsofshore]

Thank you, sophie! No rush, it'll still be there when you get around to it, but I hope you like it. ♥

[sophie-french.livejournal.com]

I have not a single doubt I will love it! ♥

[dicta-contrion.livejournal.com]

This was so gorgeous! Weeks after I read it, there are still images that stick with me. The moment when Draco first gets to experience the garden after so much time cooped up, the freshness of the grass...it was so vivid. And the power of his magical reaction to Harry, which you did a beautiful job of making really visceral. And Millicent! Gosh, adored her to bits. Such a fabulous story!

[birdsofshore]

Oh, thank you. So glad you enjoyed it. I couldn't quite capture that vividness of the garden scene in other sections but I am happy it worked there. I got very caught up in the way wild magic would feel, so I'm glad it came across as visceral. Thanks for your kind words!