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Damaged Goods

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Hermione, now in her mid-20s, is back at Hogwarts to pursue higher education. Trying to forget the trauma carved into her by the war, she spends one lust-filled night with a certain pureblood. But that night will have consequences.
While her personal life unravels, a string of mysterious murders forces her to work together with Draco Malfoy, who himself seems to carry many secrets.

"He scared her. Not because he wielded killing curses like they were nothing, but because he seemed to understand her in a way that even she didn’t. The more she let him in, the more power he had to destroy her."

Come for the smut, stay for the plot.

Read if you like:
- Murder mystery
- Dark Arts
- Hurt/ Comfort
- Hermione and Draco both deal with PTSD
- Angst, so much angst

703 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2023

188 people are currently reading
6252 people want to read

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slytherin after dark

1 book75 followers

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5 stars
2,816 (45%)
4 stars
2,271 (36%)
3 stars
926 (14%)
2 stars
175 (2%)
1 star
58 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 880 reviews
Profile Image for Abbey M.
161 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2023
Blacked out and read this in like 24 hours idk what happened
Profile Image for Sammie Reads.
1,139 reviews184 followers
November 27, 2023
I swear, with every Dramione fanfic I read, I just fall further and further in love. And I did absolutely love this. The ending made me cry so many times!!!! I was excited to read this because it’s mostly set in Hogwarts, their late college years. Hermione is fresh off her breakup with Ron, and she’s struggling to come to terms with the fact that she’s changed since the war. Her PTSD is starting to rule her life, and she longs for an escape. So when Draco finds her in the library during a rather…unusual moment, he takes advantage and does exactly to Hermione what he’s been fantasizing about all these years. And then everyone finds out.

Hermione is socially ostracized until she takes matters into her own hands. Snape, who is still the hardass to Hermione he always has been, forces Hermione to work with Draco as punishment for her recklessness. They must solve the mystery of recent murders, while Hermione is also seeking a cure for what ails her. The closer she gets to Draco, the further she seems to be from her old self. And I, for one, was here for it! This is the Draco we all know and love, the good the bad and the sexy. And Hermione, the greatest witch of her generation, did NOT disappoint. I loved this! Craved it when I wasn’t reading it! And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go study so that I can learn book binding, because my library needs this STAT.
Profile Image for vaishnave.
795 reviews22 followers
Read
September 1, 2023
this is the annoying fandom obsessed part of me relishing in openly reading dramione fic and sharing opinions about them that no one ever asked for.

i don't care how many different variations of the same dramione plot i read, because as soon as i read a line of draco confessing his love for hermione my heart melts and i start binge reading the nearly 50 chapters in a day.

"I think I loved you long before I knew it—long before I wanted to admit it to myself. I belong to you in a way I can't explain. With every fiber of my being, I'm yours, Hermione."
Profile Image for Emily.
492 reviews6 followers
January 10, 2024
This FUCKED ME UP.
One of the best fics and favourite dramione dynamic I’ve read.
It literally had me screaming, crying, throwing up (more deeply nauseous with anticipation), giggling, and kicking my silly little feet.
It had me going there for a second, I was in fact quaking in my metaphorical boots. I had to check if there was a HEA tag and THERE WASN’T ONE. But it said Hurt/comfort, so I was praying that this would apply to me and I would end this book comforted.
This is was just so slay, so slay, so slay. Like I’m actually speechless. Like WHAT THE EVERLOVING FUCK.
I’m overwhelmed, I stayed up wayyyy to late to finish this as if I don’t have class tomorrow, but it was well worth it for sure.
Anywho, first 5 star reading experience of the year
#slayersgonnaslay #dramione4lyfe
Profile Image for Kate.
332 reviews
August 29, 2023
This was quite frankly really difficult to read. I DNF’d but kept trying because of the rave reviews.

I am a Brit picker ™️ and this was just not do able for me. I’m still trying to understand what ice would smell like.
21 reviews3 followers
October 1, 2023
Dnf at 16%. Writing was terrible
Profile Image for Piper Pham .
121 reviews29 followers
September 2, 2023
4.5 Stars.

I knocked off half the star because some parts REALLY REALLY grated at me.

Overall it's a very well written dramione. It had me gripping the edge of my seat as well as squealing in delight at some of the sexual tension scenes. Give me killer draco any day.


The part that grated at me the most to give this half a star down. Dropping houses and having to re-sort MAKES NO SENSE. I just ignored it, honestly. In my mind, that part never happened.
Profile Image for Solene.
430 reviews2 followers
September 5, 2023
Dnf @10% I don't think I've ever given up so early on with a book. Sorry, I don't understand how this keeps coming up on the lists of best Dramione fan fictions - I cringed the entire time, and that was just 10% of the book. I don't recognize the characters, the Hogwarts rules do not make sense, and I know there's a plot somewhere that's supposed to pick up any minute but I can't be arsed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Anahí ✨.
612 reviews216 followers
September 25, 2023
I feel like tiktok recommendations lied to me once again. I started reading it with high expectations, not only this fic had an amazing first chapter but it had a ton of good reviews.

I feel kind of weird criticizing a fic, but I feel that there’s some of them that are really astonishingly good and this one shouldn’t be put in that category.

The plot twists are good, the author has good plot ideas, but the execution was horrific. Narration was simplistic at best, had a lot of american terms (the characters are British, like be for real), Hogwarts had a lot of weird things (ex: dorms somewhere non disclosed that where outside of any common room, “a coffee barista” in the slytherin common room), bad chatacterization, and most plots where solved in no order in particular in just a few chapters each.

Not to mention this Draco is heavily inspired by Manacled Draco (and I wouldn’t say that made it any better).

It was kind of boring to finish it and I’m pretty certain I will forget about it soon enough.
Profile Image for Mia Wade.
78 reviews4 followers
August 28, 2023
I absolutely DEVOURED this fic.
I’d swear this was written just for me. It has every single one of my favorite Dramione tropes/elements and I ATE IT UPP. I just wish it had been longer because I didn’t want it to end!
Profile Image for Rachael.
10 reviews
September 30, 2023
Did this person even read HP? The mistakes were innumerable and not just diverting from cannon to serve the plot. It’s so distracting
The angst is good. The Ron bashing is good. I don’t think the higher Ed at Hogwarts worked but I’m willing to suspend some belief there. The Americanisms were annoying even as an American
Profile Image for Susan.
63 reviews
November 12, 2023
I really wanted to like this. The potential was there, but even for a fic there was a desperate need for editing. So many issues & a bunch of stuff made no sense. Had the author ever read the series or just seen the movies? The list isn’t comprehensive but here are some issues:

-Distinctly American- 5th/6th grade???
-Hogwarts is a university now? Or is it still a regular school + university? Why are there houses at university? She has to be re-sorted???????
-Hermione is soooo off her academic game - NEVER.
-Debutante ball, really
-took ibuprofen for a hangover NOPE
-occlumency medicine & calling legilimency occlumency
-why would Harry be a FT student but also working for the ministry
-broke college student doesn’t work for Hermione OR Harry
-whole ass adults openly ridiculing/harassing someone for having sex…in college
-pounds instead of galleons
-“she didn’t have her wand since she was in muggle London” DUHHHHHHHHHHHHH
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sally.
445 reviews8 followers
November 7, 2024
Started this at 10pm finished with blurry, sore eyes at 4am, and I don’t regret a thing.

Dramione has taken over my entire personality and it’s safe to say I physically can’t go an hour without thinking about them, at this point anything I read that had Draco and Hermione falling in love I don’t think I’ll rate lower than a 4 because I love them so much and I don’t care how they act so long as they end up alive and married!

This book was incredible, and for a moment I thought the end wouldn’t be a HEA and I could feel myself falling into a deep depression but fear not it is a HEA so don’t be scared. Now go read this it’s incredible
Profile Image for ౨ৎ emily ౨ৎ.
164 reviews24 followers
October 1, 2025
I've really gone down the rabbit hole of dramione fanfics. This is my Second fanfic and I was absolutely obsessed. 5 stars HANDS DOWN

I remember reading this after manacled thinking it couldn't be THAT BAD, it was THAT bad, the pain, the hurt this book caused me?!?? Not secrets and masks hurt but the last 250 pages of this book was so intense... Mann I don't hear people talk about it as much as other fanfics tho. i read this over a year and a half ago just wanted to write more since when I wrote this when I barely had any friends 💖🤣
Profile Image for Caroline Florus.
22 reviews
January 21, 2024
“Come find me again, Hermione, in another life. One where I get more time with you. One where I get to love you longer”

“Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you”

😭😭😭😭
Profile Image for Paige.
1 review1 follower
Read
October 4, 2024
Whilst I really enjoyed the story and a few parts definitely had me with tears in my eyes, I did feel like this was just a combination of The Auction/TRTTD/Manacled all smushed together. Also a lot of the Americanisms made it quite difficult to read at times. And a bar in the common rooms? A coffee shop on campus? It didn't always feel like I was in Hogwarts. That being said the main storyline itself was really intriguing and easy to follow even if it did feel a bit bastardised from other fanfics.
3.5/5
Profile Image for ELCisreading .
103 reviews11 followers
September 6, 2023
I laughed. I cried. Was there for the smut but stayed for the plot.
Profile Image for Alisha.
484 reviews5 followers
Read
January 26, 2025
Book club pick! Not gonna rate this one. I DNF’ed about midway through but they may have had more to do with me than the book.
Profile Image for sianreads97.
74 reviews
April 15, 2025
From the first chapter, I was hooked, though I never expected this story to completely shatter my heart in the best way possible. The emotional depth in this fic was extraordinary, especially the authentic and sensitive portrayal of PTSD in the aftermath of war. The author expertly wove together the murder mystery and potion trial plotlines, keeping me constantly on edge and eager to see what would happen next. Alongside all this, the gradual evolution of Draco and Hermione’s relationship was utterly heartfelt and moving.

Highlights that stood out to me:
-Character development: Hermione taking revenge on people making fun of her due to Ron running his mouth about Draco and Hermione (👩‍🍳’s kiss). Consequently, Hermione being resorted into Slytherin after facing punishment for said revenge!
-Reclaiming power over past trauma: The way dark magic, once a tool of torment, was reclaimed and wielded with strength and purpose added a meaningful layer to the story.
- Unwavering devotion: Draco and Hermione’s unbreakable bond was at the heart of this fic. Their love for each other wasn’t just romantic but lifesaving—literally. They rescued each other time and again, a testament to their trust and connection.
-Possessive and protective Draco: The fierce intensity of his love for Hermione, tinged with jealousy and protectiveness, was the perfect blend of swoon-worthy and emotionally raw.
-Complex, morally gray characters: The nuanced exploration of these characters—flawed, struggling, yet redeeming themselves—added emotional richness that truly resonated.
-Subtle moments of humor and tenderness: Amidst the heavy themes, the lighter, more intimate moments provided a perfect balance, making their relationship feel real and multi-dimensional.

Quotes:
“They simply don’t understand you anymore. They’re trying to help someone who is drowning by giving them more water. And they don’t even notice it. But I do. I see you drowning.”

“The hero would sacrifice you to save the world. A villain would sacrifice the world to save you.“

“Say the word, Granger. For you, I’ll break every fucking rule there is.”

“Come find me again, Hermione, in another life. One where I get more time with you. One where I get to love you longer.”

“Obliviate” IFYKYK 🫠

“You could never lose me. Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you”

“I didn’t know I was lost until I found you”
Profile Image for Jenn.
254 reviews13 followers
November 18, 2024
Sorry. Had to DNF this. The author is clearly American and it’s extremely jarring to have Americanisms where it’s meant to be British culture. Haven’t decided if that was more jarring than the opening graphic scene
Profile Image for Ali.
463 reviews40 followers
January 6, 2025
4/5 ⭐️

Kicking off my first read of the year with another Dramione! This one did not disappoint 🐍

“Come find me again, Hermione, in another life. One where I get more time with you. One where I get to love you longer.”
Profile Image for Clair Lange.
73 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2024
Bruh lock me UP im back to reading Dramione fanfics well into the morning AND putting them on my Goodreads. (If they are over 200,000 works I maintain that counts towards a reading goal)
Profile Image for Rachel.
281 reviews
Read
June 17, 2025
Fanfic is rotting my brain and I’m not trying to stop it.
65 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2024
4.5 Stars! This was really good. Definitely echoed some feelings of manacled, which I enjoyed! My only critique was some of the tricky spots they get themselves into arise from unbelievable circumstances. On more than one occasion Hermione doesn’t have her wand on her because she doesn’t think she needed it. And I just can’t picture her character ever doing that. All in all though I loved it! A beautiful story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for The Life Of A Book Mom.
329 reviews85 followers
Read
December 5, 2024
👏👏👏👏👏👏
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Rec if you like:
Good spice
Toxic Draco
Inappropriate use of the signet ring
Hurt / comfort
Hermione gets collard
Post war AU "Hogwarts University"
Bangin' it out with the books Burn the world for you
Mine

This was beautiful. Definitely echoed some of the themes of other fics but I wasn't mad about it. Starts off with a banger but the plot was all there! Shed a few tears, the angst was there. I love a broken Draco soliloquy and my GOD they just all hit (o I hope I never stop being a sucker for this shit. Loved this one!





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