What We Pretend We Can't See

by gyzym

Fandom: Harry Potter
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley
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Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Genres: Fan Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Harry Potter, M M Romance, LGBT, Mental Health

420 pages, ebook

First published February 19, 2017

Reviews

[wasteland baby · Rating 5 out of 5]

so, this fic is pretty fucking amazing. i think the very best HP fics look at the canon, poke at it with a stick, make a face and say "yup, that's some nasty trauma right there" and then get to work. and What We Pretend We Can't See does exactly that, but it approaches PTSD and mental health from a very relatable point of view of being a young adult out there in the world suddenly having to face...the rest of your life.

"Nobody told me,” Harry says, his voice a low rasp, “that it would — get hard like this. That we’d grow up and there’d be all this… other stuff, this stupid emotional shit, this stupid — adulthood shit, and I know I’m not good at it! Not any of it, Malfoy, I hate my job, I hate my apartment, I don’t know how to do any of the — the big important things. The — other people stuff! And they know, and they can tell, and they act like it doesn’t matter but I know that it does. It matters to me! And it has to matter to them, anyway, if it doesn’t already it should, they’re happy normal people with a happy normal family and I’m… well, I’m whatever the hell I am." -- i remember first reading this fic years ago and really admiring the character work, but now that i'm that age, i'm just like...this ain't character work, this is just being 25 and a mess #representation

but then there's passages like this one:
"Maybe Harry isn’t a well-adjusted person. Maybe he has lost years to a pervasive fog, thick around his head and heart, that bled away the things he felt so easily when he was young without his even noticing: so what? It doesn’t mean that he’s beyond repair, that he’s hurting anyone, that there’s anything wrong with him. It just means that this is the person he turns out to be, that’s all. It just means that this is what he’s got." -- genuine tears in my eyes. a bitch rlly needed to read this on this fine monday

ALSO a lot of this story is about magical houses and you *know* my ass is weak for that shit:
"You walked the house,” Draco says. He takes a long sip from his glass without breaking Harry’s gaze, puts it down on the table next to him when he’s done. “That’s what Kreacher said. While I was asleep — you walked the house, attic to foundations. That’s old magic, you know, Harry. It communicates… certain intentions, getting to know someone else’s home like that.” " - this just in, House Proud walked so What We Pretend We Can't See could fucking RUN!! houses shipping people is perfectly normal behavior why do u ask??

and lastly, i saw some ppl complain about the resolution of the actual mystery plot, and if you're here for the mystery and not for the emotional rollercoaster of someone @ing your daily struggles in a 2017 drarry fic...idk bestie maybe you're actually a well-adjusted adult. good for u i guess

[karlakolumna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.
Because this was a delightful, emotional, lovely ride and I am rather sad that it's over already. And me thinking 'over already' at a length of 130K words speaks for itself, amiright?
Anyway, loved it. Highly recommended to all Drarry fans.

[Meep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read - 4* I really enjoyed this, perhaps more so on second read. Would have liked more on-page investigating but it's a good character piece and I liked how clearly they see each other.
Wish gyzym had written more of this pairing.

-- --
Long well-written Drarry. Ultra slow-burn.

Thought it a good portrayal of Harry but couldn't entirely imagine this Draco. I found every exclaim of 'Oh My God' pulled me out of the story (The word God was used 133 times!).

The story is slow with an interesting premise that I'm giving an extra star for. Personally I'd have preferred a little time spent solving the goings instead of it being off-page the result is a lack of focus, meaning the reveal meant nothing and from there the story carried on without a clear ending in sight.

It's a story I recognise as good yet somehow doesn't stand out for me, I think maybe Harry's initial malaise was too believable and hard to shake off. Definitely worth a look, I think most fans would rate this higher.

[Maria Drago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got indirectly recommended this fic from my favorite artist, Viria. She often does Drarry art, and I trust her implicitly.

SPOILERS ahead? I think.

- Love the gloomy start. Unconsciously depressed, auto-pilot Harry is always a delight.
- Love the immediate hostility towards Draco Malfoy. As it should be.
- Draco being practiced in Occlumency: a must.
- Such a fun reunion scene. We get a perfect set-up: Draco has clearly evolved, which surprises Harry. Harry seems more mature and serious, which surprises Draco. They're both still delightfully antagonistic towards each other. And there are thieves on the loose! Not to mention, Harry is bad at his job (or just incredibly distracted by the presence of Draco Malfoy), so he has no choice but to come back to Grimmauld Place to finish his questioning.
- The Draco Sarcasm always got me chortling.
- So much humor! The Golden Trio was a riot. I've read too many Drarry fics where Ron and Hermione get pushed off to the side. Nah, that's Harry's Dream Team. They're not some matrimony-addled suckers to be shucked off to the side.
So, yeah. Ron and Hermione teasing Harry about his Draco obsession was, of course, a delight. And Harry staunchly denying it and then getting horribly embarrassed was a pleasure.
- Gotta love Harry being jealous of Neville for stealing Ginny LOL. And then it turns out that Neville is sort of friends with Draco? I wouldn't be surprised if Harry gets weirdly defensive because of that XD
- I am not gonna lie. I was a tad disappointed that Harry's already aware of his bisexuality. It's more fun when it's the double surprise of Oh, I like boys, and Oh, I like MALFOY.
- My god, they’re so SNARKY and PITHY and DYNAMIC and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. The entire scene of Draco visiting Harry's place--from him slamming on the door and waking up a very hungover, very shirtless Harry Potter to him buying Harry a hangover potion to Harry cooking them breakfast--has me quaking in a most content manner.
- Draco was so worried about about hearing that Blaise spoke to Harry while Harry was drunk. I think he's afraid that Blaise will spill the beans about Draco's crush. Which Blaise definitely hinted at. Not that Harry was picking up on any of that. Still, I didn't really get Blaise's motives. I think he was just genuinely concerned about Draco and thought Harry might have gotten him to open up a bit.
- The whole personification of houses and the importance of their history and how the wizards within influence their structure and character was actually really fascinating, not to mention wholesome.
- Absolutely cackling over Ron and Hermione being so fed up with Harry's whole thing with Draco. They can't bring themselves to say anything outright but they're also so bewildered and a bit amused but mostly exasperated. They knew before Harry LMAO. Feels so right. Usually they're absolutely shocked when Drarry ends up happening. Here, they're just waiting for the two to realize themselves.
- I love a good drunken heart-to-heart, and we get exactly that. AND THEN we're treated to drunken shenanigans and ridiculous arguments and a silly morning and adorable breakfast scene.
- StoP IT, the way they SLOWLY BUT SURELY become closer and closer has me GIGGLING AND WRITHING AROUND ON MY BED. The TEASING. The INSIDE JOKES. The CALMING DOWN FROM A PANIC ATTACK. Harry SAVING DRACO'S LIFE and going BATSHIT CRAZY BECAUSE OF SEEING HIM HURT. Draco MEETING THE ENTIRE WEASLEY CLAN AND ALL OF THEM SUSPECTING THAT THEY HAVE A THING GOING ON.
- Nah, NAH. I am CACKLING NONSTOP. Harry not realizing that Ron and Hermione totally know about his feelings, which stretch back to SIXTH YEAR except HARRY didn't even know that, he just thinks this is a NEW THING, and then the HORROR and the EMBARRASSMENT and Ron and Hermione's complete and utter shock. I just can't. That scene was brilliant. I just love the fact that Harry and Draco think they're being subtle during a nice dinner with friends, and meanwhile Ron and Hermione are nauseated by the all the sexual tension in the air, and they're convinced the two have been sleeping together for a while, except Harry and Draco have no idea about anything.
- I was so shocked when the killer turned out to be Slughorn, but it was also really weird because I actually suspected it? Because the author is a genius and I was able to recognize him when he spoke in disguise, even when we didn't know who the killer was.
- I actually can't believe the amount of times this novel made me laugh. I am actually so happy right now.
- I love that no matter how long they're together--no matter how long they've lived together or been in love or dated openly and happily--they never stop being little shits to each other or teasing each other mercilessly or fighting their own feelings (Draco is such a tsundere.)
- What's really amazing about this book-- I mean, besides the amazing verging on better-than-professional writing and really interesting plot and the absolute RIOT that is almost every single conversation in this book-- is how I can get so excited about the smallest of phrases. One little mention to something or other, one short anecdote, one brief description-- and I'm SHRIEKING. That's the mark of truly good writing: when there is more than what is happening on the surface, beyond face-value. We get small references to other people, past events, unseen hijinks, adorable little gestures, HILARIOUS ANECDOTES that don't exist in the present plot, and they make the entire story so much more FULL.
- I am so, so glad there is a long epilogue. That is all I ever want. I want the story, yes, but I want what happens after the story as well. Because it's also part of the story. (And we get so much newly dating adorableness.)
- God bless Harry's Harry-ness and Draco's utter absurdity (he really is such a weirder in this iteration and I am all for it).

This fic is actually amazing?? And I shouldn't be surprised. It has, currently, a whopping 29,757 freaking kudos. That is insane. Except it's not, because this is actually amazing, and I WISH I could write like that.
But also, seriously. In the DAY it took me to read this, 22 more people gave it kudos. Like, what?? Insane. And I didn't even give it an immediate kudos.

You deserve it, gyzym.


Second time read:

My notes!
- Depressed Harry is so… well, depressing, but also incredibly realistic. At least, it’s really well done here, that sort of subtle depression that you can’t quite pinpoint.

Harry stares down at the swimming mass of demanding questions and half-written answers on his form and wishes that someone would come hit him or threaten his life or try to burn headquarters down or something. Give him something else to do.

- Love how we’re sticking with the canon that Draco is good at/likes drawing funny little pictures.
- Love Draco being an Occlumens and thus sensing Harry under the cloak, and this fact making Harry inexplicably irritated.
- Why is Kreacher so nice? This is weird.
- I’m just gonna start a collection of best sassy Draco lines:

“I see you still have all the subtlety of a hex to the face.”

“Well, isn’t this the most upsetting little display of social incompetence since man discovered the wheel,” Malfoy drawls, rolling his eyes.

“Now talk.” “It’s stupid.” “Oh, Potter. So is nearly everything you say. I’d hardly expect otherwise.”

“Hangover Potion,” Draco says, the way a man might gasp for water after days stranded in a desert. Harry lifts his head a bit and sees that he looks like it, too, a little. “I urge you, I implore you, I beg on bended knee — “
“You’re laying down, Malfoy,” says Harry, just to be obnoxious.
“I will actually kill you,” Draco says. “In cold blood, right here. You watch! I’ll do it!”

“You will talk to me like you usually do or you will not talk to me at all,” Draco declares, and then, clearly as an afterthought, adds, “you horrible one-man assault on self-preservation and sense.”
“I thought I was a savior complex in ill-fitting trousers,” says Harry, mildly, after a moment.
Draco huffs out a faint laugh. “That too.”

“Yes, fine, all right, I will come back afterwards and get admitted like a good little assault victim,” Draco says, rolling his eyes. “Does that satisfy your horrific savior complex, or shall I cry a bit about how desperately heroic I find you in your Golden Snitch pajamas? A song and dance routine, perhaps? Maybe I should build a shrine to your bravery out of medical supplies.”
There is a snort of what sounds suspiciously like laughter from Ron, which Harry manfully ignores.

“Oh!” Draco says, incredulous. “Breathe, should I? I should breathe, is your professional assessment of this situation? You, bleeding out on the floor, think that I should breathe? That’s great, Harry, thank you. That’s so helpful.”

“I, unlike some people I could name, do not have an ego so unsightly and massive that it needs constant stoking in even the most dire of circumstances.”

“Most people, you know, don’t respond to life-threatening attack with a list of comparable attacks they’ve survived. That’s not right, Harry. Have the decency to seem taken aback by the whole thing, at the very least.”

- The perfect amount of antagonism and underlying fascination. It’s funny watching Harry oscillate between irritation and concern for Draco.

For a horrible moment Harry thinks he’s actually going to have to attempt to comfort Malfoy, which he imagines as not unlike attempting to put a sweater on a porcupine.

- The conversation outside the bar with Blaise SENDS me. Him being concerned for Draco but in a very cryptic, Slytherin way, and realizing that Draco really does like Harry and laughing about it, and Harry being drunk as all hell.
- The sheer hilarity of Draco barging into Harry’s house and proceeding to poke around everywhere in horror and bemoan the state of the place.
- Hermione being SO DONE with Harry’s cluelessness over his own feelings still sends me. The way she can’t even finish a conversation with him because she can’t bear to witness his complete idiocy.
- All the Drarry fics are warped together inside my brain and I keep re-discovering scenes that I didn’t realize were in this one! Like Harry being depressed at the “Gryffindor piss-up” and Draco’s weird mirror world where they fly on brooms, and Harry opening a restaurant.
- I really love the rant Harry goes on when he finally releases some of his pent-up feelings about his friends. I love Draco just listening, and Harry being honest for once about feeling abandoned and questioning his identity, and that part about Hermione talking about how best to raise Rose so that she grows up to be healthy and well-adjusted and Harry exploding with the information that he was raised in a cupboard. Healthy communication, we love to see it. But really, it’s a beautiful scene, and you can just picture them on the bridge, each facing different directions, the moon above them…
- Not but for real why is Kreacher the most OOC character here.
- Oh you just KNOW Draco wanted to smooch him when he walked in to see him cooking all that insane amount of food and dancing around the kitchen.
- STOP WHAT THE FUCK. NOT DRACO LITERALLY SAYING “This isn’t you” TO GET HARRY TO CALM DOWN. HAHAHAHA. WHAT THE HELL.
- Awwww Draco falling asleep on Harry while they’re all waiting at the hospital. I love this scene, mainly because the Weasley’s are so funny about Draco Malfoy’s presence.
- One thing I’ve always loved about Hermione, including in canon Harry Potter, is how while she is the brains of the operation and incredibly logical, she can also be surprisingly ruthless and ready to swerve around rules as she sees fit. And I just love that, because as an intelligent rule-follower myself, we know when some rules need to be bent a little bit.
- Ahhajlfnljklaf I love that you can see how close they've become through how they can predict each other’s behavior now. The sheer intimacy of knowing someone and being known UGH--
- Draco affecting a french doctor persona to be allowed to remain in Harry’s hospital room is my antidepressant.
- My god, Harry’s whole restaurant is so idyllic it’s almost nauseating.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come for the enemies-to-lovers, stay for the #reallifefeelings.

Much better than canon. Obviously.

Thanks as always to my . . . is it really "partner" in crime when one of us is tagging along like an overgrown puppy, begging for recs and then clogging up the chat with feeeeeeeelings, while the other is just humming Mastermind and cackling? Let's say yes. Thanks as always to wasteland baby for the rec!

Context note: In an author note written in 2020, the author identifies himself as a trans man, denounces JKR's transphobia, and explains that he is not removing the fic because "the whole point of this tale was a) obviously, Gay Romance, and b) to use fandom to address and try to correct what I felt and still feel are some of the biggest issues in the Harry Potter series — its overwhelming whiteness, the whole 'Albus Dumbledore is gay but only when you’re not looking directly at him,' thing, etcetera." This is just to say that I support trans people and trans rights, and JKR can go f*ck herself.

[Myriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might just be the perfect fic for people who, like me, where too old or to uninterested in tween boys getting it on to get into the whole fanfiction craze when the books hit. I will only ever be interested in these two once they are years past Hogwarts and this fic builds the perfect bridge between what I loved about their dynamic in the books and who the author imagines they have become as adults.

The delightful sniping and bickering is still there only now it's tempered by, well PTSD from the war and having actually lived a little. 

It's hilarious and kind of heartbreaking at the same time to watch Harry be so utterly, completely NOT in touch with his feelings for Draco and when the realization hits it is glorious. Draco and his metaphorical triple locked safe where he keeps awful things like *feelings* is just as touching.
The best part are Harry's and Draco's friends respectively being amused, astounded and "we been knew!" about what has been obvious from the start. I mean really, what 11 year old has a Nemesis :)

So much love for this.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking hilarious fic, it’s been a while that I've laughed so much. Brilliant millenial sensibility.

While Draco is not exactly aligned with my head-canon, although a very interesting character, Harry is exactly like I imagine him in his twenties: A little PTSD from the war, a little CPTSD from childhood, self-abandoning and chronically dissociated.

Wonderful.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars and now I have a new fandom. I really wasn't sure if I could get behind Draco as a love interest, but his characterization here is fantastic. It's a nice slow-burn with plenty of humor to balance out the more serious PTSD storyline.

[Z Makila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in a while I read a Harry Potter fanfic that is better than the series itself and makes up for the mistakes and problematic things that exist in the original series. This one is absolutely an example of one of those fics. It's so expertly put together, with characterization that's believable, interesting, and dynamic. Gyzym understands that they're people with many different facets of their lives and personality and writes them in ways that allows you to be sympathetic to them.

Spoiler section of review:
The house magic in this fic is stunning. Wow. I just did some research and found that this is a "fanon" thing, the idea that there is a magical core that sustains wizarding homes. What a fantastic concept. Gyzym put a lot of work into making it make sense, be captivating, and told the story of Harry's mistakes about renovations super well.
I also need to give some major props to the way the characters deal with the knowledge that Dumbledore was gay and his obligation to queer youth that he failed. I'm really impressed with this fic in so many ways.


--

notes from my second read, a year and a half later: four stars. I still enjoyed this fic a lot. it's a masterpiece of worldbuilding, characterization, and diversity in the wizarding world.
However, after I got to chapter 11 of 12, since the main action of the story had wrapped up, I found myself incredibly bored with the lengthy exposition wrap everything up with a tidy little bowtie chapters that finished out this story.

[Pacg__nkg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love of my life. I wanna have the relationship, be in that world, and friends with everyone. This ff is j a reminder why i love drarry and the HP universe. Thank you so much to the author for writing this.

This is still my roman empire. Think about them ALLLLLLL the time
(Don't even remember anymore when i read it the first time, but yea, many months later)

[Kythwena · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was some crazy ride. Once funny then angsty and both at once. Crazy story about "not particularly well-adjusted" people but "Anyway, who wants to be one of those?"

[Karleah Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Harry Potter fanfiction downloaded from Ao3*
I LOVED this. I am early in my fanfic journey, but the characters in this one felt the most authentic and true to canon to me. I loved that it was a believable continuation of the story, relied on the backstory and events we already know, and confronted a lot of hard truths about the reality of them all- but especially Harry- growing up afterwards to be pretty fucked up and traumatised. This fic really addressed that the war/everything they went through happened to them as literal children, and I thought it did a great job of showing that in some aspects they would never really be ok, but that they could heal, and grow and figure out who they actually were.
I am OBSESSED with Draco and Harry in this. I loved them. I loved the bi-panic of Harry realising his feelings after a long slow burn of it being obvious to everyone else, I loved the comfort, and emotional vulnerability and panic attacks, and anger and regret between them. I loved that Draco still couldn't say it by the end, but how clear it was that Harry had always been it for him. I adored how hard they both tried, and doubted themselves and questioned what they deserved.
The side characters and plots were great.
The mystery/case they were actually working on was pretty glossed over/not detailed and also wrapped up pretty early (considering the length this was) but I was so invested in the relationship between Harry and Draco that I wasn't bothered.
They had excellent banter, I was laughing out loud, and squealing, and screaming at parts.
I read this in 2 days and I didn't want it to be over. It felt like it ended too soon, and for a 130k word story I think that speaks to how much I enjoyed it.
I would recommend, re-read and bind a hardcopy of this for my bookshelf.

[Jocelyn Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes,” Draco says, “I think I started my own museum just because I wanted — oh, I don’t know. A do-over, or something. Like it was an attempt to soothe some sad, pathetic part of me that’s still six years old and terrified to breathe on anything too hard, having not figured out yet that the only way to avoid that was not to really breathe at all. Sometimes I think that’s all it’s about: my life, the choices I’ve made.” He sighs, scowls. “But I try not to, Potter. D’you want to know why?”
Harry’s not sure he does, but he asks anyway: “Why?”
“Because that would make it about them,” Draco says. “My whole adult life, my passions, the things I’ve invested my time and energy in — that would make it about them, would mean it was all for them, and I don’t want that. Even if that is how it started out, on whatever level, it’s not that way now; now it’s for me.”


Yk…this is the funniest fanfiction I’ve ever read. Like genuinely it’s so lighthearted, and it’s funny, and it makes me smile and giggle. Then again that’s what drarry does to a person
I love the way that their relationship was characterized in this. It wasn’t a “boom they all of a sudden don’t argue and fight” it was “boom we love fighting over stupid things with each other” I absolutely LOVED that.
But this really did my man slughorn dirty. And it was kinda a silly excuse to go off murdering and assaulting people, but yk, anything for angst💪🏻

[meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

What We Pretend We Can't See: ★ ★ ★ ★ . 5

gyzym

Tropes:
– Draco/Harry fanfiction
– Romantic Suspense
– Enemies to lovers
– Forced proximity

After Harry moves out of Grimmauld, he's not expecting to have anything to do with the place. Until Kreacher shows up one day saying the place and its new owner are under attack. The new owner? Draco Malfoy.

Oh, this hooked me from the start. I couldn't put it down! Not only was it unspeakably funny with top-notch banter for days, but the plot was also quite good. All from Harry's POV, we can see how their begrudging Auror/wronged citizen relationship goes to begrudging acquaintances to begrudging friends to has-a-degree-in-pining Harry and apparently-doesn't-feel-the-same-way Draco. Truly there were some moments in this that made me laugh out loud. Draco is so intense and mean and rough with Harry but he's also weirdly loving and gentle in his own way. I definitely would have liked to see Draco throw Harry a bone here or there bit his Sahara dry humor cracked me up so much that I couldn't be too mad. The plot, while it was good, let me down just a tad but definitely a personal thing. I loved the very unique take of Draco making Grimmauld a museum to help Muggle born kids get acquainted with magic before they're just thrust into Hogwarts. And Harry finding himself and what he loves with Draco's help... just so good. Can definitely see why this is in the top ranks of Draco/Harry fanfic in AO3.

[Yasmin :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Oh, Harry,” says Hermione, sounding very pitying.
“Mate,” Ron says, in the same tone. “C’mon. This is a safe space.”
“Also, we were there,” adds Hermione, with a heavy sigh. “Remember in sixth year? When you were so obsessed with him that we weren’t allowed to talk about anything else?”
“He was doing evil,” Harry protests, outraged. “And I was doing my best to thwart evil! That’s not obsessive, that’s — that’s — civic-minded!”

"Have the decency to seem taken aback by the whole thing, at the very least."
"Er," Harry says, "okay?" He looks around for a minute, and then, because he might as well make an attempt, tries,
"Man. It's — so strange? To be here. In... this hospital. And stabbed, and all. How... bizarre."






This was so fun!! Made me giggle and kick my feet, what more could you want?

I felt like I’ve read this before, particularly the grand reveal of who the villain was and how they went about achieving the showdown. But I’m not complaining because I really enjoyed how the characters were written and fleshed out.

Draco and Harry were very sweet together. I love when Draco is witty and sharp whilst Harry has his martyr complex. I love their dog. I love Kreacher.

Very heartwarming.

[Angelika Kinga]

Wholesome drarry fic that is actually about Harry's difficult rise from long-running repercussions of post-war depression. As a person currently in the process of healing, I loved seeing him getting better and finding his place in the world.
I loved this fics' Draco - he appeared soft and warm to me, but still a sharp little terror, sarcastic arrogant git with an edge. My favorite thing about drarry fics is probably all the different Dracos, bickering, and the tension.. Whichever tension ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It was a surprise to me - the theme of this story, how it related to my situation. I've found myself bookmarking moments - not quotable ones, since their point was being made as a result of developments happening throughout the course of the story. They were precious to me.
Also..... I really realised i don't remember the original all that much X'D

Something regarding the 'main' case of the book's closure doesn't sit right with me (which would be spoiler, so i won't expand on it), which is why i'm hesitating between 3 and 4 stars.


PS I will NOT believe 131k words is 222 pages!!! Stfu, even my undercounting e-reader says 315.

[Kokeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Credo che sia la fan fiction che mi è piaciuta di più tra quelle che ho letto recentemente. Ho adorato come è scritta, il modo con cui rende le voci dei personaggi che sembrano davvero loro ma più maturi e il modo con cui Harry e Draco si avvicinano. Peccato per la storia di contorno, il giallo che dà il via alla vicenda, la risoluzione è un po’ stiracchiata, ma alla fine non è che un pretesto e non credo che sia il nucleo della storia, quindi va bene così. Mi è piaciuta l’idea che le case dei maghi siano senzienti e far fare a Harry un altro lavoro, dopo tutta quella sofferenza durante la guerra non mi sembra sano fare il poliziotto... L’unico neo è stato il finale, con le nuove coppie, non ho mai apprezzato la necessità di accoppiare tutti i personaggi di una storia, soprattutto se senza una vera ragione se non creare una scena a sorpresa.

[Calabasas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely funny although Draco's babbling sometimes feels affected. I think I would have wholeheartedly loved this if I hadn't already read Underwater Light and Drop Dead Gorgeous by Maya - this feels like the same type of banter and UST but with a much more romcom Ron and Hermione. . Even the scene where Harry confesses he loves Draco is almost exactly out of Underwater Light, and so is the great reveal of a trusted adult as the bad guy. This story lacks the darkness/angst of Underwater Light or of Maya's writing and characters and tends to be wordier. Still a really fun ride, and the scene where D mentions a Gryffindor tie is still mouthwatering.

[Dracosmuggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great reading experience. Loved every part of it. The characterisation of all the characters really. Draco most. Loved the camaraderie that they forged and how they understood each other that eventually led to for Harry to the realisation that he loved Draco. For Draco, I know he knew this all for so much more longer. I would have loved to find out more about it. But them, not discussing certain things actually makes it better. I enjoyed every bit of the story nad the epilogue is a delight in itself.
It's funny, it's relatable and it's rewarding too.
Thankyou for writing something like this.

[Gabriela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned out to be a delightful story of a quirky and adorable Draco, trying to hide his love for Harry. And Harry falling in love with Draco’s intensity without even realizing it.
It was hilarious most of the time. I ended up laughing out loud so many times!

Draco bought Grimmauld Place and turned it into a museum. Then he gets attacked and auror Harry saves the day, or tries to.
I loved this Draco so much, he is anxious and his coping mechanisms are all over the place. Harry is perfect for him though.
I liked the friendships and how everyone is supportive and loyal.

[Keysia⁷ Herondale 🍉 *kinda ia* · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023: first read (of several, for sure)

actual rating: 5+ stars

another fandom favorite of mine. i am simply dumbfounded by the amount of thought and care that shone in this fic, from the relationship pov of course, but also the world and magic building that would put jkr to shame (not that that's uncommon in this fandom's fics <3). this will perhaps be more difficult to understand for non-hp readers or at least watchers, but i believe those will enjoy it tremendously.

[Mindy Schaper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable, sweet fic. Auror Harry has to help Draco out when someone attacks him at the musuem he's opened up at Grimmauld Place. Draco is his usual rambling, insulting, peculiar self. Harry is his usual obtuse, self-sacrificial, protective self. I appreciate his dealing with feeling left behind by Ron and Hermione as they establish their family.

I'm glad he found happiness in Draco and a satisfying career and found family. Very sweet!

[MelindaS · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was incredibly boring, American, nothing happens, it's clear the author doesn't remember the books very well. The Grimmauld Place kitchen is on the ground floor? why are there windows that open in the Ministry when it's underground? If something can be 10 words in this fic it's 200. And that's why it's 130k with very minimal plot and lots of thinking and absurd obliviousness.

[光彩 · Rating 5 out of 5]

having had my own stuff added to GR without my permission i’m not sure i’m too keen on rating anyone else’s work that they wrote and published for free...

but i’ve been reading novel length works for DAYS and it’s hardly fair that it won’t count towards my 2021 goal... except when it just might.

gyzym is excellent in many many ways. this fic is an example of some incredible talent.

[silvanna x · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written piece with the right amount of angst, mystery, fluff, slow burn and well pretty much everything, brewed delicately and precisely. Out of the many hundreds fics I've read this has to be on the top 10 list for sure. I'm ashamed indeed to have found it this late into my drarry marathon haha.

[Moony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a bit of a hard time getting into it but ended up loving it once I read a few chapters. I loved Draco’s characterization in this fanfic, he’s funny and lovable. The magic system was very interesting as well. I love the trope where Harry and Ginny grow appart after the war and Harry loses his sense of self after defeating Voldemort and finds it again thanks to Draco.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you finish something smiling you know it was good.
Took me a while to handle the way the author wrote everything in present tense and then would subtly switch to past tense and back, but that is the hazards of ff. Overall very very well done. Feels very canon. I would have happily taken this as the epilogue instead of what was given.

[Minh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ultimately Draco and Harry move into a house together, delightful hijinks, an embrace of the wizarding world and oh my gosh the bants, so good.

Years ago I read this all in one sitting and went to bed at 4am, not quite as intense of a read years on but a firm favourite.

(The one where Draco buys Grimnauld Place and Harry is an Auror who solves crimes)

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, I loved this story so much! The snark level made it clear that this author had read the books, and was honestly my favorite thing about the whole story. I literally laughed my way out of breath more than once.

[Caroline Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Draco's characterization in this fic is a masterpiece. His wit, quirks, humor (his endless rants are like chicken soup for the soul) - I don't always find Drarry fics I really love, but this one is *chef's kiss*