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The Watergaw
In the middle of a war, Hermione is stuck in the middle of nowhere.
With Draco Malfoy.
Without her friends, her magic, or her books, she has only her wits to rely on to survive her plight — to say nothing of her company. They've declared a truce, but somehow Draco keeps slipping past all her defenses.
Stranded together in the wilderness, Hermione and Draco are in for cold nights, endless snark, bad wine, and some interesting scars.
With Draco Malfoy.
Without her friends, her magic, or her books, she has only her wits to rely on to survive her plight — to say nothing of her company. They've declared a truce, but somehow Draco keeps slipping past all her defenses.
Stranded together in the wilderness, Hermione and Draco are in for cold nights, endless snark, bad wine, and some interesting scars.
165 pages, Unknown Binding
Published July 22, 2021
14 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
November 17, 2021
4 ⭐ The only thing that can make this story better is a sequel!!!!
Words: 39,811 | Chapters: 10
“There had been numerous times over the years when she would mentally flash forward to having to one day describe her present situation to a therapist. Obliviating her parents, polyjuicing herself into a half-cat, Harry's many near brushes with death, Ron’s abandonment . . . It was getting to be a long list, she thought vaguely as she drifted off to sleep, but cuddling with her childhood bully was definitely going to merit a session or two.”
Summary:
Instead of watching Bellatrix Lestrange torture Hermione Granger on the floor of Malfoy Manor, Draco decides to save her. However, during the apparition, something goes wrong. They end up in the middle of nowhere without their wands.
Stranded in the wilderness, Hermione and Draco put their differences aside and learn to rely on each other to survive. As they journey to find civilization, they're in for endless snark, countless cold nights, bad wine, and quite possibly, friendship.
AU Wartime | Magic Accidents | Wilderness Survival | Forced Proximity | Slow Burn | Enemies to Friends to Lovers
My Thoughts:
This is one of the best fanfics where Draco saves Hermione from Bellatrix!
I loved Hermione and Draco's physical and emotional journey. The entire story is centered on Draco and Hermione trying to find their way back to civilization, so they are constantly together and relying on one other for survival. During this time, they start off hesitant towards one another with loads of snarky banter, but the more time they spend together, the more they start to understand one another and realize they're not so different after all. As a result, a beautiful friendship blossoms.
Draco is such a softie. You know from the beginning that he's changed because he saves Hermione. But over the course of the story, there are so many little things he does and says to Hermione that make my heartbreak and melt at the same time. Because he feels like he has nothing left to lose, he lets himself be who he is, and that person is beautiful.
The romance was adorable with a touch of spice. There's only one semi-spicy scene, and it totally worked with the story. I honestly just wish there was a sequel that shows them together afterward. I love this Draco and Hermione and need to see how their romance develops in the real world!
Loved that ending! The chapter before the epilogue nearly had me in tears. From the tender moments to the difficult decision Hermione makes . . . wow. And then the epilogue! I love that Hermione is studying medicine. And then the scene at the pub. My heart was so filled with joy.
I already mentioned this a few times now, but please, oh please, SmokyBlatic write a sequel. I need more than a one-shot epilogue. I must know how Hermione and Draco live their lives together after the war. I want some spicy scenes. I need to see how their relationship grows.
Overall, this is a fanfic you need to read if you enjoy banter and fluff. This Draco and Hermione pair is one of my favorites, so I will absolutely be rereading this.
My Current Dramione Fanfic Rankings
⭐ = Must-Reads
🌶️ = Best Smut
Novels (150,000+ words):
1. Manacled - SenLinYu ⭐
2. Remain Nameless - HeyJude19 ⭐🌶️
3. Cruel and Beautiful World - Lena Phoria
4. The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy - Speechwriter ⭐
5. Various Storms and Saints - ViridianAtNight
6. Isolation - Bex-Chan ⭐
7. Bring Him To His Knees - Musyc 🌶️
8. The Auction - LovesBitca8 ⭐
9. All You Want - SenLinYu 🌶️
10. Breath Mints / Battle Scars - Onyx_and_Elm 🌶️
11. The Right Thing To Do - LovesBitca8
12. Beginning and End - MightBeWriting
13. The Gloriana Set - ThebeMoon
14. All The Wrong Things - LovesBitca8
15. Hunted - Bex-Chan
16. The Fallout - EveryThursday (DNF)
Novellas (less than 150,000 words):
1. Hot For Teacher - MotherOfBulls ⭐🌶️
2. Apple Pies and Other Amends - ToEatAPeach ⭐
3. Thirteenth Night - Nelpher ⭐
4. Sex Ed - MrBenzedrine89 🌶️
5. Still Life - monsterleadmehome
6. A Second Look - RiverWriter
7. The Best Of Me - MrsRen
8. Silencio - AkashaTheKitty
9. Wait and Hope - MightBeWriting
10. Between Certifiable and Bliss - HeyJude19
11. Incomplete - Niffizzle
12. Love and Other Misfortunes - SenLinYu
13. An Indefinite Amount of Forever - MotherOfBulls (sequel)
14. Making Amends - slytherin_prince27
15. Proximate - In_Dreams
16. The List - AureliaBlack90
17. The Erised Effect - Ada_P_Rix
Short Stories (less than 50,000 words):
1. Best Shot - AccioMjolnir ⭐
2. The Library of Alexandria - SenLinYu ⭐
3. The First Rule of Fight Club… - LadyKenz347
4. Until The Ink Runs Dry & Indelible Ink - AccioMjolnir
5. Break For Me - Ada_P_Rix 🌶️
6. Call It What You Want - HawthorneWhisperer
7. Under The Wings of The Shadow - AccioMjolnir
8. The Watergaw - smokybaltic
9. Write For Me - Ada_P_Rix
10. Amateur Cartography - worksofstone
11. Blood Rights - uselessenglishmajor
12. Big Dick Energy - louiseob
13. Jammed - Ada_P_Rix
14. One and Done - PacificRimbaud
One Shots (less than 15,000 words):
1. Your Lonely Calls To Me - SenLinYu ⭐
2. The Unbearable Tedium of Romance - smokybaltic
3. For Her - dirtymudblood
4. Because You’ll Like it - BedtimeFantasies 🌶️
5. A Patient Man - LadyKenz347
6. Between Pages - DarkoftheMoon
7. An Unlikely Companion & An Unlikely Family - happy_valley
8. Potions, Perfume, and Apples - ellywolf111
9. Les Pelerins - PacificRumbaud
10. Like A Dagger To The Heart - hxllowsandhorcruxes
11. Fantasy - krissyxkat 🌶️
12. Head over Dragonhide Thigh High Heels - rubykrishna
13. Coming Down - nikitajobson and raven_maiden
14. A Matter of Practicality - OlivieBlake
15. Elevator - its_banannaz
16. Preface - ephemeraltoxic
17. Friends - poppyclocks
18. Familiar Faces, Worn Out Places - LovesBitca8
19. The Art of Seating Etiquette - inadaze22
20. Self-Preservation - SenLinYu
21. Height - SenLinYu
22. Minimal Risk - Galfoy
23. The Seduction - SenLinYu
24. Chasing For Keeps - In_Dreams
25. The Labyrinth - AccioMjolnir
26. Who Am I To You? - ViridianAtNight
27. Knee Socks - trix_of_bella
28. Quiver - Keii_sha
Words: 39,811 | Chapters: 10
“There had been numerous times over the years when she would mentally flash forward to having to one day describe her present situation to a therapist. Obliviating her parents, polyjuicing herself into a half-cat, Harry's many near brushes with death, Ron’s abandonment . . . It was getting to be a long list, she thought vaguely as she drifted off to sleep, but cuddling with her childhood bully was definitely going to merit a session or two.”
Summary:
Instead of watching Bellatrix Lestrange torture Hermione Granger on the floor of Malfoy Manor, Draco decides to save her. However, during the apparition, something goes wrong. They end up in the middle of nowhere without their wands.
Stranded in the wilderness, Hermione and Draco put their differences aside and learn to rely on each other to survive. As they journey to find civilization, they're in for endless snark, countless cold nights, bad wine, and quite possibly, friendship.
AU Wartime | Magic Accidents | Wilderness Survival | Forced Proximity | Slow Burn | Enemies to Friends to Lovers
My Thoughts:
This is one of the best fanfics where Draco saves Hermione from Bellatrix!
I loved Hermione and Draco's physical and emotional journey. The entire story is centered on Draco and Hermione trying to find their way back to civilization, so they are constantly together and relying on one other for survival. During this time, they start off hesitant towards one another with loads of snarky banter, but the more time they spend together, the more they start to understand one another and realize they're not so different after all. As a result, a beautiful friendship blossoms.
Draco is such a softie. You know from the beginning that he's changed because he saves Hermione. But over the course of the story, there are so many little things he does and says to Hermione that make my heartbreak and melt at the same time. Because he feels like he has nothing left to lose, he lets himself be who he is, and that person is beautiful.
The romance was adorable with a touch of spice. There's only one semi-spicy scene, and it totally worked with the story. I honestly just wish there was a sequel that shows them together afterward. I love this Draco and Hermione and need to see how their romance develops in the real world!
Loved that ending! The chapter before the epilogue nearly had me in tears. From the tender moments to the difficult decision Hermione makes . . . wow. And then the epilogue! I love that Hermione is studying medicine. And then the scene at the pub. My heart was so filled with joy.
I already mentioned this a few times now, but please, oh please, SmokyBlatic write a sequel. I need more than a one-shot epilogue. I must know how Hermione and Draco live their lives together after the war. I want some spicy scenes. I need to see how their relationship grows.
Overall, this is a fanfic you need to read if you enjoy banter and fluff. This Draco and Hermione pair is one of my favorites, so I will absolutely be rereading this.
My Current Dramione Fanfic Rankings
⭐ = Must-Reads
🌶️ = Best Smut
Novels (150,000+ words):
1. Manacled - SenLinYu ⭐
2. Remain Nameless - HeyJude19 ⭐🌶️
3. Cruel and Beautiful World - Lena Phoria
4. The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy - Speechwriter ⭐
5. Various Storms and Saints - ViridianAtNight
6. Isolation - Bex-Chan ⭐
7. Bring Him To His Knees - Musyc 🌶️
8. The Auction - LovesBitca8 ⭐
9. All You Want - SenLinYu 🌶️
10. Breath Mints / Battle Scars - Onyx_and_Elm 🌶️
11. The Right Thing To Do - LovesBitca8
12. Beginning and End - MightBeWriting
13. The Gloriana Set - ThebeMoon
14. All The Wrong Things - LovesBitca8
15. Hunted - Bex-Chan
16. The Fallout - EveryThursday (DNF)
Novellas (less than 150,000 words):
1. Hot For Teacher - MotherOfBulls ⭐🌶️
2. Apple Pies and Other Amends - ToEatAPeach ⭐
3. Thirteenth Night - Nelpher ⭐
4. Sex Ed - MrBenzedrine89 🌶️
5. Still Life - monsterleadmehome
6. A Second Look - RiverWriter
7. The Best Of Me - MrsRen
8. Silencio - AkashaTheKitty
9. Wait and Hope - MightBeWriting
10. Between Certifiable and Bliss - HeyJude19
11. Incomplete - Niffizzle
12. Love and Other Misfortunes - SenLinYu
13. An Indefinite Amount of Forever - MotherOfBulls (sequel)
14. Making Amends - slytherin_prince27
15. Proximate - In_Dreams
16. The List - AureliaBlack90
17. The Erised Effect - Ada_P_Rix
Short Stories (less than 50,000 words):
1. Best Shot - AccioMjolnir ⭐
2. The Library of Alexandria - SenLinYu ⭐
3. The First Rule of Fight Club… - LadyKenz347
4. Until The Ink Runs Dry & Indelible Ink - AccioMjolnir
5. Break For Me - Ada_P_Rix 🌶️
6. Call It What You Want - HawthorneWhisperer
7. Under The Wings of The Shadow - AccioMjolnir
8. The Watergaw - smokybaltic
9. Write For Me - Ada_P_Rix
10. Amateur Cartography - worksofstone
11. Blood Rights - uselessenglishmajor
12. Big Dick Energy - louiseob
13. Jammed - Ada_P_Rix
14. One and Done - PacificRimbaud
One Shots (less than 15,000 words):
1. Your Lonely Calls To Me - SenLinYu ⭐
2. The Unbearable Tedium of Romance - smokybaltic
3. For Her - dirtymudblood
4. Because You’ll Like it - BedtimeFantasies 🌶️
5. A Patient Man - LadyKenz347
6. Between Pages - DarkoftheMoon
7. An Unlikely Companion & An Unlikely Family - happy_valley
8. Potions, Perfume, and Apples - ellywolf111
9. Les Pelerins - PacificRumbaud
10. Like A Dagger To The Heart - hxllowsandhorcruxes
11. Fantasy - krissyxkat 🌶️
12. Head over Dragonhide Thigh High Heels - rubykrishna
13. Coming Down - nikitajobson and raven_maiden
14. A Matter of Practicality - OlivieBlake
15. Elevator - its_banannaz
16. Preface - ephemeraltoxic
17. Friends - poppyclocks
18. Familiar Faces, Worn Out Places - LovesBitca8
19. The Art of Seating Etiquette - inadaze22
20. Self-Preservation - SenLinYu
21. Height - SenLinYu
22. Minimal Risk - Galfoy
23. The Seduction - SenLinYu
24. Chasing For Keeps - In_Dreams
25. The Labyrinth - AccioMjolnir
26. Who Am I To You? - ViridianAtNight
27. Knee Socks - trix_of_bella
28. Quiver - Keii_sha
July 10, 2023
a bit of an abrupt ending. more of a vignette of an AU during the war vs. a whole book. I liked that both Hermione and Draco were BIG FAT NERDS.
October 13, 2024
i expected something cute and fluffy not to cry! loved it tho
May 5, 2023
3,5/5
December 5, 2023
What's the point of Fan Fiction if I don't get more juicy stuff? Haha! Not even 1 scene?
Sweet enemies to lovers in a survival situation none the less.
3.5 stars
1 on the spice scale
Sweet enemies to lovers in a survival situation none the less.
3.5 stars
1 on the spice scale
November 7, 2024
Confirmed: “lost in the with woods with Draco Malfoy” is just as delicious as it sounds. 😍
I’m not going to lie- I’m turning to comfort reads this week.
This was one of tickets for mental escapism and I adored it.
4.25/5
I’m not going to lie- I’m turning to comfort reads this week.
This was one of tickets for mental escapism and I adored it.
4.25/5
March 14, 2023
Word Count: 39,811
Chapters: 10
Rating: 4 ⭐
Absolutely amazing war time Dramione. Stranded with no wands in the wilderness, snarky Draco, getting along, taking care, wine and drunken conversations, moments together especially at night. And then that plot twist and following time skip. I'm still reeling. But that last chapter was just perfect. Though I wouldn't have minded a time skip of them finally together few years later and maybe being a family.
Chapters: 10
Rating: 4 ⭐
Absolutely amazing war time Dramione. Stranded with no wands in the wilderness, snarky Draco, getting along, taking care, wine and drunken conversations, moments together especially at night. And then that plot twist and following time skip. I'm still reeling. But that last chapter was just perfect. Though I wouldn't have minded a time skip of them finally together few years later and maybe being a family.
April 23, 2023
“Her soul felt too big for her body” GIRL ME TOO.
5⭐️ arguable one of the best dramione fics I’ve yet to come across
5⭐️ arguable one of the best dramione fics I’ve yet to come across
July 24, 2024
never related to anything more than dracos pure hatred of white zinfandel
October 13, 2025
What a gorgeous fic and surprisingly hilarious!
February 27, 2023
“if the universe wouldn’t give her any peace, she’d steal this sliver of it from the place and the person she was least supposed to find it in.”
i feel a little uneasy giving this the same rating as manacled, and a higher rating than top-tier dramione books. but, what can i do? the only flaw i see is that it’s too short — and i want more. this is probably the warmest dramione forced proximity trope you’ll find out there. i love how it centered on draco and hermione’s less pretty characteristics: their ability to make mistakes despite being seen as somewhat perfect, their vulnerability, and their mortality, even. without a wand, they are in fact, just skin and bone.
“draco had seen enough humanity in her to risk everything to save her, but she had failed to see enough of it in him to even imagine he’d care.”
this line right here made me stop and think for a while. this basically sums up why books upon books are continually written about draco malfoy.
tears — none, personally
spice — 🌶🌶
5/5.
i feel a little uneasy giving this the same rating as manacled, and a higher rating than top-tier dramione books. but, what can i do? the only flaw i see is that it’s too short — and i want more. this is probably the warmest dramione forced proximity trope you’ll find out there. i love how it centered on draco and hermione’s less pretty characteristics: their ability to make mistakes despite being seen as somewhat perfect, their vulnerability, and their mortality, even. without a wand, they are in fact, just skin and bone.
“draco had seen enough humanity in her to risk everything to save her, but she had failed to see enough of it in him to even imagine he’d care.”
this line right here made me stop and think for a while. this basically sums up why books upon books are continually written about draco malfoy.
tears — none, personally
spice — 🌶🌶
5/5.
March 30, 2023
A watergaw is a broken shaft of rainbow that you can sometimes see between clouds. Beautiful and unexpected.
Excellent Dramione. Top notch forced proximity.
"Maybe you just bring out the best in me."
"Best is it?"
"Or worst. Hard to say which is which sometimes."
Excellent Dramione. Top notch forced proximity.
"Maybe you just bring out the best in me."
"Best is it?"
"Or worst. Hard to say which is which sometimes."
August 10, 2023
4.5 but rounded up!
This was so bloody cute, but still full of tension and angst 🥲🥹🤌🏼
Absolutely loved it!
Kinda wish it had a longer ending and epilogue with a final spice scene but aside from that, it’s perfect
This was so bloody cute, but still full of tension and angst 🥲🥹🤌🏼
Absolutely loved it!
Kinda wish it had a longer ending and epilogue with a final spice scene but aside from that, it’s perfect
August 15, 2022
4.5⭐
Loved this short story! The only thing it left me wanting was MORE. I could definitely use a sequel, even an epilogue will do!
Highly recommend though!
Loved this short story! The only thing it left me wanting was MORE. I could definitely use a sequel, even an epilogue will do!
Highly recommend though!
August 27, 2023
A lovely, banter-filled, and thought-provoking short story about two enemies on a mission to survive the forests of the Scottish Highlands. It’s an odd feeling in life, having an “enemy.” It’s certainly not something most people actively seek out. But it does mean two people have taken a stance on different viewpoints; and to some degree respect the other person enough (in some way) to let their words/actions haunt them. I love how the author captures parts of the relationship between Draco and Hermione - the desire to one up the other and compete. Make each other better (not always for always for the right reasons, but sometimes for the right reasons). I found this aspect of the story to be the most intriguing and I certainly will be turning this over in my mind for a while.
Also, the audiobook narration was fantastic!
Also, the audiobook narration was fantastic!
July 7, 2024
Коротенький відгук на коротенький фанфік (каламбур?) , який прочитала зовсім нещодавно.
Історія тут починається від подій, коли Золоте Тріо попалось Смертежерам, та Белатриса почала катувати Герміону.
Драко разом із Герміоною вибираються із Мелфой-Менору та шукають Орден. Тут ми бачимо, як поступово герої вчаться довіряти одне одному, відкривають свої душі та вчаться кохати. Порадувала й кінцівка, бо я чомусь думала що там вона буде або відкритою або нещасливою, але автор зробив/-ла хепі-енд. Хто хотів би чогось відносно легкого, без скла - щиро рекомендую)
Історія тут починається від подій, коли Золоте Тріо попалось Смертежерам, та Белатриса почала катувати Герміону.
Драко разом із Герміоною вибираються із Мелфой-Менору та шукають Орден. Тут ми бачимо, як поступово герої вчаться довіряти одне одному, відкривають свої душі та вчаться кохати. Порадувала й кінцівка, бо я чомусь думала що там вона буде або відкритою або нещасливою, але автор зробив/-ла хепі-енд. Хто хотів би чогось відносно легкого, без скла - щиро рекомендую)
November 6, 2023
the best fanfic of my entire fucking life ohmygod kill me now bc nothing will ever be that good
the enemies to lovers was SO good the banter was SO good the fact i actually thought draco was going to die -- SO GOOD
the ONLY thing that could have made this better is if it was longer -- the best fanfic of my life and it's less than 40k words??
AAAAHHH SCREAMING crying throwing up i love dramione so much 3 3
the enemies to lovers was SO good the banter was SO good the fact i actually thought draco was going to die -- SO GOOD
the ONLY thing that could have made this better is if it was longer -- the best fanfic of my life and it's less than 40k words??
AAAAHHH SCREAMING crying throwing up i love dramione so much 3 3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2023
okay i may be hyper-fixated on harry potter fanfiction right now, but if it’s on goodreads, i’m logging it 😭
December 10, 2023
A cute yet tension filled novella! I just wished the ending was a little longer.
January 31, 2024
Yes but where is my epilogue 😭
March 28, 2024
I feel like I smiled the entire time I read this
August 4, 2024
This was actually so fun. I wish there was more of it 🥲
September 23, 2024
Delightful, witty, emotionally engaging, and absolutely lovely.
December 1, 2024
Super cute little novella. The Draco vibes were vibing. I could have read another 20k of resolution.
August 8, 2025
This book was a very nice short read. Like it has a mix of everything , and I can't lie I wanted more when it finished.
October 9, 2025
Really good short fic, LOVED the ending
October 5, 2023
I didn't feel anything. I mean it was a short fic but still.
June 6, 2023
Damn! That was some good writing. Real good writing. Only 10 chapters, but really good and I would've really, really liked to read more.
March 25, 2022
I love the premise, I just wished there was more!
December 8, 2024
Never knew what a watergaw was before this, but absolutely fitting. This fic was mostly Draco and Hermione roaming in the Scottish wilderness so it did get a bit repetitive for me but the way they talked and figured out their differences and realised how alike they are and how much like they had for one another was really quite endearing.
The final chapter made me smile like an idiot, we love guest appearances from Blaise and Theo.
This was a perfect characterisation of Draco- a boy raised to believe one thing in his search for love and a broken but brave man who knew where his heart was.
The final chapter made me smile like an idiot, we love guest appearances from Blaise and Theo.
This was a perfect characterisation of Draco- a boy raised to believe one thing in his search for love and a broken but brave man who knew where his heart was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews