What do you think?
Rate this book
Closer
There is something wrong with Hermione.
Dramione non-con
a/b/o
AU- no Voldemort.
Draco Malfoy is much older than Hermione in this fic.
Alpha Draco, Omega Hermione.
Dark story. No underage sex. Will update tags as I go along.
Dramione non-con
a/b/o
AU- no Voldemort.
Draco Malfoy is much older than Hermione in this fic.
Alpha Draco, Omega Hermione.
Dark story. No underage sex. Will update tags as I go along.
ebook
First published January 1, 2018
2 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 28, 2022
3.5 stars. (kinda maybe?)
I'm not so sure what exactly brought me to this point in my life when I rejoice to read a dark, omegaverse, age gap (17 vs ~30) Dramione fanfic, but here we are.
If your idea of a perfect male protagonist involves a manipulative, unscrupulous, older man who pretends to be nice and helpful only to ruthlessly
push his highly questionable agenda and wrap around his prey so tightly that by the time she realizes she's being choked to death there's no room to perform an escape maneuver anymore — read this: you won't regret it.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA DON'T MIND MY HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER. 😭 THE ANGEL COMPARISON TOOK ME OUT FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE HERMIONE, SWEETIE, OPEN YOUR EYES WIDER AND SEE WHAT'S BEING HIDDEN, ALTHOUGH NOT THAT DEEP, BEHIND THE BENEVOLENT MASK SKSKSK. Rich, older men rarely take an interest in teenage girls out of the goodness of their hearts. How sad.
Who am I kidding though? I love her obliviousness as long as Draco keeps up appearances and plays a good Samaritan for her and I get my fix of abuse and manipulation. 🤡💀
This amply experienced and jaded business shark edition of Draco Malfoy fucks with Hermione's mind, self-esteem and perception of reality in so many subtle and creative ways that I was left fascinated by his professionalism.
The calm and authoritative manner in which he makes the heroine's rightfully negative reaction to his condescending remarks, blatant disregard of her will, inconsiderate gestures or controlling behaviour manifesting themselves in the most delicate ways sound like a spoiled and ungrateful baby's unreasonable whining was simply sublime.
It's the perfectly rational and calm quality to his words and, specifically, treatment of Hermione combined with astuteness, ruthlessness and predilection for completely taking over the life of a person he's fascinated with that did it for me.
Draco's overbearing, damaging and unhealthy tendency to control her was wrapped up in the robes of protective care, and these robes were so befitting of this terrible terrible man.
He can smile politely, but when his eyes narrow slightly you can feel the major... mindfucking avalanche coming your way.
And if you think that the habitual mentions of Victor Cram rubbing his spit on Hermione are kinda weird you should stop. You're being the weird one here. 🙄
Anyway, I admired that the author revealed Draco's abusive side not in the same blunt and straightforward manner I usually get to witness in dark romance.
And the further into the story, the worse it gets.
Him quite simply wearing her down with no remorse whatsoever just for the sake of keeping his carefully planned coercion scheme fairly decent, at least on the surface (well, at the end of the day... she nodded, right? 💀 So much for asking for permission and not doing anything without receiving her consent first 💀) , was so disgusting. I want more and more and more of that before we get to the part where the author decides something tragic is due to happen to break the cycle. 🤡
Not gonna lie, this scene stirred something inside me and that something wasn't pleasant. Non-consensual sex scenes and breeding kink... I seem to have hit the jackpot with this one. 🙂
Some random thoughts and observations:
— maybe this is a strange thing to be annoyed at, but I hated that Hermione used so much "erm"s and "em"s in her speech. I think the author did this on purpose to show how insecure, inadequate and uncomfortable Hermione really felt in Malfoy's presence (her instincts caught on to something ominous and wrong in the air, but the feeling of gratitude and lack of knowledge about alphas and omegas put her at a disadvantage and overrode the natural cautiousness). These sounds expressing hesitation grated on my fucking nerves more than the sound of nails on a chalboard. They didn't fit her character, and their usage was excessive imo.
One of the main reasons why I lowered the rating down too. But what's new? I'm an easily triggered snowflake when it comes to all things seemingly small and minor.
— ongoing fic. Even God has no idea when it's gonna be finished.
— the first 100 pages were pretty mediocre (I would have probably moved on to another story if I hadn't read the reviews), but the story takes off.
— I can see why the author warned that there would be no HEA for Hermione; even if Draco doesn't slowly break her spirit by the end of the story, I simply cannot envision her running away unscathed and with her sanity still intact.
— HP fanfics unlocked my orgasm denial kink. 🤧 It's so frustrating and unsatisfying, yet weirdly... gratifying?? Every time I read a well-written orgasm denial scene it almost gives me the feeling that it's me who experiencies the edging sjskskskskks time to make some intimate confessions, I guess.
— Not sure about this Hermione: one moment she's smart and opinionated but the next — shallow and a bit too blindsided by Draco's masked "appearances". I attribute this to the ramifications of the omegaverse subgenre: alpha vs omega couples have a grand power imbalance. Omegas find it hard to resist the alpha's pull and urge to submit (the way I'm writing this with a straight face wow) plus their minds turn sluggish and foggy when they're in heat. Anyways, I find it hard to relate to this Hermione, but she doesn't annoy me. That much.
— Malfoy: intellectually, I understand that
he pursues marriage with Hermione so relentlessly because he must be taken with her, but emotionally, his obsession comes off as something ice cold, meticulous and kinda... dead. 💀 Almost like a little caprice of a cynical, emotionless man who is in reality a living corpse.
There's a certain allure to his methodical gaslighting, but at this point it has become his whole personality. Personality that misses a tiny, live spark for me. So far that is.
— I need age-gap Dramione recs so bad. 🤌🏻 (+ honestly, it didn't bother me in the least that this fic is almost complete AU and diverges from the canon so much. Which is obvious from the start, considering how big their age difference is).
— the rating subject to change (mostly for how masterfully manipulation and mindfuck are being portrayed — top-tier. Easilythe only good th the best part of the story so far. This fic could become a guide on abusive relationships, no kidding)
He smiles. “Do you want to say that again, pet?”
I'm not so sure what exactly brought me to this point in my life when I rejoice to read a dark, omegaverse, age gap (17 vs ~30) Dramione fanfic, but here we are.
If your idea of a perfect male protagonist involves a manipulative, unscrupulous, older man who pretends to be nice and helpful only to ruthlessly
push his highly questionable agenda and wrap around his prey so tightly that by the time she realizes she's being choked to death there's no room to perform an escape maneuver anymore — read this: you won't regret it.
“I would be pleased to instruct you in all things,” he responds pleasantly. He really does look and sound like an angel. Benevolent and powerful.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA DON'T MIND MY HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER. 😭 THE ANGEL COMPARISON TOOK ME OUT FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE HERMIONE, SWEETIE, OPEN YOUR EYES WIDER AND SEE WHAT'S BEING HIDDEN, ALTHOUGH NOT THAT DEEP, BEHIND THE BENEVOLENT MASK SKSKSK. Rich, older men rarely take an interest in teenage girls out of the goodness of their hearts. How sad.
Who am I kidding though? I love her obliviousness as long as Draco keeps up appearances and plays a good Samaritan for her and I get my fix of abuse and manipulation. 🤡💀
This amply experienced and jaded business shark edition of Draco Malfoy fucks with Hermione's mind, self-esteem and perception of reality in so many subtle and creative ways that I was left fascinated by his professionalism.
The calm and authoritative manner in which he makes the heroine's rightfully negative reaction to his condescending remarks, blatant disregard of her will, inconsiderate gestures or controlling behaviour manifesting themselves in the most delicate ways sound like a spoiled and ungrateful baby's unreasonable whining was simply sublime.
“Poor girl,” he says, voice deep and slow and sympathetic. “Look at you, you’re so frightened. Come here.”
It's the perfectly rational and calm quality to his words and, specifically, treatment of Hermione combined with astuteness, ruthlessness and predilection for completely taking over the life of a person he's fascinated with that did it for me.
Draco's overbearing, damaging and unhealthy tendency to control her was wrapped up in the robes of protective care, and these robes were so befitting of this terrible terrible man.
He can smile politely, but when his eyes narrow slightly you can feel the major... mindfucking avalanche coming your way.
Draco Malfoy interrupts me again. “What did Mr. Krum do? Nothing… untoward, I hope?”
“No, he was very, erm, nice.” I pause to grimace in memory. “I mean he did sort of rub his spit on me, but that was all, really.”
For a moment, it doesn’t look like he’s breathing at all.
And if you think that the habitual mentions of Victor Cram rubbing his spit on Hermione are kinda weird you should stop. You're being the weird one here. 🙄
Anyway, I admired that the author revealed Draco's abusive side not in the same blunt and straightforward manner I usually get to witness in dark romance.
And the further into the story, the worse it gets.
“I’m going to come in you,” he tells me. “All right?”
I don’t want him to. Oh God, I don’t want him to. How do I tell him that I don’t want him to? How do I make him understand that I’m serious? “Ermm,” I attempt, trying to keep my gasping to a minimum as he thrusts me into the bed, “I really don’t think it’s a good idea. Please, we should stop now. I’m not on birth control…”
He patiently waits for me to finish my barely coherent mumbling. Then he tells me again, “I’m going to come in you. All right?”
This time, I nod dumbly.
Him quite simply wearing her down with no remorse whatsoever just for the sake of keeping his carefully planned coercion scheme fairly decent, at least on the surface (well, at the end of the day... she nodded, right? 💀 So much for asking for permission and not doing anything without receiving her consent first 💀) , was so disgusting. I want more and more and more of that before we get to the part where the author decides something tragic is due to happen to break the cycle. 🤡
Not gonna lie, this scene stirred something inside me and that something wasn't pleasant. Non-consensual sex scenes and breeding kink... I seem to have hit the jackpot with this one. 🙂
Some random thoughts and observations:
— maybe this is a strange thing to be annoyed at, but I hated that Hermione used so much "erm"s and "em"s in her speech. I think the author did this on purpose to show how insecure, inadequate and uncomfortable Hermione really felt in Malfoy's presence (her instincts caught on to something ominous and wrong in the air, but the feeling of gratitude and lack of knowledge about alphas and omegas put her at a disadvantage and overrode the natural cautiousness). These sounds expressing hesitation grated on my fucking nerves more than the sound of nails on a chalboard. They didn't fit her character, and their usage was excessive imo.
One of the main reasons why I lowered the rating down too. But what's new? I'm an easily triggered snowflake when it comes to all things seemingly small and minor.
— ongoing fic. Even God has no idea when it's gonna be finished.
— the first 100 pages were pretty mediocre (I would have probably moved on to another story if I hadn't read the reviews), but the story takes off.
— I can see why the author warned that there would be no HEA for Hermione; even if Draco doesn't slowly break her spirit by the end of the story, I simply cannot envision her running away unscathed and with her sanity still intact.
— HP fanfics unlocked my orgasm denial kink. 🤧 It's so frustrating and unsatisfying, yet weirdly... gratifying?? Every time I read a well-written orgasm denial scene it almost gives me the feeling that it's me who experiencies the edging sjskskskskks time to make some intimate confessions, I guess.
— Not sure about this Hermione: one moment she's smart and opinionated but the next — shallow and a bit too blindsided by Draco's masked "appearances". I attribute this to the ramifications of the omegaverse subgenre: alpha vs omega couples have a grand power imbalance. Omegas find it hard to resist the alpha's pull and urge to submit (the way I'm writing this with a straight face wow) plus their minds turn sluggish and foggy when they're in heat. Anyways, I find it hard to relate to this Hermione, but she doesn't annoy me. That much.
— Malfoy: intellectually, I understand that
he pursues marriage with Hermione so relentlessly because he must be taken with her, but emotionally, his obsession comes off as something ice cold, meticulous and kinda... dead. 💀 Almost like a little caprice of a cynical, emotionless man who is in reality a living corpse.
There's a certain allure to his methodical gaslighting, but at this point it has become his whole personality. Personality that misses a tiny, live spark for me. So far that is.
— I need age-gap Dramione recs so bad. 🤌🏻 (+ honestly, it didn't bother me in the least that this fic is almost complete AU and diverges from the canon so much. Which is obvious from the start, considering how big their age difference is).
— the rating subject to change (mostly for how masterfully manipulation and mindfuck are being portrayed — top-tier. Easily
July 18, 2022
I want to take the time to leave this fic a full, cohesive review later. I am getting sick of all of my 'full review to come' reviews (they never seem to actually come) but here are the points I want to remember:
1. This fic has a slow start. Doesn't get interesting until chapter 5. Things really pick in chapter 13 when Hermione becomes in reach of Draco's full grasp.
2. The slow pace is fitting for the artful portrayal of gaslighting. I think the term 'gaslighting' is overused and many forget its actual meaning. This author understands gaslighting and wrote it so very well.
3. I like controlling H's. Unlike other dark dramione fics where Draco is OTT cruel, this Draco is much more savvy when it comes to manipulating Hermione. He's cool, calm, and collected. He may start to lose his temper, but it's demonstrated by him ruffling the newspapers he's reading a bit more than usual, maybe tapping his fingers a bit more quickly on his thigh in frustration, that kind of subtlety I so very much appreciated by the author. The lies, the lies are these half truths that people who gaslight know how to employ. I'm left wondering how Hermione hasn't caught it yet, but this is the beauty of omegaverse. She's an omega going into heat ~ while smart, she has no experience with this kind of thing. She's in way over her head.
4. This author understands omegaverse. The way she wrote nesting and an oncoming heat? God, I miss this kind of portrayal of omega tropes in dark omegaverse. This author can write it.
5. The author has said there will be no hea in this fic (currently the fic is unfinished) but nevertheless I think the potential for this to end on a dark hfn is possible. Otherwise, it ending with Hermione doing an Ingrid Bergman inspired speech (that one at the end of Gaslight - no one will likely understand this reference unless they've watched the film) is probably going to happen.
Even if no hfn occurs, I still like this unromantic dramione because Hermione both likes and dislikes Draco. She's attracted to him on a base level. Draco is both infatuated, obsessed with Hermione, but irritated. This makes the dramione dynamic more complex. I appreciate it ~ so often it's easier to focus on one character, but here both characters have layers.
I'm waiting on the next update with bated breath.
1. This fic has a slow start. Doesn't get interesting until chapter 5. Things really pick in chapter 13 when Hermione becomes in reach of Draco's full grasp.
2. The slow pace is fitting for the artful portrayal of gaslighting. I think the term 'gaslighting' is overused and many forget its actual meaning. This author understands gaslighting and wrote it so very well.
3. I like controlling H's. Unlike other dark dramione fics where Draco is OTT cruel, this Draco is much more savvy when it comes to manipulating Hermione. He's cool, calm, and collected. He may start to lose his temper, but it's demonstrated by him ruffling the newspapers he's reading a bit more than usual, maybe tapping his fingers a bit more quickly on his thigh in frustration, that kind of subtlety I so very much appreciated by the author. The lies, the lies are these half truths that people who gaslight know how to employ. I'm left wondering how Hermione hasn't caught it yet, but this is the beauty of omegaverse. She's an omega going into heat ~ while smart, she has no experience with this kind of thing. She's in way over her head.
4. This author understands omegaverse. The way she wrote nesting and an oncoming heat? God, I miss this kind of portrayal of omega tropes in dark omegaverse. This author can write it.
5. The author has said there will be no hea in this fic (currently the fic is unfinished) but nevertheless I think the potential for this to end on a dark hfn is possible. Otherwise, it ending with Hermione doing an Ingrid Bergman inspired speech (that one at the end of Gaslight - no one will likely understand this reference unless they've watched the film) is probably going to happen.
Even if no hfn occurs, I still like this unromantic dramione because Hermione both likes and dislikes Draco. She's attracted to him on a base level. Draco is both infatuated, obsessed with Hermione, but irritated. This makes the dramione dynamic more complex. I appreciate it ~ so often it's easier to focus on one character, but here both characters have layers.
I'm waiting on the next update with bated breath.
August 28, 2024
Aug. 28, 2024 update:
Two mysteries with this story. Would appreciate answers if anyone knows:
1. "Closer 2" whose summary reads "the second part of Closer" that was published a few days ago and now is taken off.*
2. "Closer"'s final chapter being rewritten for closure?**
*Aug. 25 received a notification that itsjustcloser posted "Closer 2" where it had 3 chapters uploaded. I didn't check my emails until today but it's already showing me a 404 Error, so author must have taken it down. "Closer" has also disabled comments and some of the notes for the chapters just read "24 jul 24" which I'm not sure what it implies.
**Basically, I can't remember for sure where the story left off except that Hermione was still determined to escape Draco. She still had that drive in chapter 28 when I read it last year. No indication that things were wrapping up but I think itsjustsilver rewrote the final chapter to wrap up the story, as it's now a completed work.
Comments have been disabled for this work and also not sure if the bio has always read but it says they no longer write on A03 :(
TL:DR review
This fanfiction is better than most romance books I’ve read this year. It remains unfinished. I'd buy it in a heartbeat when it's completed and available to purchase.
Some More Thoughts:
Closer is an omegaverse Dramione that's giving rich businessman and high school/college trope. This is currently uncompleted with 26 chapters and 85,370 words that I *inhaled* in a night.
My experience with fanfiction? Just with Harry Potter back in the day when I was a preteen waiting for the next midnight release of Harry Potter book or waiting in line for 4 hours just to see the latest Harry Potter movie on opening night... and yes you bet your ass I was on Mugglenet reading about horcrux theories. I was not interested in romantic fanfiction at the time but silly, goofy, lighthearted ones that were funny and expanded the universe...
I mention this context because reading Closer unlocked pure nostalgia for the magical feeling of belonging in the Harry Potter universe. The earlier chapters that may be slow to get to the smut are just a trip down nostalgia lane. I loved the vignettes of hanging out with your friends at Hogwarts, the reference to Canon and the subtle differences (Snape is Lily's brother! Snape shows favouritism to Harry! Quirrrel and the troll prank against Dumbledore and the saying Hogwarts is always safe with Dumbledore there <3)
I am new to HP fanfiction, but I loved the no Voldemort alternative universe here because it also showed what Harry, Hermione, and Ron could have been like, growing up as normal kids. Just typing this sentence makes me feel a little weird and sad. I was such a Harry Potter fan and used to reread the books every winter! These characters and universe were a home for me. It was nice to imagine Harry, Ron, and Hermione living their lives without worrying about the fate of the world :'(
Well at least before Hermione turns out to be an omega. The humour surrounding the secrecy of what an omega means was hilarious. This book was really funny and endearing because of Hermione's first-person POV. I liked her a little asides...
“Did Professor Dumbledore say what he wants me for?” I ask Gaunt as I hurry after him. The last time I spoke to our Headmaster was when he told me I was a very special kind of witch. I still harbour feelings of bitterness.
And just how she deals with scandalous situations.
“I make my girlfriend wear this all the time,” he confesses, slowly re-tightening the lid. “And not just in bed, although especially in bed.” He pouts, bloated lower lip sticking out. “It does smell good. But it’s still nothing compared to…” He leans over me and makes a show of smelling my hair. “…the real thing.”
“Cool,” I say, trying to sidestep him. “Er. I have to go pay. Excuse me.”
ngl but Sebastien is both hot/laughable in this scene and Hermione throughout this entire exchange is not having it.
Although the earlier chapters are a wonderful look at life at Hogwarts, you get omega stuff and see Draco early on. That being said, smut doesn't begin in earnest or in explicit detail until Chapter 18. The low-key angst of Hermione's situation paired with Draco's subtle word games/domination made me not notice. Loved Alpha Gaslighter Extraordinaire in Draco.
As equally as I loved smart/dumb omega Hermione.
itsjustsilver said in a comment that they are having a lot of fun writing Hermione as smart but also dumb. Hermione is depicted as the sincere, if slightly foolish, advocate for social change. She is the founder of SPEW and once she discovers she is an omega, the founder of SLOW, a society for omega rights. What's interesting is that the author plants this idea by Ginny who tells Hermione that her championship of omega rights is just a personal vendetta and that this isn't actually a problem for the wizarding world. Like with elf rights. Yet there is an interesting dynamic between her and Ginny, as Ginny soon eats her own words, which goes to show that not all omega witches are happy about discovering their status.
Draco plays Hermione like a fiddle. Pretending to want to listen to her and support her cause, turning her words on her. And Hermione has no reason to fear Draco. Instead, she is more worried about the red herring in Draco's cousin, Sebastian. It's quite subtle and so fascinating/hot/funny to read...
“Can Pipsy brings Miss Hermione a drink?” the house-elf asks me.
“Oh, yes, please. Hot chocolate if there’s any?”
Draco, going through a pile of correspondence, waves his hand absent-mindedly. “No,” he objects, speaking without looking. “No chocolate. Just bring her water.”
I clear my throat. “Er, Draco?”
He looks up.
“Er, I thought that we’re not, er, roleplaying anymore,” I say.
He gives me a confused look.
“You remember?” I stumble on in an embarrassed undertone. “We decided we wouldn’t do that outside the- outside your bedroom?”
“Oh, yes.” He smiles. “I apologise. Carry on.”
“Thanks!” I say brightly. What a relief.
Draco is an excellent villain and I hope he gets his girl. itsjustsilver says there is no HEA for Hermione but if she ends up with Draco, that's an HEA for me.
Final thoughts
I've been truly hesitant to get into HP fanfiction because J.K. Rowling is just terribly unhinged TERF that subconsciously I suppose it just made me not interested to go back into the world she created.
Yet so many highly rated reviews from GR friends and a summertime flu led me down this rabbit hole. And Closer reminded so much of the best of this fanfiction that I had read when I was a kid.
Honourable Mention to the comic relief snake
“I’m sorry, Mother. I thought it best to get this over with. You know you were going to ask to see her speak in Parseltongue, and you didn’t want me to conjure the snake over dinner, did you?”
His mother shudders but makes no further complaint, and Draco presses me towards the boomslang encouragingly. “Tell the snake to do something, sweetling. Quickly, before Mother faints.”
The snake, vibrating with indignance, has its neck raised high, and its eyes fixed on me. “You’re the same witch from before,” it says. “Why do you keep summoning me? Do you need help?”
I automatically put my hand out for it to sniff, like it’s a dog. “Thanks, but I don’t think so. These people just want to see us interact because they don’t believe I can talk to snakes.”
“Well, that’s rude.”
Two mysteries with this story. Would appreciate answers if anyone knows:
1. "Closer 2" whose summary reads "the second part of Closer" that was published a few days ago and now is taken off.*
2. "Closer"'s final chapter being rewritten for closure?**
*Aug. 25 received a notification that itsjustcloser posted "Closer 2" where it had 3 chapters uploaded. I didn't check my emails until today but it's already showing me a 404 Error, so author must have taken it down. "Closer" has also disabled comments and some of the notes for the chapters just read "24 jul 24" which I'm not sure what it implies.
**Basically, I can't remember for sure where the story left off except that Hermione was still determined to escape Draco. She still had that drive in chapter 28 when I read it last year. No indication that things were wrapping up but I think itsjustsilver rewrote the final chapter to wrap up the story, as it's now a completed work.
Comments have been disabled for this work and also not sure if the bio has always read but it says they no longer write on A03 :(
TL:DR review
This fanfiction is better than most romance books I’ve read this year. It remains unfinished. I'd buy it in a heartbeat when it's completed and available to purchase.
Some More Thoughts:
Closer is an omegaverse Dramione that's giving rich businessman and high school/college trope. This is currently uncompleted with 26 chapters and 85,370 words that I *inhaled* in a night.
My experience with fanfiction? Just with Harry Potter back in the day when I was a preteen waiting for the next midnight release of Harry Potter book or waiting in line for 4 hours just to see the latest Harry Potter movie on opening night... and yes you bet your ass I was on Mugglenet reading about horcrux theories. I was not interested in romantic fanfiction at the time but silly, goofy, lighthearted ones that were funny and expanded the universe...
I mention this context because reading Closer unlocked pure nostalgia for the magical feeling of belonging in the Harry Potter universe. The earlier chapters that may be slow to get to the smut are just a trip down nostalgia lane. I loved the vignettes of hanging out with your friends at Hogwarts, the reference to Canon and the subtle differences (Snape is Lily's brother! Snape shows favouritism to Harry! Quirrrel and the troll prank against Dumbledore and the saying Hogwarts is always safe with Dumbledore there <3)
I am new to HP fanfiction, but I loved the no Voldemort alternative universe here because it also showed what Harry, Hermione, and Ron could have been like, growing up as normal kids. Just typing this sentence makes me feel a little weird and sad. I was such a Harry Potter fan and used to reread the books every winter! These characters and universe were a home for me. It was nice to imagine Harry, Ron, and Hermione living their lives without worrying about the fate of the world :'(
Well at least before Hermione turns out to be an omega. The humour surrounding the secrecy of what an omega means was hilarious. This book was really funny and endearing because of Hermione's first-person POV. I liked her a little asides...
“Did Professor Dumbledore say what he wants me for?” I ask Gaunt as I hurry after him. The last time I spoke to our Headmaster was when he told me I was a very special kind of witch. I still harbour feelings of bitterness.
And just how she deals with scandalous situations.
“I make my girlfriend wear this all the time,” he confesses, slowly re-tightening the lid. “And not just in bed, although especially in bed.” He pouts, bloated lower lip sticking out. “It does smell good. But it’s still nothing compared to…” He leans over me and makes a show of smelling my hair. “…the real thing.”
“Cool,” I say, trying to sidestep him. “Er. I have to go pay. Excuse me.”
ngl but Sebastien is both hot/laughable in this scene and Hermione throughout this entire exchange is not having it.
Although the earlier chapters are a wonderful look at life at Hogwarts, you get omega stuff and see Draco early on. That being said, smut doesn't begin in earnest or in explicit detail until Chapter 18. The low-key angst of Hermione's situation paired with Draco's subtle word games/domination made me not notice. Loved Alpha Gaslighter Extraordinaire in Draco.
As equally as I loved smart/dumb omega Hermione.
itsjustsilver said in a comment that they are having a lot of fun writing Hermione as smart but also dumb. Hermione is depicted as the sincere, if slightly foolish, advocate for social change. She is the founder of SPEW and once she discovers she is an omega, the founder of SLOW, a society for omega rights. What's interesting is that the author plants this idea by Ginny who tells Hermione that her championship of omega rights is just a personal vendetta and that this isn't actually a problem for the wizarding world. Like with elf rights. Yet there is an interesting dynamic between her and Ginny, as Ginny soon eats her own words, which goes to show that not all omega witches are happy about discovering their status.
Draco plays Hermione like a fiddle. Pretending to want to listen to her and support her cause, turning her words on her. And Hermione has no reason to fear Draco. Instead, she is more worried about the red herring in Draco's cousin, Sebastian. It's quite subtle and so fascinating/hot/funny to read...
“Can Pipsy brings Miss Hermione a drink?” the house-elf asks me.
“Oh, yes, please. Hot chocolate if there’s any?”
Draco, going through a pile of correspondence, waves his hand absent-mindedly. “No,” he objects, speaking without looking. “No chocolate. Just bring her water.”
I clear my throat. “Er, Draco?”
He looks up.
“Er, I thought that we’re not, er, roleplaying anymore,” I say.
He gives me a confused look.
“You remember?” I stumble on in an embarrassed undertone. “We decided we wouldn’t do that outside the- outside your bedroom?”
“Oh, yes.” He smiles. “I apologise. Carry on.”
“Thanks!” I say brightly. What a relief.
Draco is an excellent villain and I hope he gets his girl. itsjustsilver says there is no HEA for Hermione but if she ends up with Draco, that's an HEA for me.
Final thoughts
I've been truly hesitant to get into HP fanfiction because J.K. Rowling is just terribly unhinged TERF that subconsciously I suppose it just made me not interested to go back into the world she created.
Yet so many highly rated reviews from GR friends and a summertime flu led me down this rabbit hole. And Closer reminded so much of the best of this fanfiction that I had read when I was a kid.
Honourable Mention to the comic relief snake
“I’m sorry, Mother. I thought it best to get this over with. You know you were going to ask to see her speak in Parseltongue, and you didn’t want me to conjure the snake over dinner, did you?”
His mother shudders but makes no further complaint, and Draco presses me towards the boomslang encouragingly. “Tell the snake to do something, sweetling. Quickly, before Mother faints.”
The snake, vibrating with indignance, has its neck raised high, and its eyes fixed on me. “You’re the same witch from before,” it says. “Why do you keep summoning me? Do you need help?”
I automatically put my hand out for it to sniff, like it’s a dog. “Thanks, but I don’t think so. These people just want to see us interact because they don’t believe I can talk to snakes.”
“Well, that’s rude.”
December 21, 2024
3.5 stars - I loved the manipulative older Draco and the omega/alpha power imbalance. I would have rated it higher if we got a real ending and if we’d gotten more explanation for some hanging plot points. Overall though this was an entertaining dark read. I’d definitely read more by this author.
September 10, 2023
I think the thing that ruined this fic for me the most was how out of character everyone acted. Which I guess can be expected of a non-Voldemort universe since the characters grew-up differently. Hermione was pretty naïve and did a lot of non-Hermione dumb things. Draco was also very out of character, he pretty much was Lucius, which is fine, but tagging this as dramione fanfic felt not correct. The fic felt more like dark-au omegaverse lumione fic rather than a true dramione fic.
It's unfinished and it looks like it was abandoned, as it hasn't been updated in 8 months, which typically means it won't ever get finished even if it's not totally abandoned.
I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2 since the smut was good and older manipulative Draco was kinda hot.
Again, I think this fic would appeal more to dark omegaverse lovers rather than true dramione fanfic lovers.
It's unfinished and it looks like it was abandoned, as it hasn't been updated in 8 months, which typically means it won't ever get finished even if it's not totally abandoned.
I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2 since the smut was good and older manipulative Draco was kinda hot.
Again, I think this fic would appeal more to dark omegaverse lovers rather than true dramione fanfic lovers.
August 9, 2022
After a slow start, this fanfic completely won me over. Draco was probably one of the most deliciously manipulative master gas lighters that I've ever encountered in fiction. This is an omegaverse HP fanfic, though it really has little to do with canon. Since I don't read fic for canon, that wasn't an issue for me. If you are a fan of dark omegaverse and love a manipulative villain as the "hero", this is a must read. The quality of writing is superb, better than most published work I've read. The only complaint I have is that the story isn't finished and not updated very often.
Read
August 27, 2025DNF
Omegaverse Dramione fanfiction ? Yes, count me in.
Draco in his thirties and Hermione still 17? Absolutely not.
I knew there was an age gap, but I thought it was going to be within a reasonable range. What I didn’t expect was for Hermione to be underage while Draco is portrayed as a full-grown man.
While reading, I kept feeling that she was way too young compared to him, and it gave me major creep vibes. And then, when I checked the reviews and saw Draco’s actual age, that confirmed it for me: there’s no way I can keep reading this.
I might have been able to push through the awkwardness if I could have convinced myself it was just the writing style making things feel off. But now that I know the real ages, it’s impossible.
That fanfiction is a no for me.
Omegaverse Dramione fanfiction ? Yes, count me in.
Draco in his thirties and Hermione still 17? Absolutely not.
I knew there was an age gap, but I thought it was going to be within a reasonable range. What I didn’t expect was for Hermione to be underage while Draco is portrayed as a full-grown man.
While reading, I kept feeling that she was way too young compared to him, and it gave me major creep vibes. And then, when I checked the reviews and saw Draco’s actual age, that confirmed it for me: there’s no way I can keep reading this.
I might have been able to push through the awkwardness if I could have convinced myself it was just the writing style making things feel off. But now that I know the real ages, it’s impossible.
That fanfiction is a no for me.
August 14, 2023
Dramione. Evil, manipulative Alpha Draco. A/B/O Omega Hermione. Original Characters. Non Con. Age Gap. Non consensual potion use.
September 20, 2024
I very much enjoyed this read. Fast-paced, lots of conflict (internal and external). Knocked a star off for all of the unanswered questions. There are a million things I want to know that we never got revealed. That may be the intention, so we’re as in the dark as Hermione is. But I think it would be helpful to fully understand which parts are Draco and which parts are anatomy.
November 10, 2024
Hermione Granger is the first female Muggleborn Omega in history and she has no idea what that entitles
This is a pretty dark/A/B/O/alternate universe fic in which Draco is much older than Hermione.
Hermione is and omega but she is the first one that doesn't come from a Pureblood family, so she has no clue about Pureblood traditions and how they now affect her.
In comes Draco Malfoy how is much older than her and knows exactly how to get what he wants and what he wants is Hermione.
He takes advantage of her lack of information and her knowledge and makes her belive that he is helping her, when in fact he gaslights her into thinking that she's safe with him and bonds her to him.
I'm not gonna lie, this story was quite aggrivating.
None of the adults are helping Hermione and they all treat her as an object that get's sold to the highest bidder.
The teachers and especially Dumbledore were by far the most aggrivating charachters in this story. They never gave Hermione any information about her condition and only told her that her parents were going to fill her in and when Draco swooped in and claimed her.... no one bat an eye.
Hermione on the other hand was too easy to manipulate.
Yes, she was gaslight and drugged to be complicit but she still was to trusting of Draco.
There where too many red flags from the beginning that she ignored and there were so many things that she could've done to not get herself roped into this situation.
Also... which teenage girl leaves her fate to the hands of an adult man that she only met once? Insanity!
I did like the fic and I hope that the author decides that they going to finish the story but I still felt quite angry on Hermione's behalf throughout the entirety of it.
The story isn't completed but it does stop at a conclusive point that you can consider as an open ending.
March 3, 2025
3.5/5
This was an interesting take on a Harry Potter alternate universe/Omegaverse where Voldemort never existed. This meant Hermione never developed deep and meaningful friendships with other Hogwarts students and was left trying to figure everything out on her own as one of the only muggles students around.
This is a dark story about Hermione finding out that she's an Omega and turning to a much older Draco Malfoy for help. But young, innocent and naive Hermione doesn't realize that Draco is a manipulative Alpha who will lie, gaslight, and control Hermione to get what he wants.
This story features an incredibly toxic relationship and was such an addicting read.
My heart aches for poor naive little Hermione
My biggest complaint with this story is that although the author had marked this story as being completed, it definitely didn't feel finished... I would've loved another chapter or epilogue
This was an interesting take on a Harry Potter alternate universe/Omegaverse where Voldemort never existed. This meant Hermione never developed deep and meaningful friendships with other Hogwarts students and was left trying to figure everything out on her own as one of the only muggles students around.
This is a dark story about Hermione finding out that she's an Omega and turning to a much older Draco Malfoy for help. But young, innocent and naive Hermione doesn't realize that Draco is a manipulative Alpha who will lie, gaslight, and control Hermione to get what he wants.
This story features an incredibly toxic relationship and was such an addicting read.
My heart aches for poor naive little Hermione
My biggest complaint with this story is that although the author had marked this story as being completed, it definitely didn't feel finished... I would've loved another chapter or epilogue
March 26, 2025
low threes.
fucked up in a very fun way.
the pacing for the first many chapters is off, but once we get to the hard-core manipulations, most of the maneuvering and manipulation is done with a fair bit of subtlety and skill, such that it's a horrifying thrill to see her options diminish.
this sorrrrrrrt of reminded me KIND of like the spiritual cousin of deathsdolL's If I Can't Have You for Dramione and the wizarding world. a little bit.
fucked up in a very fun way.
the pacing for the first many chapters is off, but once we get to the hard-core manipulations, most of the maneuvering and manipulation is done with a fair bit of subtlety and skill, such that it's a horrifying thrill to see her options diminish.
this sorrrrrrrt of reminded me KIND of like the spiritual cousin of deathsdolL's If I Can't Have You for Dramione and the wizarding world. a little bit.
June 6, 2025
ts pissed me off.
urm i didnt know this wasnt a hea so color me SHOCKED when them bitches were not falling in love💀. thats my bad tho
hermione. girl wtf. u were mad stupid, but i felt rlly bad for u.
draco. u manipulative conniving ass piece of shit. if i had to be his omega i would js send my ass to the malfoy dungeon or wtv. draco would send me into psychosis faster than solitude
urm i didnt know this wasnt a hea so color me SHOCKED when them bitches were not falling in love💀. thats my bad tho
hermione. girl wtf. u were mad stupid, but i felt rlly bad for u.
draco. u manipulative conniving ass piece of shit. if i had to be his omega i would js send my ass to the malfoy dungeon or wtv. draco would send me into psychosis faster than solitude
September 3, 2022
It would’ve been better If I liked the whole A/B/O thingy.
February 8, 2025
Dnf'd about halfway through. This was extremely boring and hard to read. It didn't hold my attention whatsoever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2025
⤿ 2.5 ★
Just pretend you didn't see this 🫂
Just pretend you didn't see this 🫂
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews