I'm completely in love with your Draco. He has matured, he reflects, and he is still a Slytherin. I can see your Draco directly coming from the end of the books (sans epilogue). &hearts
Your style is wonderful. I like the clipped counting off of the events.
Liked the glimpses of Narcissa, how she was clinging to the past, honouring Bella and ignoring Andromeda, ignoring Lucius's drinking, too.
Your take on Malfoy history was interesting, I see them in a similar way, coming from a tradition of landowners.
I liked to watch Draco during the interview, how he didn't fully trust Skeeter and how much pressure he felt, but also how his beliefs had changed. At Hogwarts, he was so utterly shunned and alone that I wanted to hug him. I liked that you didn't play on his misery, but simply let his situation speak for itself.
All Draco knows is that he's finally doing something, something that is entirely his. - just perfect.
As is this: He shrugs his robe off and loosens his belt and it feels seedy and out of character but he loves it. No one would expect him to do something like this.
I see how Draco would need to do something that is solely his own deed, to make a fresh start on his own terms in addition to the terms of wizarding society.
Close up and looking down at her, he can see that her body isn't perfect, that her belly is soft and rounded above her knickers and her skin is looser in places, like his mother's, but then he glances again at the ragged scars on his chest and thinks of the fine ones like chandelier shards on his cheeks and knows he isn't perfect either. The war has marked him as age has marked her and they're both flawed.
There is so much appeal in this passage. It's the perfect reason for them to come together like this. I love Draco's ability to appreciate the loss and turn it into something worthy.
You handled the sex scene just wonderful, the dynamic between them highly erotic and realistic at once.
I liked Rita's lightness with Draco, the way she made it easy for him without lying to him. I never liked her in canon, and I'm grateful that you made me see her in a different light.
I liked how the experience between Draco and Rita spread out into the rest of Draco's life, how he was able to learn and see the world in a fresh way, and find his own way to contribute.
Can't demand in front of Rita because she shrinks him down to size and now that he's standing in front of her he doesn't feel angry anymore, just strange and fragile. - &hearts &hearts &hearts
There was so much complexity in their relationship, particularly in the end, with Rita seeing that it was about to end while Draco was yet too determined not to acknowledge the finality. To grow up further he had to see her as a whole person, not just as the idol he had made up.
The ending was perfect. So much hope and not a bit of sappiness. I love this Draco, and I wish him lots of happy years. Draco is by far my favourite character, and I love when a writer gives him the complexity and future he deserves.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so glad that I found your story and took the time to read it. :-)