Welcome back to me reccing!

As always, authors, if you'd like your fic removed from the list, ask and ye shall receive.

For those of you not in the know, H/D Erised is the Drarry fanfiction/fanart exchange festival that takes place on AO3 and Tumblr during December of each year. You write or create a gift for someone and someone else writes or creates one for you (sort of like Secret Santa)! More info on this at the bottom of the chapter.

This year, I was lucky enough to be a part of the fest, which is where my fic Canary Creams and New Yellow Paint comes from (you can find it on my profile).

The fest was awesome this year. The authors are so, so beyond talented, and the artists are absolutely jaw-dropping. I have not made my way through the whole catalogue yet, unfortunately, but here are my favourites of what I did read, and I'm definitely going back for more, and I'll do a round two reccing when I'm done!

Under 10k

Teens and Up

𐂂 Title: Contretemps

By: Moonflower_Rose
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43464657
Rating: Teens and Up
Author Summary: Draco Malfoy has been living like a model citizen. If only he could convince Potter.

Tag List: Auror Harry Potter, Department Head Draco Malfoy, working together, Misunderstandings, Communication Failure, Workplace Relationship, m Drinking, Getting Together, Good Best Friends, First Kiss, Post-Hogwarts and/or Post-Second Wizarding War with Voldemort, POV Draco Malfoy, Ministry Worker Draco Malfoy, Muggle Technology, Falling In Love, Happy Ending, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, Co-workers, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, 8k

Commentary: My original take on this was "I absolutely must must must consume every other fic this author has written as soon as reveals are over," and current me agrees (and is slowly making good on that promise). This fic was just the best. Truly, idiots to lovers has to be one of my all-time favourite tropes. Draco's utter obliviousness. Harry's complete lack of observational skills but headstrong dedication to flirting in his own—terrible, unsubtle but still completely misreadable—way. It's amazing, and there's so much chemistry here. I won't lie, I was looking forward to the other prompt GoblinMatriarch left for MONTHS, but this was just as good and didn't leave me disappointed even the tiniest bit—I couldn't put it down for a second, even when I was at the beginnings of what was shaping up to be the mother of all migraines.

Seriously, fantastic fic. So funny and cute (not to mention incredibly well-written), and it reminded me how much I love this kind of dynamic between the two of them AND how much I love lab worker Draco x always hanging around the lab Harry. That's got to be one of the most perfect combos to exist. Plus all of the lovely cameos from Ron, Hermione, Pansy, and the OCs. I could rave for hours, but I'll restrain myself so you go read the real thing instead.

Discussion Zone for Contretemps

Explicit

Title: An Abstract Courtship

By: AvenueofESC
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43243623
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: Blaise looks at him for a moment, considering him with narrowed eyes, before he relents. "Alright, Potter, listen closely—"

"Blaise, you've been dating my best mate for nearly four years." Harry interrupts, relaxing slightly in knowing that he is at least speaking with a friend. "I know you have a ring picked out for him. I think we are well past 'Potter,' don't you?"

"In normal circumstances, I would agree. However, I am not speaking to you as a friend right now."

"Uh..." Harry frowns. "You're not?"

"No." Blaise states matter-of-factly. "Because you, Potter, are a complete fucking idiot."

Tag List: EWE, Post Second Wizarding-War, Bar Owner Harry Potter, Artist Draco Malfoy, Misunderstandings, Bad Flirting, Unsuccessful Courting, Oblivious Harry Potter, Himbo Harry Potter, Meddling Friends, Social drinking, Pining, Friends to Lovers, idiots to lovers, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Oral Sex, Background Relationships, Ensemble Cast, H/D Erised 2022, courting gifts, Pureblood Culture, Unusual Careers, Christmas, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Minor Ron Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Background Polyamory, Draco Malfoy & Ginny Weasley Friendship, 9k

Commentary: This was everything! Harry keeps making huge missteps trying to be Draco's friend when he's secretly in love with him. Their emotions were just so perfect. Lovely, sentimental Draco. Harry being absolutely lost for him. Draco calling Harry "Harold" when he's vexed (it's so funny and captures beautifully how much distance Draco is fighting to put between them, because he loves Harry too, but he can't believe that reciprocation is possible). All of Draco's tentativeness and guardedness is just so well done and had me absolutely desperate for them to work things out by the end. Brilliant fic.

Discussion Zone for An Abstract Courtship

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Title: Everything You Should Say

By: icarusinflight
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43296126
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: They're not friends.
But when Draco offers help, Harry takes it.

Tag List: Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, EWE, Post-Break Up, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Cancelled wedding, Drinking, Anxiety, Explicit Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, Oral Sex, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, 7k

Commentary: Wowee! Draco offers Harry help of a certain... you know... variety to start the fic. Basically, Harry has some *tension* that could use releasing, and it's hot, hot, hot. But there are other aspects of the story that shine too—it's not a PWP. Ron and Harry's bromance is fragile after Harry's split with Ginny, and Hermione is trying to get them talking again. I have such a deep appreciation for fics that explore Harry's life and, frankly, his recovery after a split with Ginny. This fic struck the perfect balance between that, all the emotion involved, and smut. Draco and Harry's budding relationship so, so compelling, and they finally get a bit of resolution for it at the end.

Discussion Zone for Everything You Should Say

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Title: Service Bell

⚯͛ By: shiftylinguini
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43279098#main
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: Draco is: a werewolf, living in a cabin in the woods, minding his own business, and never going to buy plaid because he's not that much of a fucking cliche (yet).
He's also counting down the days until he sees Harry again.

Tag List: Post-Hogwarts, EWE, Creature fic, Werewolf Draco Malfoy, Vampire Harry Potter, Recluse Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Fuckbuddies To Lovers, Getting Back Together, first time in a long time, Cabin Fic, Smoking, Drinking, Magical Dysfunction, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Anal Fingering, Prostate Massage, Frottage, Gardens & Gardening, Happy Ending, Hunting prey/ Mentions of dead animals, Shower sex, 8k

Commentary: If you're anything like me, you'll have to force yourself past the opening, but then you'll be so entranced it would take a bulldozer and seven shots of epinephrine to make you stop reading. Anyway, this fic awakened a hidden desire in me to move into a log cabin with a vampire and grow tomatoes, who knew? The writing is fantastic. There's something so wonderful and soothing about werewolf stories where they're excited to transform and not fighting it the whole time or ashamed of it. Something, something... being queer and healing from the trauma of repression, :). I love their tension and how much is unspoken between them at the start, wow. It's a rare dynamic for them, but one I love so so much. Getting back together fics haven't been my cup of tea in the past but this is juuuust to the left of that and might make me a faithful convert of the genre. And it was funny too. All of Draco's sneakiness and sharp edges but still being so utterly gone for Harry, AHH. And then their ending, them still being together and Draco enjoying watching Harry do the gardening and their banter—it's all just so good.

Discussion Zone for Service Bell

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Title: Trouble with your tie, Potter?

By: tenthousandyears
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43176780
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: The last thing Harry expects when Slughorn partners him up with Zabini is Malfoy shooting them furious looks throughout the whole class and then unceremoniously snogging Harry in the corridor.

Tag List: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Enemies to Lovers, Getting Together, Semi-Public Sex, Idiots in Love, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Public Hand Jobs, Public Blow Jobs, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Invisibility Cloak, Dom/sub Undertones, Light Bondage, PWP, Rough Sex, Feelings, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, EWE, Dirty Talk, Jealousy (just a tiny bit), Jealous Draco Malfoy, Exhibitionism, Gryffindor Tie, Sexual Discovery, Stumbling on each other's kinks, Public Sex, Falling In Love, From Sex to Love, 6k

Commentary: So stinking cute, and hot hot hot too. I loved their dynamic, and I especially loved their little moments with friends. Ron was hilarious, and I'm very in love with any version of Blaise who'll flirt harmlessly to make Draco jealous—that's top-shelf quality stuff.

Discussion Zone for Trouble with your tie, Potter?

10k-49k

Mature

𐂂 Title: The Hardest Hue to Hold

By: cavendishbutterfly
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42614700#main
Rating:  Mature
Author Summary: Harry needs to get the hell out of England. So he sets up a teaching assistantship in America, hops on a plane, and heads off to a fresh start. Except there's a familiar face among the university faculty, and it's really not the familiar face that Harry wanted. Or at least, it's not who Harry wanted at first.

Tag List: Post-Hogwarts, EWE, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, United States, Professor Draco Malfoy, Teaching Assistant Harry Potter, Trans Male Harry Potter, Dysphoria, Negative Thoughts, Fluff, Kneazles (Harry Potter), First Kiss, Getting Together, Finnish Mythology & Folklore, Anishinaabe Mythology & Folklore, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Drinking, POV Harry Potter, Muggle Technology, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Mild Sexual Content, 17k

Commentary: LOVE the writing style. It's neat and easy to read (concise without compromising pacing), but it's also unique and distinctive, which makes it so enjoyable. It's been a long time since I've appreciated a fanfic like this (in the way that makes me go "well, fuck, now that I've unlocked the secret of writing, I'd better get to work"). While I am desperately sad that I don't get to live in this little world forever (seriously, I would read pages upon pages more of this version of Harry and Draco getting settled into their new life and falling in love, exploring their jobs, and getting to know more about Harry's transition, etc), I'm also very appreciative that the word count wasn't too intimidating for my currently HORRID attention span. Anyway, Draco and Harry are so sweet and intimate with each other, and their voices are so distinct, and I am so tempted to make a podfic for this because I want one so badly.

Discussion Zone for The Hardest Hue to Hold

Explicit

Title: Once Upon a Wet Dream

By: innerlilith
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43559647
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: Once a year, Harry has a very strange dream. Meanwhile, in real life, he's falling for Draco Malfoy.

Tag List: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Post-War, EWE, Brief Mention of Past Dreamless Sleep Addiction, Sectumsempra Scars, Werewolf Harry Potter, Jealousy, Possessive Harry Potter, Mutual Pining, Tender Feelings, Banter, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Wet Dreams, Dreamsharing, Dream Sex, Voyeurism, Masturbation, Dildos, Tentacle Sex, Dirty Talk, First Time, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Rimming, Praise Kink, Come Eating, 13k

Commentary: So many of my favourite tropes! (Why am I such a sucker for wet dreams in fanfic?) Ron was my absolute favourite part of this. He made me laugh out loud almost every time he spoke. And Draco and Harry's tension together is just so great. I'll be rereading this in the future for sure.
Warnings: potential dub-con warning because Harry isn't in charge of what happens in the dreams but Draco is. But Harry is an enthusiastic participant throughout, especially once he gets past the confusion.

Discussion Zone for Once Upon a Wet Dream

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𐂂 Title: Release

By: maraudersaffair
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43049607
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: After serving two years in Azkaban, Draco is ready to finally live his life on his own terms. He gets a job at Borgin and Burkes, rents a crummy flat in Knockturn, and begins seeking out fit Muggles to shag.
Then one night Draco comes across a gorgeous man who's tied himself up and stuck a message on the wall for any stranger to read: Free use. And what's even better? The man resembles Harry Potter.

Tag List: Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, EWE, Free Use, Public Sex, Group Sex, Minor Harry Potter/Original Male Character(s), Minor Harry Potter/Charlie Weasley, Voyeurism, Angst, Self-Hatred, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, BDSM, Flogging, Begging, Dirty Talk, Choking, Degradation, Humiliation, Smoking, Implied/Reference Past Parent Death, Glory Hole, Down and Out Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy Friendship, POV Draco Malfoy, Post-Azkaban Draco Malfoy, Free Use Harry Potter, Dom Draco Malfoy, Sub Harry Potter, Falling In Love, Getting Together, First Dates, 17k

Commentary: Wow wow wow, all kinds of steamy goodness. But also balanced with so much true, earnest emotion from both of them. I loved how much insight we got into Draco's mental state and his opinion of himself through the way he treated his and Harry's relationship (and Draco's developing friendship with Hermione, for that matter), plus Abraxas (Draco's grandfather, the portrait) was a real treat. I also loved getting to see Harry let loose and relax and feel so very wanted during his off-work hours. The final scene of them at the Glory was absurdly hot, but I especially appreciated Harry's reaction to everything Draco was saying after their dinner, and when he kissed his dark mark—my god! Such a good fic, and I love tinkerer Draco and I adore the burgeoning acceptance between Draco and Ron. So many tiny details I want to mention that were all so appreciated!
Warnings: potential dub-con tag is needed because they had sex without Harry knowing who Draco was. BUT this lack of knowledge was something Harry explicitly wanted and otherwise it was totally consensual.

Discussion Zone for Release

Over 50k

Explicit

🏅 𐂂 Title: Fire Meets Gasoline

⚯͛ By: lettersbyelise
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42956355/chapters/107924649
Rating: Explicit
Author Summary: When Draco's anger management issues land him in St Mungo's, he thinks his Quidditch career is over. But Harry, A&E Healer and notorious workaholic, is faced with a similar predicament. To save their jobs, the two of them decide to fake a relationship. All they have to do is convince their friends and employers... and not fall in love in the process. Simple, right?

Tag List: Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, EWE, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Slow Burn, Unresolved Sexual Tension, idiots to lovers, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Minor Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Past Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Past Draco Malfoy/Original Character(s), Healer Harry Potter, Quidditch Player Draco Malfoy, Person of Color Harry Potter, Snark, Banter, Harry Potter Has Issues, Draco Malfoy Has Issues, Drinking, anger management issues, Canon-Typical Violence, Workaholic Harry Potter, Sleep Deprivation, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Pregnant Minor Character, Shower Sex, Smut, Dirty Talk, Sectumsempra Scars (Harry Potter), Swearing, Implied/Referenced Past Murder of a Parent, Bisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Draco Malfoy, Happy Ending, 62k

Commentary: I'm in love with this story. SO many screams have been silenced by my pillow. The sexual tension, the growing trust, the side characters—literally everything. I can picture it all so clearly and I'm Obsessed-obsessed, okay? It's sweet, it's hot, there's so so much UST, and I just loved every moment. This might be my new favourite fake relationship fic, which is saying oh so much. It's one of the most believable premises, first off, and also unique while still being full of wonderful tropes. Give it a read, seriously. It got me out of a major reading slump and allowed me to enjoy the rest of the fest wholeheartedly.

Discussion Zone for Fire Meets Gasoline

Other Recommendations

Requests

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More info on Erised fest!
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Note for readers: If you're interested in being a part of this fest for 2023, applications are usually sometime in July (it's a matter of speed in terms of securing a spot), then you get assignments in early August and spend August–October writing. At the beginning of November, you turn in your fic so the moderators can check for anything that needs to be fixed (non-intentional canonical issues, meeting your giftee's requests, grammar and style, etc) and then all throughout December, they're posted anonymously on AO3! There are more instructions you'll have to follow if you want to join (including having previously published a fic or art), so go ahead and look up H/D Erised online to get started. (You can find them at hd-erised on Tumblr, hd_erised on AO3, or hd_erised on dreamwidth—which I find to be the most helpful site for getting information).

Here's a link for dreamwidth as it's the hardest to find by simply searching Google: https://hd-erised.dreamwidth.org