I was honestly surprised to enjoy this story so much, given its odd pairing. By nature of the content, it has a good bit of Draco in Leather Pants, however it doesn't completely re-write his personality and motivations. There's still a good bit of self-interest, arrogance and deceit to go along with it, and Luna is delightful counter-balance. I really enjoyed getting an insight into her thoughts (on more than just Draco) and her background. Draco's character also develops over the course of the story, and we see a wonderful amount of insight into his tumultuous relationship with Harry, Ron and Hermione. It also features some fascinating little conversations between Snape and Dumbledore to give a different angle on the story, and help elevate the goings-on from potential teenage drama to a truly engaging and exciting story.
The story treats all the characters in the story wonderfully (which is saying something, given this fandom's love of character-bashing ) whilst still feeling believable. They all have interesting motivations, even the villains. Being an Alternate Universe fic, it also re-shapes some of the plot-points from HBP and DH in a refreshing and exciting way. Even if you dislike the pairing, it's worth reading for the imagination the author has at adapting and developing the story and characters.
The only negatives I have to offer are that firstly sometimes Draco feels a little too redeemed in the eyes of other characters. There are a few Americanisms (though not many at all compared to other fanfics). Lastly it makes use of two tropes I personally dislike (won't reveal due to spoilers), but one is older than dirt and is overdone in story-telling, especially het romances (though to its credit, the story does lampshade that). The other carries Unfortunate Implications.
Warning: spoilers for Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows
Well-written and enticing
I was honestly surprised to enjoy this story so much, given its odd pairing. By nature of the content, it has a good bit of Draco in Leather Pants, however it doesn't completely re-write his personality and motivations. There's still a good bit of self-interest, arrogance and deceit to go along with it, and Luna is delightful counter-balance. I really enjoyed getting an insight into her thoughts (on more than just Draco) and her background. Draco's character also develops over the course of the story, and we see a wonderful amount of insight into his tumultuous relationship with Harry, Ron and Hermione. It also features some fascinating little conversations between Snape and Dumbledore to give a different angle on the story, and help elevate the goings-on from potential teenage drama to a truly engaging and exciting story.
The story treats all the characters in the story wonderfully (which is saying something, given this fandom's love of character-bashing ) whilst still feeling believable. They all have interesting motivations, even the villains. Being an Alternate Universe fic, it also re-shapes some of the plot-points from HBP and DH in a refreshing and exciting way. Even if you dislike the pairing, it's worth reading for the imagination the author has at adapting and developing the story and characters.
The only negatives I have to offer are that firstly sometimes Draco feels a little too redeemed in the eyes of other characters. There are a few Americanisms (though not many at all compared to other fanfics). Lastly it makes use of two tropes I personally dislike (won't reveal due to spoilers), but one is older than dirt and is overdone in story-telling, especially het romances (though to its credit, the story does lampshade that). The other carries Unfortunate Implications.
Warning: spoilers for Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows