The Ultimate Beginner Guide to Dramione Fanfic
(This guide was created to help you enter Dramione world - or to support a seasoned Dramione fan trying to explain to their book bestie why these stories feel like “more than life.” Enjoy!)
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If you are new to all of that and you’ve ever found yourself wondering why people are so deeply obsessed with the idea of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger together, this guide is for you.
Disclaimer: Dramione might just be your next obsession and might spoil regular books for you forever, so read at your own risk! =P
Fanfiction can be such a crazy idea at first (even suffering a little prejudice), but once you understand it, it opens up an entirely new chapter in a book lover reading journey. I’ll hold your hand and walk you through this beautiful rabbit hole together!
What Is Fanfiction?
Fanfiction (aka “fanfic”) is a form of storytelling created by readers for readers. It’s what happens when people fall in love with fictional characters and decide the story didn’t end on the last page. Fanfic is creative freedom: people using their passion (and their free time) to build worlds, explore identities, and express sexuality, gender, grief, healing, and love.
Anyone can write fanfiction. You don’t need permission or a book deal. Just a love for a story and the desire to tell your own version of it.
History of Fanfiction
Fanfiction has been around longer than most people realize... Readers have always reinterpreted stories, from Jane Austen to anime and music idols. But in the modern era, it really took off with fandoms like Star Trek in the 1960s and became more accessible with websites like FanFiction.net in the early 2000s.
It’s a great space for amateur writers to find their voice and eventually turn their work into famous books. Good examples are Fifty Shades of Grey (originally a Twilight fanfic) or The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (originally a Star Wars's Rey and Kylo Ren inspired fanfic).
These days, the main home for fanfiction is Archive of Our Own (AO3), a nonprofit platform designed to protect and celebrate transformative works. AO3 is fully searchable by fandom, deeply tagged, and a total treasure chest. Most fanfic lives on AO3, Wattpad, Tumblr, and Reddit (depending on the fandom and format).
Fandom Etiquette: Read This Before You Dive In
Before we throw you into the fanfic world, here’s the golden rule: fanfic is a gift. Authors don’t get paid, there’s no official editing process, and yet we’re given full-length novels with beautiful prose and original, binge-worthy plots for free. This means:
Keep fanfic free. Fanfic is always accessible to read for free, mostly on AO3. If you’re an audiobook person, there are many "podfics" that can be found on Spotify and other podcast channels, where the creators do a wonderful job.
No fanfic ratings. This isn’t Goodreads. If it’s not for you, click away and move on with kindness. The best thing you can do is leave a kind comment or a simple “kudos.”
No selling binds. Want a physical copy? You’ll need to learn how to make a bind for personal use (Google “fanfic binding tutorials”, it’s a hobby in itself). No monetary exchange is allowed, only gifting.
Merch is a grey zone. People have different opinions about it, but as a bookish shop, I choose to create a general Dramione Merch that celebrates the fandom as a whole, never fanfic specific. I believe the fandom deeply seeks connection with other fans and need an outlet to honor what these stories have meant to us. I also support fan artists who gift us with incredible Dramione fanart, and they deserve the spotlight, hence I created my popular Artists Collabs.
Respect the creators. Support them. Thank them. Leave a comment or kudos. And never forget: this fandom thrives on mutual love and kindness.
Dramione Symbols & Useful Terms
Some iconic symbols have emerged within the Dramione world:
Paper Crane and Rose 🌹– References to Manacled. The paper crane, especially, has become the ultimate mascot for the fandom.
Cinnamon Roll 🥐 – A type of Draco Malfoy that’s soft, warm, and romantic.
Crookshanks 🐈– Always “supervising” their love story in his iconic grumpy self.
Useful fanfic terms:
Canon – The original story (e.g., it’s canon that Hermione and Ron end up together).
Drabble – A short fanfic with 100 words or less.
One-Shot – A short fanfic with only one chapter.
WIP / Work In Progress – Fanfics that are ongoing and not finished.
Spice / Smut – Explicit sex adult content.
Alternate Universe (AU) – Stories that place characters in a universe different from the original (e.g., Voldemort wins the war).
Why HP Fanfiction Is So Popular
The Harry Potter series meant a lot to many of us growing up. After the controversial views of the original author, many fans have found comfort and community in fanfic, which allows them to reclaim a beloved universe in ways that feel more inclusive, romantic, and progressive than canon ever allowed.
Dramione, in particular, is about believing that Draco deserved better and exploring what his redemption might have looked like.
Where to Start: Dramione Best Fanfics Recs and My Favorites
Here’s a list of essential Dramione stories (in my humble opinion) to get you started. They’re beloved for a reason, and each one shows a different side of Hermione and Draco. You don’t have to read everything at once (but honestly? You’ll probably want to).
1. Manacled by SenLinYu
One of the most well-known fics in the fandom that turned Dramione mainstream, and also made it to Oprah's List - such incredible prose and plot. A dark, dystopian AU where Voldemort wins the war and Hermione is trapped in a forced breeding program.
Yeah. It's heavy. It’s also one of the most heartbreakingly gorgeous things ever written with a bitter-sweet ending. Think: The Handmaid’s Tale meets Deathly Hallows. If your heart allows it, I PROMISE it will alter your brain chemistry and it's my life mission to spread the word.
📖 370,515 words
⚠️ Please read trigger warnings first, this one is very heavy.
✨ SenLinYu recently got a major book deal for this work: Manacled is becoming Alchemised this September!
📥 It’s been removed from AO3, but if you’re wondering how to read it, I got you! You can download the Manacled ePub here.
Check out SenLinYu’s other fanfics free to read on AO3.
2. Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by isthisselfcare (aka Brigitte Knightley)
Also known as DMATMOOBIL is witty, hilarious, and totally binge-worthy. Hermione is a healer and Draco is the auror assigned to protect her. He’s naughty, full of himself, and surprisingly charming. A perfect follow-up read after Manacled.
📖 370,515 words
✨ Author Brigitte Knightley’s upcoming book, The Irresistible Urge to Fall in Love with Your Enemy, is loosely based on this fic.
📖 Read it on AO3.
3. The Right and Wrong Series + The Auction by lovesbitca8 (Julie Soto)
A beautiful and romantic (one of my all-time favorites) series in which Draco and Hermione secretly loved each other since early Hogwarts days.
The Right Thing to Do (Hermione’s POV)
📖 174,911 words
All the Wrong Things (Draco’s POV)
📖 160,297 words
The Auction (a darker AU set in the same world)
📖 326,000 words
⚠️ Please read trigger warnings first - similar to Manacled
✨ Julie Soto, now a bestselling author, is releasing Rose in Chains this July, based on The Auction.
📥 The Auction has been removed from AO3, but if you’re wondering how to read it, I got you! You can download the The Auction ePub here.
4. Measure of a Man by inadaze22
A slower (very long), character-driven story about growth, healing, and partnership, but no less essential. Draco’s journey into becoming a son, a father and a man worthy of love is incredibly moving. (Big tears were shed here.)
📖 588,659 words
📖 Read it on AO3.
5. Breath Mints / Battle Scars by Onyx_and_Elm
A toxic but unforgettable Dramione dynamic that explores the trauma of war and its aftermath. Amazing storytelling, incredible spice, and lots of angst, with a happy ending.
📖 148,908 words
📥 It’s been removed from AO3, but you can download the BM/BS ePub here.
Other Classics to Bookmark
Wait and Hope by mightbewriting
Love and Other Historical Accidents by PacificRimbaud
The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy by speechwritter
Secrets and Masks by Emerald_Slytherin
Apple Pies and Other Amends by ToEatAPeach
Bloody, Slutty and Pathetic by WhatMurdah
There are many more, but these are great places to begin.
Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Cult
The Dramione fandom is filled with passion, talent, and creativity. If you're just starting out, know that you're joining an unhinged (but incredible) community. You’ll be surprised by how huge Dramione has become, and you are always welcome here.
Let me know if this helped and if you agree!
Have other Dramione recommendations? Feel free to comment them below!
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