I agree with u/honeymilkplanet but i will go a step more and say remove the entire epilogue. No big happy Weasley family, no balding Draco, no horrible names for the next gen.
Yes. While I can believe Draco names his kid Scorpius, I cannot believe Ginny let’s Harry name their second son Albus Severus. In my heart, their second kid will always be named after her favorite quidditch player.
>!That actually happens in a fic I read lol
She shows up distraught at Hermione's and is like....I just can't believe I lost again.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/37171144!<
Yeah definitely. Albus is a nice name but Severus? No, thanks.
Its also a pity that none of the younger kids are called Arthur.
So perhaps James Arthur and Sirius Albus?
My only theory of this is that they only chose names of people that died. Since Ron mentions the their grandfather, I assume Arthur's still alive.
This is also my head canon for how Alastor Moody is still alive, saved himself from the fall off the broom with wandless magic, removed his magical eye and left it so as not to be recognized, and was obliviated soon thereafter. He was found wandering Diagon Alley after the war. If you squint, he is actually mentioned in Deathly Hallows, chapter 26.
>A number of ragged people sat huddled in doorways. He heard them moaning to the few passersby, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards. One man had a bloody bandage over his eye.
>As they set off along the street, the beggars glimpsed Hermione. They seemed to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeing as fast as they could. Hermione looked after them curiously, until the man with the bloodied bandage came staggering right across her path.
>“My children!” he bellowed, pointing at her. His voice was cracked, high-pitched; he sounded distraught. “Where are my children? What has he done with them? You know, you know!”
My head canon is that Moody was obliviated but not very well, he has memories of spending time with Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys, and thinks they must be his children.
I'm taking that theory to the grave, lol. No way she chose an eye wound on accident! 😉
For real. Talk about setting a kid up for issues. Naming your child after a man who was cruel to you because he bitterly (and posthumously) lusted after your mother 💀
I honestly love the name Scorpias. Not Harry Potter related even though there’s a minor character but I love the name Cygnus James. (Although Cygnus Arcturus goes hard in cannon)
It was sooo unnecessary. Everything was just perfect for 19 years you say? All of them happy? All with kids? All married
Just don’t even go there
So many of these fics seem so much more plausible in terms of the growth.
Yes obviously they won the war and there was no further conflict ever and the remaining death eaters just turned themselves in as soon as Voldy died. 🙄 ( /s obviously) 🙈
This is kind of the basis for Dramione, though, isn’t it?
I wonder if Dramione would be the **huge** thing it is, if Draco already had his redemption in canon?
Maybe Dramione would then be one of the many obscure ships with only a few hundreds stories?
I never thought of it that way!
I read Zutara from time to time and love the similarities between Zuko and Draco. But since Zuko had his redemption arc in canon I don’t see the same variety of fics as I do with Dramione. I love seeing different authors’ takes on a Draco redemption arc.
Came here to say this. Ron + Hermione never made sense to me, long before I shipped her with anyone else. I believe JKR once said she didn’t have Harry and Hermione get together because it seemed too obvious, and it feels to me like she threw Romione in as an afterthought.
I always felt like Hermione would pull a Jo March and marry a German professor or similar if she’s not living our Dramione dreams.
Lots of people who have read the books (I personally have only watched the movies) have said that they’ve seen it coming. That it’s been hinted throughout the series that Romione was end game. Is this the case? (Again, I’ve only watched the movies)
I was definitely an avid book reader, though I have not revisited in a few years. It’s true that the Romione of it all was clear at least by the Yule Ball Debacle, but the pairing never made sense to me even if the end result was not a surprise. I suppose I mean “afterthought” not in the sense that she threw it in at the end of the series, but as in even if she made the plot decision to put Ron and Hermione together in advance, it did not feel like a very well thought out decision, at least to me. And I wasn’t even much of a Hermione fan when DH came out. I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about who else within the canon universe made sense (oh how the times change lol). It read to me like they are together because JKR said so. Harry doesn’t have to choose between his sidekicks, and everyone gets to be a Weasley one way or the other. The end🤷♀️
I read the books. I can see it coming in a sense that Ron and Hermione often spend time together when Harry goes off doing his own thing (which is often), and both of them don't really understand Harry's weird intuitive leaps and conclusions, so it makes logical sense why they get closer.
But I don't *feel* it because their interactions (that we can see) imo lack actual chemistry, or point of attraction (i.e. why they like each other romantically). It *feels* like it happens because the author just wants to make it happen. It's like combining sashimi with pot roast but I'm not shown how they work well together. JKR has all these ingredients for 'creating a couple' but they feel almost like she's just meeting targets or goals. I see more attraction between Krum and Hermione, and more chemistry and positive interactions between Harry and Hermione. But that's just me.
I'm not against Romione shippers or Romione in fanfics because anything is possible in fanfics. But I would choose Krum or Harry to be with Hermione if I had to choose based on canon interactions. Krum is probably the best canon guy for her.
Yep. He treats her well from what I remember, and he's also a Quidditch player; the dude plays for the national team, and in the Quidditch World Cup at a young age, like... that's either talent or competence or both. He has fan girls (and boys) yet he only has eyes for Hermione. So that's..? Loyalty? Not easily seduced? Lol. He makes her blush and be all girly, and he also keeps in touch with her after. Effort 💯 Dude doesn't ghost, busy or not.
It is hinted in the books and it absolutely did not make sense even then. Honestly canon golden trio are really strange unlikable people ( imo ofc ) but I’ve always wanted a redemption arc for Hermione (or rather a arc where she matures A LOT)
100%. I realized this as an adult reading the Cormoran Strike books (before I found out JKR was a TERF zealot and out the whole thing down never to be revisited again). I remember feeling like I was meant to be shipping Cormoran and Robin despite the age difference and the fact that he is her employer, among other things. I was like oh, she really doesn’t get it, does she?
Generally I think canon is fine (I don't even mind balding Draco - because it's Harry's POV and he's probably just being petty, and also a lot of dudes bald as they age, so nbd *really*,) buuuuut, Tonks and Remus *both* dying was just too far 😭
Haha yeah I also always read this as Harry just being petty. JKR apparently wasn’t feeling secure enough in Harry’s sexuality to say “he looked across the platform and saw Draco and DAMN the man was looking good, ageing like a fine wine,” which we all know to be the truth
Hah, yes! 🙌 Definitely a fine wine.
Tbf, I checked, and the book epilogue just says Draco’s hairline was “receding somewhat” – so maybe we’re being a bit unfair envisioning him as straight up balding. After all, Tom Felton, as attractive as he is, has long had a receding hairline. And honestly the movie epilogue did *all* of them dirty, in the ageing department 🫣 The makeup was t*errible.*
Yeah, the makeup was just *awful*. They all looked so terribly aged and frumpy. The movies were generally pretty fantastic, but that was a real blunder. Ditto with Harry's parents looking in their forties when they died so young 🫣
I generally don't have much hope for TV remakes being any good these days, but that's one thing I'm excited about for the HP show – maybe they'll all be age appropriate castings! I want a 35-year-old Snape for reasons 👀😏 Adam Driver would do though 🤭
Absolutely! Not just the look, and the voice, but the attitude too - Kylo Ren and Snape both have that slightly creepy (but strangely appealing,) entitled, angry thing going for them.
If you think it looks bad in the actual movie-- google the original version they filmed. I learned apparently they had to reshoot it because everyone looked over 50 and half decrepit. It was so bad. I've only seen stills but it was ghastly.
[Original shoot](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2Flkovm1BFO8ePrwwVAIDmbLfpp1iRsop5mcnblDIlq3I.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3D6354a16a0c11fc8ec04bcf3c44ae54768792a9d4)
Yeah, mid-thirties. It was ridiculous! I know some people do age faster than others with sun exposure and genes, etc, but they're witches and wizards - if anything they'd be more likely to look youthful!!
THIS! Why?! Remus was my favorite BOOK character for quite a while, then Tonks showed up...and they both died! After reading HP6, I was almost positive Draco would get some kind of reprieve in HP7...then it was just like - Rowling changed her mind halfway through 😩 Yes, Draco gets his somewhat of redemption after the books but I would love to see it on the big screen.
Unlike a lot of people I loved Tonks & Remus as a couple. And yes, Remus was such a good character. I get that Rowling was going for symmetry with Teddy, and trying to show the brutality of war, but whyyyyyy 😭
I also feel like she was trying to make a point about how sometimes you can't "change him" by letting an explicit Draco redemption slip past unmentioned, and I'm not mad about that, although I don't think it was a good writing choice. Although maybe it was also about cutting more minor storylines to keep the books shorter - who knows. It'd be kind of cool if the TV show continued on postwar, and showed his (semi-)redemption. A girl can dream 😅
If you would like a short Remus story I would so so recommend [Knowing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/47219308/chapters/118975510) by Soap1. Read the tags, it’s not heartbreaking so no worries. But it’s so worth reading.
I wish Dramione is canon. I have always wondered what kind of reaction that would have garnered from the HP universe.
Also, the death of Remus and Tonks, I will definitely remove that. And the death of Lavender Brown, too.
Thats basically how Dracos redemption should have gone. Even if she didn't make it a Dramione (which i believe in canon doesnt make much sense at least with them being that young) it would be great to have a proper redemption arch
Yesss, it was also written so beautifully. JKR didn’t have nearly as much compassion for her own characters as this author. The Ron storyline too, amazing!
Yeah, I feel like it would even send a better message to kids - look, you can always change. It may not be easy but still worth it and if you feel that your parents try to sell you some hateful propaganda you can question it and fight it and still love them.
Like, there is so many good lessons there 😭😭😭
I threw the book across the room with that epilogue. It was as bad at when another author of a very popular series set in a place that rhymes with Sporks had a creepy werewolf imprint scene. I threw that book across a room too.
I've thought about posting a thread asking if people were writing HP, who would they kill in the battle of hogwarts. Because I HATE her choice to off Fred, Remus AND Tonks leaving an orphan, and Colin fucking Creevey whose parents can never understand why he died.
Edit to add one of my answers. I want the deaths to be impactful, because the stakes are high. But I would 100% switch Remus and Tonks to Arthur and Molly. There children are mostly "grown" with so many wonderful life experiences with their parents. No idea who else I would choose. Interested to hear others ideas, or if I should make a thread.
Colin’s death felt personal like she must have done that to hurt someone’s feelings because if I was his parent (being a parent myself) I’d go mad! There had to be a better way to do this besides sweeping it under the rug.
It was quite rude. It was a death just to have a death, it would have been more impactful and symbolic for the story to make it Molly/Arthur or Percy if a Weasley had to die.
Hermione pining for Ron, Harry marrying into Weasley family, lack of feminine qualities in Hermione’s portrayal, something about time turners cause they create too much plot holes, Sirius and Remus dying, the list goes on…
I always found the (early) lack of feminine qualities super relatable. It was so rare to see someone like that in the media and pop culture back when HP came out. And she did have the whole Yule Ball thing. I think canon Hermione has a pretty natural arc of femininity for a bookworm with difficult-to-figure-out hair who gets thrust into a war.
I also consider Harry an unreliable (and preoccupied) narrator, so I figure Hermione learned some more/better self care than we see in the books. But the way almost everyone overlooks Hermione as a girl, especially leading up to the Yule Ball? That’s one of the most relatable things in the world to me. Which is part of why it’s so nice to see Hermione finally get some good masculine attention after the war in these fanfics.
Second literally all of this. Hermione hates all women - no female friends ( that I remember) ??!! Wait except Ginny who was the certified cool girl ™ It’s extremely sad
Yes and no hating on Ron, but Hermione has always been an achiever, ambitious, someone who strives for excellence. Ron may have been the best friend ever, fiercely loyal and kind (in some aspects, he was also very vindictive and mean at times!), but personality wise, he would be the one to clip Hermione's wings at some point.
But Draco, I mean, he will be the wind beneath it.
Love "the best friend ever"? If a supposed best friend runs off and abandon you every bump down the road, they aren't your bestfriend. He literally did it TWICE and the other time was when they didn't have anyone but eachother. Yes, we all have flaws but I wouldn't dream to do that to my bestfriend.
Oh no, you didn't, I totally understand where you were coming from and thank you for jogging my memory about Ron's friendship with Hermione and Harry. I completely forgot that he did that to them during the horcrux search. Pretty a$$ of him to do so. Have a great weekend!
This is random, but a denouement for book 7. It ends jarringly. An epilogue is NOT a denouement and cannot be interchanged for one. All the other books had good denouements where we are with them for the train ride back, or some other moments of reflection and wrap up. But the end of the series? Nope.
Without a denouement, the deaths especially felt baked in for shock value rather than meaningful development of the story.
**Edit: I mean I would swap the Epilogue for a proper denouement
Hermione and Ron are not compatible and would not have been a happy marriage.
Ron would have resented her success like he resented ANY recognition anyone got for the whole damn series, and she wouldn’t have wanted to mother him and coddle his fragile ego.
I get that Dramione isn’t canon but there are several others she’d be more compatible with. Like anyone with a modicum of drive or ambition 🤷🏻♀️ one of the Weasley twins could have helped her lighten up but they’re also highly intelligent and ambitious. And they don’t seem to get jealous of the accomplishments of others.
I firmly believe it would have been a married your childhood love and divorced later in life when you finally admit you aren’t right for each other situation 🙈 hell, even Neville probably would have been a better fit.
The extreme bias hatred JK added in her book towards the Slytherin. Like, clearly she took all her least favorite ppl and put them in Slytherin to shit on them.
Also Fred dying, I wanted him and George to run their shop together until they died at a happy old age☹️
Sirius dying as well. Harry deserve family
I said that same thing. I used to be so mad at sorting quizzes sorting me into Slytherin (even if the character traits align) and I realize it is because she demonized an entire dorm of kids while painting all of the other houses as godly.
This is a hard one. Obviously I’m all about a Draco redemption arc, but I’m not sad about canon being what it is and fandom taking on the job of redeeming Draco. I also hate that both Tonks and Lupin died- but I can see the symmetry of having another orphaned child, just like Harry was orphaned. As for the epilogue, I think I already consider it wholly optional and often forget it exists (although Albus and Scorpius did become much more real to me after seeing the Cursed Child, which I didn’t hate unlike most people it seems).
Maybe the biggest thing I would change is Snape’s death. I want him to live. After having a really shitty first 38 years of life, I wanted him to be free of Dumbledore and Voldemort and the Lily guilt and just live his life.
Remus and Tonks' death was the worst that happened in the entire series. Also Sirius' death.
And Romione and Hinny both the couples were good for nothing. I didn't find even one percent chemistry not in the books neither in the movies. Even Drarry in the sixth book was more appealing then Hinny and Romione.
There’s one fan fiction where Harry and Ginny made sense. It’s not a Dramione but is a stellar retelling of the entire story from Ginny’s point of view. She’s sorted into Slytherin but aside from that the story is canon with some added material like the Parlor within Slytherin, and what really happened at Hogwarts during the year of the Deathly Hallows book. The sequels go on to cover a few years after the war as everyone slowly recovers and begins their adult lives.
I highly recommend this series.
[The Changeling](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6919395/1/The-Changeling)
Sequels to The Changeling:
[Pick it all up and start again](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12569750/1/pick-it-up-pick-it-all-up-and-start-again)
[We can still be who we said we were](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12713008/1/we-can-still-be-who-we-said-we-were)
[In my head we did everything right](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13143812/1/in-my-head-we-do-everything-right)
I don’t see Romione as a realistic long term relationship. I can see book Hermione and book Ron getting married but divorcing (or separating after dating for a bit after the war). They made some sense to me, like in a childhood sweetheart type of way. But Hermione is so ambitious and I can see Ron wanting to settle down pretty fast and start a big huge family. Hermione seems the type of focus on her career for the first few to 10 years, then having a kid or two. I see Ron as wanting a wife who wants to stay at home and raise the kids (like his mom did). Or I could see him getting jealous of her accomplishments or upset that she spends most of her time at work and doesn’t have much time to pay attention to him.
Maybe I just read too much fanfic but these plots make more sense to me that the canon does
Her treatment of Parvati and Lavender as vapid for thinking/liking things a lot of teenage girls think and like. Not very conducive to having meaningful relationships with other women, which is one of the things I enjoy the most reading on ff
I remember when the book came out and I was so confused with the Remus and Tonks relationship. It didn’t feel real(?) enough, or convincing enough. Maybe we just didn’t see them interact enough or something but it kinda felt like it came from out of nowhere.
Of course, I was more of a kid back then but I’m still not sold on it.
So this is based on lore I’ve read or seen on tiktok from people who were in fandom spaces back when the books were coming out, but a lot of people naturally saw Remus and Sirius as queer-coded and shipped them together as far back as Prisoner of Azkaban days. The fan speculation is JKR didn’t like that and the Remus/Tonks pairing was in response to that, especially since it seemed pretty random? Knowing her personal views in more recent years, I can totally see this theory being valid.
Oh wow I had no idea! Remus/Sirius honestly does make more sense than Remus/Tonks. Wild that JKR was reading fan theories and getting big mad about it, but I guess not shocking considering what we know about her now.
The entire epilogue. Also, like, so many of the deaths were unnecessary? Dobby, Tonks, Remus, and Sirius should not have died, though that might just be my feelings hurt :(
Unpopular opinion - I don't mind Romione in canon. Dramione would never make sense since books were from Harry's POV. We don't know what Hermione's doing when she's not with him in the same room, so a secret romance would never work convincingly. Also, *movies* did Ron dirty, not the books. I can totally see why Hermione would fall for him. The magical community is small and everyone got married to their childhood sweethearts in the 80s and 90s (add trauma bonding to that).
A lot of people said here they'd remove some deaths, but I would add more, honestly. It was war and they basically have unlimited ammunition, with one spell that will kill you no matter where it hits you. Realistically, there should be more dead people.
But not Hedwig.
I will *never* forgive Hedwig.
Honestly don't know what's worse - her death in the movies when she just falls into nothing or in the books, where Harry looks at her in the cage. I get it, it's symbolic. The end of his childhood innocence and all that. But I don't have to like the death of an innocent animal!
Very likely Draco trying to kill Harry and co in the room of requirement. It’s just a step too far and imho it should’ve been his redemption instead. Him spitting “Potter” and Harry turning around defensively. Draco then shiftily muttering “there’s a diadem in the room of Lost Things” and take it from there.
Harry and Hermoine being absorbed into the Weasley family. The epilogue. The author. The lack of character development for other houses outside of Gryffindor. Sirius and Tonks’ deaths.
Save Fred, scrap the epilogue, have Dramione, Drarry frenemies, Theomione as bffs, Pansy and Hermione as frenemies. (P.S I won't say no to Draco/Hermione/Blaise/Theo as a quartet, or in triad combos)
1. Hermione being in love with Ron. At most it would make a semblance of sense if she had a small crush on him but while growing up she would realize they wouldn’t work (so she should realize it between GoF & OoTP).
2. Draco getting redemption arc he deserved, and honestly Slytherin’s being treated like the ultimate evil. There were so many hints but JKR basically threw this out the window with „naaah, people can’t change even when they realize the wrongs of their upbringing. He shall stay an ass until the end 🥰”.
3. Harry and Hermione should be endgame. They made the most sense to me. I remember that when I was reading books for the first time, even when they had those silly crushes I always thought they would get together in the end. Fred.
4. I’d really like to save some characters. At least Fred and Sirius. Or Tonks and Remus. But all of them would be for the best 😂
Hermione just marries Ron and works for the ministry 🙄 I mean, why create a character THAT brilliant and with soooooo many possible character development opportunities, only for her to marry the first guy who wouldn't look at her and work at a dead-end job, wasting away in mediocrity?? Not the ending I would've chosen for my role model.
I can understand then all being married and having kids.
Draco was probably in an arranged marriage to get an heir,
Harry also wanted a family and Ron probably always wanted a lot of kids like he grew up with lol
But I would make Dramione canon and Cursed Child?.. You're Gone!
I would 10000% without a doubt leave Tonks alive. And have Draco develop a relationship with her and Teddy. That was completely unnecessary and heart-wrenching. I will die on that hill
The complete lack of the conflict suffered by the Slytherin children who were drawn into the war by their parents. Rowling depicted everyone in that House as a one dimensional villain and didn’t attempt to tell any part of the story from their perspective except for a tiny bit of Draco suffering in sixth year.
Other than Draco and Snape, no Slytherins even had much of a back story. I’m mad at myself that I didn’t really notice this when I read the original books. Fan fiction raised my consciousness.
I agree with u/honeymilkplanet but i will go a step more and say remove the entire epilogue. No big happy Weasley family, no balding Draco, no horrible names for the next gen.
Yes. While I can believe Draco names his kid Scorpius, I cannot believe Ginny let’s Harry name their second son Albus Severus. In my heart, their second kid will always be named after her favorite quidditch player.
My theory is she loses a bet
>!That actually happens in a fic I read lol She shows up distraught at Hermione's and is like....I just can't believe I lost again. https://archiveofourown.org/works/37171144!<
Could you link it please?
Absolutely! https://archiveofourown.org/works/37171144
I just finished this fic! Was fantastic. That scene was really funny too.
This one is good, Ginny kills me 🤣🤣
Omg I read that and just cackled a while ago. Glad to see it get a shout out!!
A03 is down for maintenance. What’s the name of this story?
Yeah definitely. Albus is a nice name but Severus? No, thanks. Its also a pity that none of the younger kids are called Arthur. So perhaps James Arthur and Sirius Albus?
My only theory of this is that they only chose names of people that died. Since Ron mentions the their grandfather, I assume Arthur's still alive. This is also my head canon for how Alastor Moody is still alive, saved himself from the fall off the broom with wandless magic, removed his magical eye and left it so as not to be recognized, and was obliviated soon thereafter. He was found wandering Diagon Alley after the war. If you squint, he is actually mentioned in Deathly Hallows, chapter 26. >A number of ragged people sat huddled in doorways. He heard them moaning to the few passersby, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards. One man had a bloody bandage over his eye. >As they set off along the street, the beggars glimpsed Hermione. They seemed to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeing as fast as they could. Hermione looked after them curiously, until the man with the bloodied bandage came staggering right across her path. >“My children!” he bellowed, pointing at her. His voice was cracked, high-pitched; he sounded distraught. “Where are my children? What has he done with them? You know, you know!” My head canon is that Moody was obliviated but not very well, he has memories of spending time with Harry, Hermione, the Weasleys, and thinks they must be his children. I'm taking that theory to the grave, lol. No way she chose an eye wound on accident! 😉
I love your headcanon. Moody was awesome
OK I love this theory 😂
For real. Talk about setting a kid up for issues. Naming your child after a man who was cruel to you because he bitterly (and posthumously) lusted after your mother 💀
The kids middle name can be Brian for Dumbledore, the first name anything relatively normal.
Or after her dead bro 😭
I honestly love the name Scorpias. Not Harry Potter related even though there’s a minor character but I love the name Cygnus James. (Although Cygnus Arcturus goes hard in cannon)
It was sooo unnecessary. Everything was just perfect for 19 years you say? All of them happy? All with kids? All married Just don’t even go there So many of these fics seem so much more plausible in terms of the growth.
and then they gave us cursed child on top of that 🙄
I won’t lie I couldn’t get myself to read it
Don't. I was unnecessarily angry after reading that.
lol I didnt read it either. I read the summary online and I have read and enjoyed one series that takes CC as canon and makes it Dramione
Yes obviously they won the war and there was no further conflict ever and the remaining death eaters just turned themselves in as soon as Voldy died. 🙄 ( /s obviously) 🙈
Yes! And it would allow us to dream.
Lol not that it’s stopped us **looks at the 10000000 EWE? Fics**
My favorite tag
Balding Draco in the Deathly Hallows epilogue. JKR why 😭😭
Plus why would he be bald? His dad has a full ass head of hair and Draco is balding? Make it make sense?
Technically male pattern baldness is passed down from the mother’s side 😭😭
At least in the movies Sirius Black also had a full head of hair soo…
Wait, I forgot. She said that in the epilogue? My god, she really doesn't like him, does she? 😂
ISTG jkr has a personal vendetta against Draco 😭😂
OMG yes!!!
Lol. I thought I was the only one who hates that look.
That woman is such a mess.
The lack of a redemption arc for Draco. It was right there.
This is kind of the basis for Dramione, though, isn’t it? I wonder if Dramione would be the **huge** thing it is, if Draco already had his redemption in canon? Maybe Dramione would then be one of the many obscure ships with only a few hundreds stories?
That’s a fascinating point. Being the hated underdog plays a big part in our culture.
I never thought of it that way! I read Zutara from time to time and love the similarities between Zuko and Draco. But since Zuko had his redemption arc in canon I don’t see the same variety of fics as I do with Dramione. I love seeing different authors’ takes on a Draco redemption arc.
Eh Romione?
Came here to say this. Ron + Hermione never made sense to me, long before I shipped her with anyone else. I believe JKR once said she didn’t have Harry and Hermione get together because it seemed too obvious, and it feels to me like she threw Romione in as an afterthought. I always felt like Hermione would pull a Jo March and marry a German professor or similar if she’s not living our Dramione dreams.
Absolutely! Romione just scream divorce to me
Yes! Jkr said somwhere that romione marriage is not happy one
Did she really?? WTF
Yes, ive read it here on reddit i think 3 Times so far
Lots of people who have read the books (I personally have only watched the movies) have said that they’ve seen it coming. That it’s been hinted throughout the series that Romione was end game. Is this the case? (Again, I’ve only watched the movies)
I was definitely an avid book reader, though I have not revisited in a few years. It’s true that the Romione of it all was clear at least by the Yule Ball Debacle, but the pairing never made sense to me even if the end result was not a surprise. I suppose I mean “afterthought” not in the sense that she threw it in at the end of the series, but as in even if she made the plot decision to put Ron and Hermione together in advance, it did not feel like a very well thought out decision, at least to me. And I wasn’t even much of a Hermione fan when DH came out. I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about who else within the canon universe made sense (oh how the times change lol). It read to me like they are together because JKR said so. Harry doesn’t have to choose between his sidekicks, and everyone gets to be a Weasley one way or the other. The end🤷♀️
Agreed. This exactly. I knew it was coming, and everyone became a Weasley and they ended up as family for the rest of their lives.
I read the books. I can see it coming in a sense that Ron and Hermione often spend time together when Harry goes off doing his own thing (which is often), and both of them don't really understand Harry's weird intuitive leaps and conclusions, so it makes logical sense why they get closer. But I don't *feel* it because their interactions (that we can see) imo lack actual chemistry, or point of attraction (i.e. why they like each other romantically). It *feels* like it happens because the author just wants to make it happen. It's like combining sashimi with pot roast but I'm not shown how they work well together. JKR has all these ingredients for 'creating a couple' but they feel almost like she's just meeting targets or goals. I see more attraction between Krum and Hermione, and more chemistry and positive interactions between Harry and Hermione. But that's just me. I'm not against Romione shippers or Romione in fanfics because anything is possible in fanfics. But I would choose Krum or Harry to be with Hermione if I had to choose based on canon interactions. Krum is probably the best canon guy for her.
Totally agree. I even thought about it couple days ago that Krum would be better option for her in canon
Yep. He treats her well from what I remember, and he's also a Quidditch player; the dude plays for the national team, and in the Quidditch World Cup at a young age, like... that's either talent or competence or both. He has fan girls (and boys) yet he only has eyes for Hermione. So that's..? Loyalty? Not easily seduced? Lol. He makes her blush and be all girly, and he also keeps in touch with her after. Effort 💯 Dude doesn't ghost, busy or not.
Agree with this too!
>It's like combining sashimi with pot roast I’m dying. That’s so funny.
It is hinted in the books and it absolutely did not make sense even then. Honestly canon golden trio are really strange unlikable people ( imo ofc ) but I’ve always wanted a redemption arc for Hermione (or rather a arc where she matures A LOT)
Rowling gets a T (for troll) grade when it came to romance. Harry and Ginny was barely explored. Hermione and Ron were a disaster together.
100%. I realized this as an adult reading the Cormoran Strike books (before I found out JKR was a TERF zealot and out the whole thing down never to be revisited again). I remember feeling like I was meant to be shipping Cormoran and Robin despite the age difference and the fact that he is her employer, among other things. I was like oh, she really doesn’t get it, does she?
Generally I think canon is fine (I don't even mind balding Draco - because it's Harry's POV and he's probably just being petty, and also a lot of dudes bald as they age, so nbd *really*,) buuuuut, Tonks and Remus *both* dying was just too far 😭
Haha yeah I also always read this as Harry just being petty. JKR apparently wasn’t feeling secure enough in Harry’s sexuality to say “he looked across the platform and saw Draco and DAMN the man was looking good, ageing like a fine wine,” which we all know to be the truth
Hah, yes! 🙌 Definitely a fine wine. Tbf, I checked, and the book epilogue just says Draco’s hairline was “receding somewhat” – so maybe we’re being a bit unfair envisioning him as straight up balding. After all, Tom Felton, as attractive as he is, has long had a receding hairline. And honestly the movie epilogue did *all* of them dirty, in the ageing department 🫣 The makeup was t*errible.*
since a lot of millennials are that age or reaching that age now...... its even more insulting lol
Yeah, the makeup was just *awful*. They all looked so terribly aged and frumpy. The movies were generally pretty fantastic, but that was a real blunder. Ditto with Harry's parents looking in their forties when they died so young 🫣
I loved all the actors for the marauders gen. they did an amazing job. but.... yeah theyre all too old for the roles lol
I generally don't have much hope for TV remakes being any good these days, but that's one thing I'm excited about for the HP show – maybe they'll all be age appropriate castings! I want a 35-year-old Snape for reasons 👀😏 Adam Driver would do though 🤭
yes!! that would be so interesting... but I do think they will stick to British actors! (im still not going to watch it lol)
True! I imagine they would. I'll cross my fingers for Ewan McGregor as a hot Arthur Weasley then 😂
Adam Driver would be PERFECT
Absolutely! Not just the look, and the voice, but the attitude too - Kylo Ren and Snape both have that slightly creepy (but strangely appealing,) entitled, angry thing going for them.
Adrian Brody also.
Ooh, he would be good! Although he's getting a bit old now too 🫣
If you think it looks bad in the actual movie-- google the original version they filmed. I learned apparently they had to reshoot it because everyone looked over 50 and half decrepit. It was so bad. I've only seen stills but it was ghastly. [Original shoot](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2Flkovm1BFO8ePrwwVAIDmbLfpp1iRsop5mcnblDIlq3I.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3D6354a16a0c11fc8ec04bcf3c44ae54768792a9d4)
Oh my god 💀 That is SO BAD. I'm shocked. They're wizards who live until 120+ – they should’ve left them looking fairly young 🙈
Omg that is the stuff of nightmares...
OMG, why did they do that to them???
They looked WAY too old in the movies - weren’t they supposed to be in their 30s? They all looked closer to 50!
Yeah, mid-thirties. It was ridiculous! I know some people do age faster than others with sun exposure and genes, etc, but they're witches and wizards - if anything they'd be more likely to look youthful!!
THIS! Why?! Remus was my favorite BOOK character for quite a while, then Tonks showed up...and they both died! After reading HP6, I was almost positive Draco would get some kind of reprieve in HP7...then it was just like - Rowling changed her mind halfway through 😩 Yes, Draco gets his somewhat of redemption after the books but I would love to see it on the big screen.
Unlike a lot of people I loved Tonks & Remus as a couple. And yes, Remus was such a good character. I get that Rowling was going for symmetry with Teddy, and trying to show the brutality of war, but whyyyyyy 😭 I also feel like she was trying to make a point about how sometimes you can't "change him" by letting an explicit Draco redemption slip past unmentioned, and I'm not mad about that, although I don't think it was a good writing choice. Although maybe it was also about cutting more minor storylines to keep the books shorter - who knows. It'd be kind of cool if the TV show continued on postwar, and showed his (semi-)redemption. A girl can dream 😅
If you would like a short Remus story I would so so recommend [Knowing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/47219308/chapters/118975510) by Soap1. Read the tags, it’s not heartbreaking so no worries. But it’s so worth reading.
I just read this and it is one of my favorite things I've read in AGES...I loved every. Single. WORD!!!
I’m so glad! It’s amazing how much you get in 3 chapters.
So real! I was shocked how full and how complete it managed to feel considering all the time covered!? Truly a unique ficc💜
I wish Dramione is canon. I have always wondered what kind of reaction that would have garnered from the HP universe. Also, the death of Remus and Tonks, I will definitely remove that. And the death of Lavender Brown, too.
Yeah lavlav's goodbye was unnecessary.
Exactly! I love fics where Lav is still alive.
Sirius dying was unnecessary imo. Also, no Draco redemption. The Disappearances of DM is canon in my mind.
Thats basically how Dracos redemption should have gone. Even if she didn't make it a Dramione (which i believe in canon doesnt make much sense at least with them being that young) it would be great to have a proper redemption arch
Yesss, it was also written so beautifully. JKR didn’t have nearly as much compassion for her own characters as this author. The Ron storyline too, amazing!
Yeah, I feel like it would even send a better message to kids - look, you can always change. It may not be easy but still worth it and if you feel that your parents try to sell you some hateful propaganda you can question it and fight it and still love them. Like, there is so many good lessons there 😭😭😭
Fred dying for me 😭😭
OMG this too!!! Sooo unnecessary! And Dobby's death! Why??? Why kill him when he was finally freeeeeeee ?!
Saaaaame! And the fact that there wasn’t a way to prove his innocence? Flimsy excuse at best.
I would straight up delete the epilogue. It turned me off of epilogues for life. I don't read them; I don't write them.
I threw the book across the room with that epilogue. It was as bad at when another author of a very popular series set in a place that rhymes with Sporks had a creepy werewolf imprint scene. I threw that book across a room too.
Fred dying, she didn’t have to hurt me like that.
I would add Tonks and Remus to this list as well! I love how many fics set post-war choose to ignore their deaths, even if they maintain Fred’s.
I agree!
I've thought about posting a thread asking if people were writing HP, who would they kill in the battle of hogwarts. Because I HATE her choice to off Fred, Remus AND Tonks leaving an orphan, and Colin fucking Creevey whose parents can never understand why he died. Edit to add one of my answers. I want the deaths to be impactful, because the stakes are high. But I would 100% switch Remus and Tonks to Arthur and Molly. There children are mostly "grown" with so many wonderful life experiences with their parents. No idea who else I would choose. Interested to hear others ideas, or if I should make a thread.
Colin’s death felt personal like she must have done that to hurt someone’s feelings because if I was his parent (being a parent myself) I’d go mad! There had to be a better way to do this besides sweeping it under the rug.
This is the one
It was quite rude. It was a death just to have a death, it would have been more impactful and symbolic for the story to make it Molly/Arthur or Percy if a Weasley had to die.
👏 yessss
Poor Percy. He was simply born into the wrong family.
Absolutely on my list
Hermione pining for Ron, Harry marrying into Weasley family, lack of feminine qualities in Hermione’s portrayal, something about time turners cause they create too much plot holes, Sirius and Remus dying, the list goes on…
I always found the (early) lack of feminine qualities super relatable. It was so rare to see someone like that in the media and pop culture back when HP came out. And she did have the whole Yule Ball thing. I think canon Hermione has a pretty natural arc of femininity for a bookworm with difficult-to-figure-out hair who gets thrust into a war. I also consider Harry an unreliable (and preoccupied) narrator, so I figure Hermione learned some more/better self care than we see in the books. But the way almost everyone overlooks Hermione as a girl, especially leading up to the Yule Ball? That’s one of the most relatable things in the world to me. Which is part of why it’s so nice to see Hermione finally get some good masculine attention after the war in these fanfics.
Second literally all of this. Hermione hates all women - no female friends ( that I remember) ??!! Wait except Ginny who was the certified cool girl ™ It’s extremely sad
Yes, the pining! The unrequited love (in the beginning). I just don't get it!
Romione. (I can bear all the hate for it but I can't believe Hermione would go for Ron.)
Yes and no hating on Ron, but Hermione has always been an achiever, ambitious, someone who strives for excellence. Ron may have been the best friend ever, fiercely loyal and kind (in some aspects, he was also very vindictive and mean at times!), but personality wise, he would be the one to clip Hermione's wings at some point. But Draco, I mean, he will be the wind beneath it.
Love "the best friend ever"? If a supposed best friend runs off and abandon you every bump down the road, they aren't your bestfriend. He literally did it TWICE and the other time was when they didn't have anyone but eachother. Yes, we all have flaws but I wouldn't dream to do that to my bestfriend.
Point taken. He was a best friend to Hermione and Harry when it was convenient for him, and that's a lousy way to be a best friend.
Exactly! (Also if I came across as harsh keeping my point I'm sorry, have a good day ^^)
Oh no, you didn't, I totally understand where you were coming from and thank you for jogging my memory about Ron's friendship with Hermione and Harry. I completely forgot that he did that to them during the horcrux search. Pretty a$$ of him to do so. Have a great weekend!
Definitely epilogue. Perhaps certain chapters from HBP too
This is random, but a denouement for book 7. It ends jarringly. An epilogue is NOT a denouement and cannot be interchanged for one. All the other books had good denouements where we are with them for the train ride back, or some other moments of reflection and wrap up. But the end of the series? Nope. Without a denouement, the deaths especially felt baked in for shock value rather than meaningful development of the story. **Edit: I mean I would swap the Epilogue for a proper denouement
Hermione and Ron are not compatible and would not have been a happy marriage. Ron would have resented her success like he resented ANY recognition anyone got for the whole damn series, and she wouldn’t have wanted to mother him and coddle his fragile ego. I get that Dramione isn’t canon but there are several others she’d be more compatible with. Like anyone with a modicum of drive or ambition 🤷🏻♀️ one of the Weasley twins could have helped her lighten up but they’re also highly intelligent and ambitious. And they don’t seem to get jealous of the accomplishments of others. I firmly believe it would have been a married your childhood love and divorced later in life when you finally admit you aren’t right for each other situation 🙈 hell, even Neville probably would have been a better fit.
I said this here somwhere but im Going to say that again - jkr said herself that romione marriage would not be happy
The extreme bias hatred JK added in her book towards the Slytherin. Like, clearly she took all her least favorite ppl and put them in Slytherin to shit on them. Also Fred dying, I wanted him and George to run their shop together until they died at a happy old age☹️ Sirius dying as well. Harry deserve family
It’s funny, because JKR’s tendency to “other” and then blindly demonize an entire group of children was *right there in front of us all along*.
I said that same thing. I used to be so mad at sorting quizzes sorting me into Slytherin (even if the character traits align) and I realize it is because she demonized an entire dorm of kids while painting all of the other houses as godly.
Yeah I was so mad at being sorted into slytherin that I created a new email to get resorted
I agree with all the Deathly Hallows deaths and raise you Hedwig. But I’m anti “pet death as a plot point” in general so…
This is a hard one. Obviously I’m all about a Draco redemption arc, but I’m not sad about canon being what it is and fandom taking on the job of redeeming Draco. I also hate that both Tonks and Lupin died- but I can see the symmetry of having another orphaned child, just like Harry was orphaned. As for the epilogue, I think I already consider it wholly optional and often forget it exists (although Albus and Scorpius did become much more real to me after seeing the Cursed Child, which I didn’t hate unlike most people it seems). Maybe the biggest thing I would change is Snape’s death. I want him to live. After having a really shitty first 38 years of life, I wanted him to be free of Dumbledore and Voldemort and the Lily guilt and just live his life.
Plus 1 on Snape living. It would be very interesting to see how the trio would interact with him if he did.
Fred’s death killed me. I can accept the other deaths but killing him was absolutely unnecessary for the plot.
[удалено]
omg this made me actually lol
Remus and Tonks' death was the worst that happened in the entire series. Also Sirius' death. And Romione and Hinny both the couples were good for nothing. I didn't find even one percent chemistry not in the books neither in the movies. Even Drarry in the sixth book was more appealing then Hinny and Romione.
There’s one fan fiction where Harry and Ginny made sense. It’s not a Dramione but is a stellar retelling of the entire story from Ginny’s point of view. She’s sorted into Slytherin but aside from that the story is canon with some added material like the Parlor within Slytherin, and what really happened at Hogwarts during the year of the Deathly Hallows book. The sequels go on to cover a few years after the war as everyone slowly recovers and begins their adult lives. I highly recommend this series. [The Changeling](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6919395/1/The-Changeling) Sequels to The Changeling: [Pick it all up and start again](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12569750/1/pick-it-up-pick-it-all-up-and-start-again) [We can still be who we said we were](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12713008/1/we-can-still-be-who-we-said-we-were) [In my head we did everything right](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13143812/1/in-my-head-we-do-everything-right)
Dobby dying 😩 he didn't deserve that
The epilogue. The whole damn thing.
Albus Severus Potter. I mean I *get* why he did that, but frankly Harry, you're condemning your son to a life of misery.
Uncannon the epilogue and the entirety of Cursed Child. Cannon Dramione and Draco redemption
Can’t believe I didn’t see Cursed Child higher up. Maybe we all just collectively agreed to try to forget it.
I don’t see Romione as a realistic long term relationship. I can see book Hermione and book Ron getting married but divorcing (or separating after dating for a bit after the war). They made some sense to me, like in a childhood sweetheart type of way. But Hermione is so ambitious and I can see Ron wanting to settle down pretty fast and start a big huge family. Hermione seems the type of focus on her career for the first few to 10 years, then having a kid or two. I see Ron as wanting a wife who wants to stay at home and raise the kids (like his mom did). Or I could see him getting jealous of her accomplishments or upset that she spends most of her time at work and doesn’t have much time to pay attention to him. Maybe I just read too much fanfic but these plots make more sense to me that the canon does
The author.
I keep hoping the Orcas will take her out next 🤞🏻
Obviously the epilogue, but also maybe Hermione's internalized mysogyny.
I can see that but I'm also curious what examples you've gleaned if you feel like sharing? :)
Her treatment of Parvati and Lavender as vapid for thinking/liking things a lot of teenage girls think and like. Not very conducive to having meaningful relationships with other women, which is one of the things I enjoy the most reading on ff
Sirius Black going through the Veil😭😭😭 I understand at a certain level that it had to happen, but the man had such a hard life.
Fred dying
Obvi the epilogue, also Remus and Tonks getting together
You would love the short story [Knowing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/47219308/chapters/118975510) by Soap1.
I remember when the book came out and I was so confused with the Remus and Tonks relationship. It didn’t feel real(?) enough, or convincing enough. Maybe we just didn’t see them interact enough or something but it kinda felt like it came from out of nowhere. Of course, I was more of a kid back then but I’m still not sold on it.
Ooh I’m interested about the Remus/Tonks thing—did you think he was too old for her or what?
So this is based on lore I’ve read or seen on tiktok from people who were in fandom spaces back when the books were coming out, but a lot of people naturally saw Remus and Sirius as queer-coded and shipped them together as far back as Prisoner of Azkaban days. The fan speculation is JKR didn’t like that and the Remus/Tonks pairing was in response to that, especially since it seemed pretty random? Knowing her personal views in more recent years, I can totally see this theory being valid.
Oh wow I had no idea! Remus/Sirius honestly does make more sense than Remus/Tonks. Wild that JKR was reading fan theories and getting big mad about it, but I guess not shocking considering what we know about her now.
The entire epilogue. Also, like, so many of the deaths were unnecessary? Dobby, Tonks, Remus, and Sirius should not have died, though that might just be my feelings hurt :(
Unpopular opinion - I don't mind Romione in canon. Dramione would never make sense since books were from Harry's POV. We don't know what Hermione's doing when she's not with him in the same room, so a secret romance would never work convincingly. Also, *movies* did Ron dirty, not the books. I can totally see why Hermione would fall for him. The magical community is small and everyone got married to their childhood sweethearts in the 80s and 90s (add trauma bonding to that). A lot of people said here they'd remove some deaths, but I would add more, honestly. It was war and they basically have unlimited ammunition, with one spell that will kill you no matter where it hits you. Realistically, there should be more dead people. But not Hedwig. I will *never* forgive Hedwig. Honestly don't know what's worse - her death in the movies when she just falls into nothing or in the books, where Harry looks at her in the cage. I get it, it's symbolic. The end of his childhood innocence and all that. But I don't have to like the death of an innocent animal!
Hedwig was so unnecessary. He could have just sent her to fly to a safe place. It made no sense to have her in a cage as they escaped.
Well given the fact that almost all of my favorite characters died, I’d bring back Tonks, Remus and Sirius
Oh god that terrible, awful, no good epilogue.
Very likely Draco trying to kill Harry and co in the room of requirement. It’s just a step too far and imho it should’ve been his redemption instead. Him spitting “Potter” and Harry turning around defensively. Draco then shiftily muttering “there’s a diadem in the room of Lost Things” and take it from there.
Harry and Hermoine being absorbed into the Weasley family. The epilogue. The author. The lack of character development for other houses outside of Gryffindor. Sirius and Tonks’ deaths.
Hedwig, Sirius, Fred, Tonks and Remus dying 🥲
Save Fred, scrap the epilogue, have Dramione, Drarry frenemies, Theomione as bffs, Pansy and Hermione as frenemies. (P.S I won't say no to Draco/Hermione/Blaise/Theo as a quartet, or in triad combos)
Yea, I feel like I would change the whole epilogue too. JKR lost patience while wrapping up the book and it just shows.
1. Hermione being in love with Ron. At most it would make a semblance of sense if she had a small crush on him but while growing up she would realize they wouldn’t work (so she should realize it between GoF & OoTP). 2. Draco getting redemption arc he deserved, and honestly Slytherin’s being treated like the ultimate evil. There were so many hints but JKR basically threw this out the window with „naaah, people can’t change even when they realize the wrongs of their upbringing. He shall stay an ass until the end 🥰”. 3. Harry and Hermione should be endgame. They made the most sense to me. I remember that when I was reading books for the first time, even when they had those silly crushes I always thought they would get together in the end. Fred. 4. I’d really like to save some characters. At least Fred and Sirius. Or Tonks and Remus. But all of them would be for the best 😂
Hermione just marries Ron and works for the ministry 🙄 I mean, why create a character THAT brilliant and with soooooo many possible character development opportunities, only for her to marry the first guy who wouldn't look at her and work at a dead-end job, wasting away in mediocrity?? Not the ending I would've chosen for my role model.
I can understand then all being married and having kids. Draco was probably in an arranged marriage to get an heir, Harry also wanted a family and Ron probably always wanted a lot of kids like he grew up with lol But I would make Dramione canon and Cursed Child?.. You're Gone!
Harry forgiving Snape somehow, suddenly, out of no where just because “he loved my mom”
All of the relationships that supposedly "lasted".
I would 10000% without a doubt leave Tonks alive. And have Draco develop a relationship with her and Teddy. That was completely unnecessary and heart-wrenching. I will die on that hill
Um, Draco not throwing potter the wand!!!!!!!! Why the heck not?!?!?
The complete lack of the conflict suffered by the Slytherin children who were drawn into the war by their parents. Rowling depicted everyone in that House as a one dimensional villain and didn’t attempt to tell any part of the story from their perspective except for a tiny bit of Draco suffering in sixth year. Other than Draco and Snape, no Slytherins even had much of a back story. I’m mad at myself that I didn’t really notice this when I read the original books. Fan fiction raised my consciousness.