Pairings and such

[kerrilee]

After a fun little game Friday night that amorette played on her journal and reading all these new pairings because of the May daily prompts I've been enjoying reading and thinking about other HP pairings, beyond my usual favorites. So I'm wondering, is there a pair that you just can't bring yourself to enjoy, your NOTP, if you will, or are you up for anything? Or is it more of a character you can't read no matter who they're paired with?

For me, it's Snarry. I know there are lots of Snarry lovers and I want to like this pair because I love both characters separately. And I used to think it was just that Harry is Draco's and vice versa, but I've read Harry in other slash pairings that I've really enjoyed. Also, feel free to convince me of Snarry is a favorite of yours.

Comments

[eidheann_writes]

I have less notp than otp, so pairings that break my otp tend to be general nopes. That being said, I'm 100% fine in most cases w adding them as a 3some in or past relationships.

That being said, there are specific characters I'm not interested in reading about romantically at all with anyone, or only in *very* minor specific instances. So I would back button those stories regardless.

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

Maybe if I read more threesomes that would help. ;)

[eidheann_writes]

haha. I don't usually *look* for 3somes, but it does bypass the whole "this is great but it breaks my otp and makes me sad" problem ;)

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

Of course, of course. I wouldn't dare presume.... ;)

But, since you mentioned it, are there any good ones you recall just stumbling across. On accident. That you might be wiling to recommend? I've read Draco/Teddy/Harry that really worked for me.

[gracerene]

For Harry Potter, I have basically 3 NOTPs: James Sirius/Scorpius, Harry/Scorpius, Harry/Women other than Ginny.

I have, of course, read these fics on occasion (especially during modding/proofing) but they just really don't work for me. :/

Snarry is another one that I've really tried to get into, but I just can't make it work. I totally get why people ship it, but I can't buy it as a romantic pairing. I'll read fic about them on occasion, but usually just PWPs.

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

Harry/women other than Ginny----YUP! Doesn't work for me. Is the James Sirius/Scorpius NOTP because It's James/Teddy for you? I'm also pro Albus/Scorpius so I don't usually read that pairing either.

[gracerene]

I do think that part of the James Sirius/Scorpius bit is that James/Teddy is my next gen OTP, but you know, I love James/Albus and James/Draco, and I totally don't mind James/OFCs when he's a background character. But for some reason, I just can't see him with Scorpius. My headcanon for him just doesn't work.

Though I think part of that is that I really headcanon Scorpius as straight/mostly straight. And really, the only male I'm interested in reading him with is Albus, which, even that pairing I'm sort of lukewarm on. Mostly, I think, because I ship H/D so much, and even when they have kids, I like the idea of them potentially eventually coming together. So H/D with AS/S and/or a gay Scorpius just feels like too much for me to really believe it, you know? It doesn't feel as IN YOUR FACE when it's H/D and James/Teddy.

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

All of the Potter men are gay, as is Teddy and so are all the Malfoy men. And they all just pair up so nicely. It's one big gay, happy, intermingled festival of delicious! Why is that so hard to believe, Grace??!?! I guess if we need a token straight character in this it can be Scorpius. ;)

[amorette.livejournal.com]

I have quite a few notps because anything that romantically gets in between Harry/Draco gives me a heartache. So I'm sure you can guess what they are, basically any romantic Harry/other or Draco/other ship. I can read nonromantic Harry/other pairings though, and sometimes I really enjoy noncon in that sense, or just sexual exploration for the sake of sex.

I know a lot of people on LJ worry about pairing bashing though, so I am not going to list any out and just talk about why they I feel they don't work for a whole comment. Definitely don't want anyone who ships those pairs to feel hurt or offended if they read it.

But generally my notp's are just because I'm a huge OTPer, therefore I think it stands to reason that there are some pairings I just don't read :)

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

anything that romantically gets in between Harry/Draco gives me a heartache. PRETTY MUCH! I can read them with others, but it is definitely less enjoyable.

That really sucks that pair-bashing is a thing, and I hope this question didn't come across that way. I like to think of my LJ as no-judgment fun zone where all topics are safe and can be politely discussed!!!

[amorette.livejournal.com]

♥

[anemonen.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on Snarry. I do get that people are fascinated by the thought, but it's not for me. I guess it's probably for one because to me Snape's fate in the books, while terribly tragic, was pretty well rounded and had come full circle, sort of? I don't feel the need to explore it that much further. Although I enjoy the occasional snarky portrait!Snape in post war fics :D And then there's also the fact that those fics in general are pretty dark. I haven't read much, but I feel like that's a general rule? And dark!fic's generally not my thing most of the time.

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

LOVE snarky portrait!Snape---he's the best!!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

My HUGE NOTP's are anything incestual and most of the cross-gen pairing. My only exception to the cross-gen pairings is Snape/Harry and occassionally *read if it was written by femme* Snape/Draco. I think the reason I can read Snape with Harry or Draco is because they are all so intertwined in the books that relationships work for me. Plus I've been in fandom since before any of the next-gen kids were there and at the time it worked in my head.

Now I see Harry/Scorpius or Draco/Albus Severus akin to my father dating one of my friends when I was in high school. Not that that ever happened, but that's how my mind sees those relationships. Yes, my mind...it's a weird and scary place. :P

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

I think I could possibly ready Snape/Draco, and pretty much any pairing, if it was Femme's. I read a lot of things of her's that I wouldn't read from anyone else's.

I can see that about the cross-gem pairings. Some of them are really hard for me, too. Weird and scary minds are where it's at, though! It's more fun that way. ;)

[birdsofshore]

About Snarry... I can totally see the appeal, I get the dynamics, I can enjoy Snarry if it's written by one of my favourite authors (the only time I would read this pairing). I don't find it morally wrong or offputting or anything like that. But I just can't really get it to click. I don't even know exactly what I mean by that - I think that, no matter how well-written or brilliant, I'm still aware I'm reading a story, a made-up story, written by a fan, about two fictional characters from a series I enjoy. When I read good H/D, I'm fucking THERE. I believe they're real people and that they are meant to be together. There's no disconnect from the story because it is HAPPENING.

I have no idea if that makes the slightest sense.

OK, but you know who I totally CAN ship with Snape? I haven't read this for years but it really does work for me. Hermione. And I don't even really like het!

Our minds are odd places. Especially the fandom parts of our brains ;)

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

I think you've captured part of it for me! I just can't get '"fucking THERE" with them! I think Amorette said Snape/Hermione on her LJ. That was the first I had even thought of that pairing. I mean, if someone held a wand to my head and made me read het again maaaaybe..... hahhahhahaha

I really do love hearing how weird fandom brains work!

[birdsofshore]

OK, well I completely understand if you just don't want to go there, but if you're OK with a completely filthy dub con het story, here is the fic that really convinced me about SS/HG.

The Love You Take by Subversa

But yes, why is that some pairings work like that for some people, and others... I mean, I've read fic about people when I didn't even know who they WERE, because friends were saying "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS." And it worked, I was fucking THERE. It makes no sense.

[amorette.livejournal.com]

That is hilarious, because it is a HUGE pairing :D

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

I'm learning that, and so much more! I've only been reading fanfiction and Harry/Draco at that, for about 5 months. I'm a fast learner, though. Hence the need to pick people's brains about this kind of stuff!

[amorette.livejournal.com]

Welcome, welcome! *clings*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_melodic_/]

I don't have any strong notp persay but I don't generally read het unless it's a side pairing and same for femslash (though het for me is more squicky... don't ask me why!)

Before I first started writing for fandom again last year I only read Drarry but I quickly started to open up to new pairings. As Birds mentioned above, I tend to only really get the feels and am able to fully immerse myself into a story if it is H/D but there a lot of newer pairings I tend to enjoy a lot. I don't actively search out Snarry but if a friend has written it or the premise sounds interesting I would give it a go. I also have noticed that I've been on a huge Draco/Albus Severus kick lately... When it comes to Harry or Draco I usually am just able to ship then with each other's kids (hah) or sometimes with Charlie.

That said, if it's short and often it it's smutty, I will read just about anything that's m/m. But when it comes to longer fictions I tend to stick with the handful of pairings I really enjoy.

The hp_may_madness fest has been loads of fun though and I've enjoyed reading what everyone has been coming up with. It has certainly been a real challenge to write for pairings I would never think to go for but it's also been opening my mind up a lot as well!

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

First off, you are killing it with the May Madness prompts! Killing it!! I am reading all of them because you are the bomb diggity!

This => "That said, if it's short and often it it's smutty, I will read just about anything that's m/m. But when it comes to longer fictions I tend to stick with the handful of pairings I really enjoy." Pretty much YAAAAASSSSS.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_melodic_/]

You are too kind! They have been a lot of fun to write but I've also been nervous about them. Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement!

[lijahlover.livejournal.com]

My notp's usually are Harry and Draco with women. I don't read het anymore.

I don't usually read about incest ether.

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

I don't read het anymore either.

[themightyflynn]

I have tow notp's: Harry/Hermione and Harry/Ron. Mostly because of their sibling-like relationship in the books, I think. But I can read incest ships between brothers no problem, go figure!

I absolutely adore Snarry! It started for me when I was trying to find a really long Drarry I hadn't read before and came across Everybody's Fool by cluegirl (http://archiveofourown.org/works/96429). It has a Drarry rape scene, which I didn't want, but it's so far into the story that I just kept reading. After that, I moved onto The Boy Who Lived A Bit and its sequels, then The Tea Series by telanu. It's pretty safe to assume that I was hooked from then on :)
The thing with them is, when they are written well together, they are brilliant. But when they aren't written well, they are horrible. There is so much potential for ust and angry sex and I really love the bonding fics with them... I'll stop ranting now :/

[kerrilee75.livejournal.com]

YAY!! Thank you for posting!! I was worried someone who liked Snarry would feel I was bashing that pairing and I absolutely didn't want to do that. I just like hearing what works for people, as well as what doesn't. And thank you for the Snarry recs!

[themightyflynn]

Haha, no, not bashing. Not when most of the things I've heard against this ship involve accusing Snape of being a pedo.
The Tea Series and The Boy Who Lived A Bit are considered the very best Snarry fics out there. Unfortunately, The Tea Series was recently removed from the internet by the author and she has requested that no one share it again. :(
But feel free to come back and ask for recs any time! I'm more than happy to spread the Snarry love :D