Title: Marginal Notes
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Categories: Eighth year, Draco-centric, humor, friendship, secret admirer
Length: Medium (9,397 words)
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: blamebrampton
Author Website: blamebrampton

Author's Summary: When you’re 18, and nothing is as it was meant to be, sometimes it can be hard to let the right people know what you are thinking.

Review:
Already much mellowed by the war, a still-very-Slytherin Draco has a few more insights in store in his eighth year. One of them is to wonder why he's been emulating his father, when it's his mother who's been much more successful in life. Flanked by the well written Greengrass sisters, who track his progress with handmade bingo cards, Draco begins to try charm instead of threats. The effects ripple out through the school.

What I love most is that Marginal Notes is incredibly funny in some places while remembering the losses of the war in others. The photo album of Colin Creevy for his brother, Dennis, is especially well done, and I liked the different ways Ron and Ginny have reacted to Fred's death, with Ginny far less willing to forgive.

Draco's steady stream of hate mail is another reminder of post war anger. But he also receives a handful of encouraging notes that, as he says, "seemed to want to convey the fact that I am not without charms in the looks department." Though he's sure the latter are pick-me-ups from Astoria and Daphne, the sisters insist Draco may in fact have a secret admirer.

This story wouldn't work if Harry, Hermione and Ron hadn't gained an even greater sense of perspective too. Their willingness to move forward makes it easier for everyone around them to do the same.

If you haven't already read this, I highly recommend it. The dialogue is flat out brilliant, and blamebrampton packs a lot of story in a few words.

Marginal Notes (AO3)
On LJ | On FFn
Podfic by sisi_rambles