Dramione: The Truth Behind The Obsession
Part One: The Slytherin Prince Vs. The Gryffindor Know-It-All
I think that part of the reason behind our love of Dramione is the mystery. Because of the total obscurity, and the fact that Rowling quite obviously did not plan the two on ever even talking to each other in a civil manner, it is possible for authors to write about the two in any context they can dream up.
The lack of interaction between them enables us to have complete freedom of pen, though with the structure of a fantastic world already created for them to exist in. Because of this, originality is the key.
It is not enough to say "Hermione and Malfoy fell in love, they had babies and Harry won the war. The end." It simply wouldn't satisfy what is an extremely expectant audience. While it is a blessing to have such liberty, it also means that an author attempting to write a fic must have the skills to entice readers, but also have at least some style, so the more intelligent reviewer will not give up after the first wrongly-placed speech mark.
Last time, I implied that society is the reason for the fandom, though maybe I am wrong. Possibly it is not the world that lacks compassion, (though that is undeniably true) but that the very best writers are having trouble finding love on a much more personal level. The crème-de-la-crème of Dramione fiction could be written by authors leading double lives, escaping to the world of fanfiction when their stifling relationship gets too much for them, or when they need a break from a hectic schedule…and so they write.
The pure exaggeration of emotion between Hermione and Draco fascinates all of us, but it is something reserved only for them. I have never felt this for any man, and the raging ferocity of the chemistry that flies between our favourite couple is something I keep for daydreams.
I could be wrong of course. There maybe hordes of people out there who have experienced the Dramione relationship, a whirlwind romance that goes against all the odds, ending in a blissful fairytale, Voldemort defeated and Hermione and Draco together; forever.
However, for me, it is definitely a means to an end. When I feel down, I read about them and instantly feel happier. It is as though Dramione brings us a kind of bounce in our step that would not be there otherwise. There are presumably other ways of getting this 'bounce,' but Dramione is an obsession; a devotion; a thirst that cannot be quenched.
What interests me is how Draco seems to always welcome the disruption that is Hermione Granger. When she barrels, seeps, claws her way into, or one day just appears in, his life, he is, most of the time, at a point in his existence when our favourite bushy-haired Gryffindor is exactly what he needs. I cannot for a minute imagine being a Death Eater, or having a father who is so determined to see his son succeed, or becoming Voldemort's latest protégée, or even being as insanely good-looking as I envisage him to be; but I can imagine the kind of influence Hermione would have on him.
As I mentioned last time, she is everything Draco is not. Happy, loved, purposeful and utterly loyal to the Light, it is inevitable that she would provoke some sort of reaction from him, even if only for him to call her a Mudblood one last time. Of course, the easiest way to write a Dramione fic is to put them in a situation where there is no feasible way for them to avoid each other, (crowning them Head Boy and Girl is a popular one) so they are effectively forced to get along. In Muggle terms, it would be like putting them in the Big Brother house.
So, Hermione and Draco are spending time together. One of my pet hates is when Draco wakes up on an ordinary day and suddenly finds himself in love with Hermione. In my head, there has to be context, reason, and preferably with a bit of protestation from Draco. If you've been raised to hate a certain type of person because of their heritage, it is not terribly likely that the heir to what is, to all intents and purposes, the pureblood royal family, to simply fall in love with a Muggle-born with no objections.
But if he does continue to hate her, it is almost predestined that they will fall for each other, but what writes the story is the journey to this unavoidable finish. At times, she provides what Draco has never had- someone who cares for him, and not for something that he has or is. This generally occurs when the two have shared some unforgettable and bonding encounter that leads Draco (usually) to think the unthinkable; that Hermione is human after all.
Next time: The effect the Dramione relationship has on those that matter most to Hermione and Draco.
A/N: Inspired by the wonderful attica's "Logic will break your heart", and the book that Hermione writes about Draco Malfoy.