Comments | hawthorn_vine: Featured Story - "Painful and Necessary Acts" by Misdemeanor1331

justthedreams in hawthorn_vine

Featured Story - "Painful and Necessary Acts" by Misdemeanor1331 - Nov. 2013

Nov 17, 2013 15:21

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for voting “Painful and Necessary Acts” as one of November’s Featured Submissions. I wrote this story for the 2013 Dramione Remix on LiveJournal, and it certainly fits the bill of Dark!Draco and, to a lesser extent, Dark!Hermione. Most of you know the “How” and “Why” of my fandom career, so I’m just going to focus on ( Read more... )

featured submission, featured story, q&a

Comments 8

dormiensa November 18 2013, 00:53:10 UTC

woohoo! so fantastic that, despite the low read count, you're getting proper recognition for this story! chilling! i still need to think about chicken, LOL, and i'm still too chicken (haha) to watch/read the source(s). but squick aside, this was such a compelling read. and the extra bits of atmosphere just added to the overall. i'm glad you started with a visual. :)

as for draco's reason, i don't see why using this one is a weakness. when it comes to fundamental needs, especially psychological, i think it makes sense that there aren't that many reasons to explain, justify, cling to, abhor, etc. and yes, what made everything even more disturbing was that hermione definitely empathized, and given that we're supposed to be "on her side" ("sane"), it does raise questions. and (spoiler-free, i promise) that makes the ending even scarier.

in any case, i do hope you find true converts! ;)

justthedreams November 19 2013, 23:57:15 UTC

Hah, yes, 'Silence' isn't for everyone, and the squick is totally understandable. Still, I'm glad you gave it a shot! I'm sure I'll find a few questioning minds to bring to the dark side. Lol!

And maybe my perception of his motivation as the story's weakness is a case of the author being the biggest critic. I know it makes sense and that it works very well with the story, but I can't help but think that if I pushed myself, I could've come up with something that would've blown minds. I try not to repeat myself in fiction, and this just felt like a cop-out to me. Idk. I should probably just stop whining about it, hahaha.

Thank you so much, dors, for your work on the story as well as your lovely words!!! :hugs:

dormiensa November 20 2013, 05:24:06 UTC

i think your story itself is mind-blowing enough. save the BIG IDEA for your next one. ;)

unseen1969 November 18 2013, 01:01:21 UTC

I was (one of) the original suggesters of this pairing, and I was also soooo tempted to try to write them. I am SO GLAD you did it instead, M, because you did it with such talent and skill. I am in awe. Your Fannibal-self is obvious all over this story and you made it sing. It's just fantastic.

I want to go re-watch Silence of the Lambs, now. It has been too long. I will have to find a time when the kids aren't around... mwah haha. Don't need to warp their little psyches too much.

Well done and mucho kudos!

justthedreams November 19 2013, 23:52:01 UTC

Oooh, I would love to read your take on this couple!! I'm sure they'll do another Remix round, so perhaps you'll take them on then, eh? Eh?? And even though this wasn't a 'gift' piece, I'm very glad to hear that I did (one of) the original suggesters proud, and that my love for this couple and their story shone through.

And yes, I think there's certainly a right age for one's first Hannibal Lecter exposure. Mine was in high school, well beyond the truly formative years, though the story may have put a bit of a kink in me, or maybe just bent further an already twisted mind. ;)

denialisnot November 19 2013, 09:43:45 UTC

Uh-uh, are you weird or what ( ... )

justthedreams November 20 2013, 00:06:01 UTC

I do think there is a very select audience for Hannibal Lecter, though I can't say what separates folks into Fannibals versus "Normal People." It's an absolute fascination with him, his psychology, and his unpredictability. He's almost artistic at times. Hahah, yeah, weird, I know. I could rant all day trying to figure him (and myself...) out.

You know, you seeing the reason for his actions as being irrelevant makes me feel a bit better about it, weirdly. The act was more important than the motivations; the end more important than the means. Interesting. I really hadn't thought about it like that. Thank you!!

I believe Hannibal would make you his next target if you wielded a vuvuzela for him, so it's probably best that you keep it stowed for a proper hero, like Captain Kirk. Or Thor.

And my boyfriend is fine as long as he keeps me fed. ;)

denialisnot November 20 2013, 08:08:42 UTC

I think that is the same fascination that makes the movie so horrifying: we never actually see him do it - only the horrific results and we get some inside into his mind set through his talks with Clarice. That in itself is so disgusting that we don't need to know WHY somebody is doing it.

What dors said. :)

And the way you described the act was so intriguing in itself (paying attention to the outside temperature, I ask you! What a killing machine) I didn't need to know what exactly is behind his twisted mind.

And I haven't seen the other story yet where you used the same motivation. I have to go look.
I know what you mean with trying to find original motivations for each story protaginist, however. WE, the writers know where we used it before, even if others don't see it. :)