The best Dramione fan fiction for fans of a good redemption arc

The story of Harry Potter is now well-settled in its place of fictional infamy. Despite drawing huge inspiration from those that came before, J.K. Rowling somehow managed to carve a world that resonated with an entire generation and continues to pull them back in time and again years later. 

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love the world of Harry Potter. I was pulled in with the first book at the age of seven, and despite a now much deeper understanding of where Rowling may have gotten her ideas from, the Wizarding World has always had its hooks in me to some degree. As I grew up, I found myself yearning for a more realistic ending, where perhaps everything didn’t get tied up in a neat bow with the name “Weasley” on the gift tag. 

That’s where fan fiction comes in. 

Talented fans of the wizarding world have been uploading their own alternative stories and endings for years now, posted to the internet for others to read and fall in love with. While there are many types of fan fiction, many choose to focus on alternative romantic pairings. Of course, there are many would-be (or should-be) couples to choose from, but one that is ever-popular is Hermione, not with Ron, but with Draco. 

Both are clever, passionate, and driven. It makes sense. Realistically, couples who form during their school years are unlikely to end up going the distance, and even the worst people are entirely capable of change. People love a redemption arc, and many believe that Rowling missed an opportunity when it came to Draco Malfoy. 

I’ve read (and written) a lot of Dramione Fics over the years, and a few have stayed in my memory rent-free since I finished them. Here are 10 of the best, most beloved Dramione FanFics available to read today. 

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There’s something special about a Dramione FanFic that manages to remain realistic despite the magical setting and has the two former childhood enemies coming together in a way that both creates and overcomes conflict, and Measure of a Man certainly manages to do that in spectacular fashion. It’s a very long Fic, but it is definitely worth taking the time to read if you want to feel a rollercoaster of emotions. This is definitely a slow-burn, but once it kicks off, it really kicks off.

Narcissa is diagnosed with a wizarding form of Dementia, and faced with the impending deterioration of her own mental and physical state, Hermione is brought in as her healer. Draco is a widowed father with no idea how to communicate or relate to his son, Scorpius, who has reverted to silence since the death of his mother, although he seems to bond with a cactus… And Hermione. While death looms, corruption threatens the Ministry, and remaining Death Eaters threaten to release a deadly toxin, Hermione faces the biggest choices of her life. 

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There aren’t enough positive words that I can think of to describe Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love. Of course, there’s conflict; how could there not be one with this pair? But it’s also filled with hilarious interactions and vividly creative moments that will live on in your memory long after you’ve finished reading. Not to mention that the love story woven through the chapters is enough to keep you wanting more, even when you’ve completed the final chapter.

Hermione is leading a project that will change the wizarding world irrevocably, but it’s put a target on her back. Kingsley has demanded security for her, much to her dismay, and even worse, Draco is put on the case. What ensues is a romp around a variety of different locations in search of ingredients, with Draco shadowing a very annoyed Hermione a little too closely and a heartwarming tale of overcoming the past and looking to the future. 

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Green Light is a strange yet thoroughly enjoyable combination of what feels like two entirely separate FanFics, but it somehow manages to flow from one distinct setting to another with ease. There are a host of new faces and names to get to know, as well as the obvious familiar ones that you’d expect, and the two halves can be split into two distinct categories. 

There’s the expected Dramione will-they-won’t-they, angst-filled love story that takes place during an expedition to find a cave in the middle of the African desert, and then there’s the trials and hurt faces when both Hermione and Draco come back to their normal lives. 

What I love about Green Light is that it offers a painfully realistic reaction from the wizarding world if Hermione and Draco were ever to become involved. Betrayal, heartbreak, and the dissolving of established friendships all feature, and while it’s a difficult journey at times, true love never did come easy. 

Image via Dralamy / DeviantArt

Isolation is for me, as it is for many of those now deeply entrenched in the world of Dramione, is the FanFic that first grabbed my attention and started my descent toward admitting that these two might actually be my OTP. Of course, I can confidently and openly admit to this now, but back in 2003, Isolation was published, and the revelation rocked me to my core. 

Isolation is canon-divergent. Snape is alive, and Draco has been on the run with him since things didn’t go according to plan in the Astronomy Tower. For his protection, Snape brings Draco to Hogwarts during Hermione’s final year while Harry and Ron are off looking for Horcruxes without her. 

Of course, McGonagall would trust no one to oversee Draco more than Hermione, but that means he is placed in her care and unable to leave. Their proximity causes sparks to fly as connections are made and understanding grows. If you’ve never dipped your toe into the world of Dramione before, this is a good place to start. 

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A word of warning: don’t go into this Fic hoping for an immediate or even moderately paced redemption arc for Draco. This is a very slow burn, and I’d also advise that you don’t go into it with an expectation of a happy ending, either. There is one, but it’s a melancholy experience and you’ll find yourself in need of some tissues to dry your eyes, that much I can promise. 

I think I can say this without it being too much of a spoiler, but Secrets and Masks puts Draco at the right hand of Voldemort as one of his most trusted and high-ranking “Demon Masks.” As such, there is a huge element of forced imprisonment in this Fic, but don’t let that put you off. There’s something bubbling under the surface, and Hermione comes to learn that the line between love and hate is incredibly thin, while Draco learns that he has the choice to change both himself and the things around him. 

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Listen, anyone who has even briefly dipped into the world of Dramione FanFic will have heard of Manacled. It’s possibly the most well-known of all the Dramione Fics that have ever been written or published online and is practically infamous. Sadly, SenLinYu took the Fic down from AO3 in December 2024, but there are those who have preserved the story by reuploading it elsewhere, obviously crediting the original author. 

Manacled is absolutely not a story to be entered into lightly. There’s forced imprisonment, non-consensual intimacy, forced surrogacy, and heavy inspiration from stories like A Handmaid’s Tale. Hermione is held against her will, used as a babymaker for Voldemort and his highest-ranking followers. It’s difficult to read and hard to stomach, but the love story is still there, and any Dramione shipper should read this at least once.

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The Right Thing to Do is a relatively short Fic when compared to the majority of those I’ve included on this list, but it’s no less filled with touching moments and still absolutely deserves to be included here. After the events of the War, Hermione testifies on Draco’s behalf during his trial, and he is let off on the condition that he works with the Aurors during his probationary period.

Hermione and Draco are forced to work together at the Ministry while she grows closer to his mother and deals with Lucius Malfoy blackmailing her in the weirdest way. The initial frustration is soon replaced with growing understanding, and friendship quickly turns into something much more. This is one of the less heavy entries on my list, and there is no shortage of moments to remember long after you’ve finished reading. 

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While I normally gravitate towards FanFics that feature a slightly aged-up cast, I find myself unable to deny that Breathmints / Battlescars is one of my favorites despite the fact that it’s set in Hogwarts just after the war and the characters are still very much students. Hermione is angry, and Draco is lost, each with scars of their own to bear.

In the aftermath of the war, Draco was allowed to return to Hogwarts for his final year. Of course, Hermione has returned as well, so they’re forced into the same space and in the world of this ship, that can only mean one thing. What I love about Breathmints / Battlescars is that while it’s told from Hermione’s POV, we also get an insight into Draco’s mind thanks to the diary entries that he is required to make as part of post-War therapy. 

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I’ve tried to limit the entries on this list to those that are complete and available to read in their entirety. Originally, this spot would have been taken by one of the many other well-written Fics that I’ve read over the years. But then I started reading Let the Dark In, another Fic by the writer of Manacled. I didn’t realize it wasn’t finished, and my frustration was immeasurable when I discovered that it currently ends on a huge cliffhanger, at least until more chapters are added. 

However, I can’t write this list without considering this. It’s an AU Fic in which Draco is a Durmstrang student, and Hermione’s name is the one that flies out of the Goblet of Fire along with his. In an attempt to get on an even footing, Hermione pulls Draco into an Unbreakable Vow to teach her how to wield Dark Magic. After many false starts and a lot of frustration, both begin to learn far more about themselves and each other than they ever imagined, and I can’t wait to see how this stunning story will end. 

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If you’re looking for a relatively quick read, at least in comparison to the other Fics on this list, then Apple Pies and Other Amends is a story that I can never recommend enough. What begins as the disintegration of her relationship with Ron turns into a mission for Hermione to provide baked goods to everyone who suffered in the War, regardless of what side they were on. She dubs it her “PTSD Pastry Tour”, and it’s singlehandedly the most heartwarming approach to War recovery and reconciliation that I could ever imagine.

Draco is the last of her visits, and rather than simply accepting her Apple Pies with grace, he corners her into teaching him how to bake. Growing friendships between former enemies, many funny yet touching moments between new acquaintances, and more than a few awkward discussions later, Draco and Hermione grow closer than they could ever have imagined.

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