That was so beautifully written. Absolutely amazing. The title is so fitting as well. I love how you write about the impact war has on people and the PTSD that many experience. A lot of fics don't address that issue, which is fine in some instances, but you address it perfectly. There are many Auror Harry stories out there, and many are written very well too, but I think your interpretation of Harry is one of the most complete and realistic ones I've ever read. After experiencing the war, I don't think Harry would be that keen to keep chasing Dark wizards. Harry's struggles with feeling like he failed the people that died, the people he couldn't save, is something that your writing illustrates flawlessly.
Many parts of this fic had me squealing with delight at how cute Draco and Harry are. You write them so well! Draco's mask that slowly starts to slip when he's around Harry, Draco's mannerisms and voice, Harry's obliviousness, Harry's thoughts and confusion, their conversations, all extremely on point. Their first time is beautiful. Your portrayal of Ron is excellent as well. His feelings for Hermione and vice versa are not at the centre of attention, but you manage to add just the right amount of details to make it feel like they are also a part of this story. You made these characters come alive.
I should mention that this is my second time reading this story (and that's why I'm posting this review on Chapter 12 instead of 13, "only one review is allowed per chapter") and I am no less astounded. Harry's road to recovery, his road to solace is one that isn't written about enough. Thank you for writing it so wonderfully. I wish you luck in exploring original fiction! :D

this is very well done. I enjoyed every chapter. you did really well keeping things realistic and everyone in character. I'm bad at reviewing so sorry this feels awkward.

This is both a beautiful romance but also a heartbreaking story of PTSD. You portrayed both well without over indulging in cliches. Thank you for this.

Very sweet!

Omg. This story was amazing. Literally the best that i have ever read

Dude I loved that! Awesome job!

This was surprisingly a good story.
Though clingy it was a change of pace from what I normally read.
I look forward to reading more stories from you.
Take care
Keep writing and I will continue reading!

I am so loving this story.
I zoned out at the beginning of this chapter that I thought that in the first 2 paragraphs, Harry was doing male sexual indulgence then actually looking at his "wand". I giggled at that.
Keep writing and I will continue reading!

All through out reading this, I didn't feel like skipping any lines. Every line was as much engaging that skipping them would make the rest of what follows crumble if I did that. It's a bit of a habit, when the lines were... lines I've read before. You really presented how Harry felt so well, especially during the exam where they had to face a boggart, but there was also a sense of disconnection as I read. Although, that could just be. Well, done with this! I loved it!

I really have to say, this is one of my favourite fanfic that I've read in the last couple of years. I feel like it would've been really easy to make this jus fic, or just an interesting way to force some intimacy between the two which can easily be followed by emotional attachment, so I really appreciate that you went deeper and considered the effect that the war would've had on them and how it could play into the concept. It was a nice fresh breath of air from all the 8th year fanfics that essentially act like nothing ever happened or that they're not going to be severely impacted by being forced into a war and all the usual emotional trauma that comes along with that.

This was the cutest fucking thing. I adored every minute of time spent reading this.

Awwwww I just adore Ron here.

I love your writing. I just clicked on your name to read more of your work and realized I’ve read them all!

"AARRGHH!" Malfoy woke with a start, sweat covering his whole body.
A dream - no a fucking nightmare! - like he'd never had before!
Fancying Potter! SHAGGING POTTER! He needed to owl his mother and organise a mind healer to meet him in Hogsmead this coming weekend. Fortunately it was only two days, but still.
He briefly considered if some potion or a substance had been slipped to him at dinner? Unlikely as the house elves would never allow it. He knew better than to ask Snape for any assistance. Chalk it up to experience and NEVER tell his father was best way to go.

Despite multiple sessions with various mind healers, Malfoy could not throw off the recurring dreams until end of school year.
He'd ended up a nervous wreak as even Pomfrey's dreamless sleep potions refused to work. They were vivid, detailed, varied and oh so bloody realistic!
He was listless, hardly slept and failed half his end of year exams. It had taken most of his father's influence, calling in multiple favours and a fifty thousand galleon contribution to the schools muggleborn education fund to keep him with his year mates. Having to repeat a year would mean so much loss of face, as to be fatal in Slytherin political circles.
That rage in his father's face - and him snapping his cane in half - when stood in headmaster's office as Dumbledore exceeding politely suggested that muggle fund donation, would never leave him. IF this continued next year, he'd find himself at Durmstrang before christmas.

As it was he expected extreme punishments from father during two month summer holidays. And of course Lucius Malfoy's punishments were nothing to laugh at. While nowhere near as pain inducing or sadistic as his aunt's famous rages, the prospect of facing those subtle paternal tortures made his blood run cold.
It was ALL POTTER'S FAULT! But the Gryffindor had ignored him since before that first dream. He couldn't imagine that stinking scarhead keeping silent if he had been involved? Mudblood bitch Granger wouldn't break the rules like that and Weasel was too stupid to accomplish anything so subtle.

Draco's problems disappeared during July and August at Malfoy Manor, but returned with avengeance after arriving back at Hogwarts. He was packed off to the Scandinavian school before beginning of October. Lack of rest, disorientation and nerves caused him to vomit on arrival by portkey. That had been quite an ominous start to his new placement at the institute. It didn't get terribly better.

It took a further eight months to become free of those accursed dreams of being with Potter, kissing Potter, marrying Potter, HAVING POTTER'S BABIES and afterwards he never worked out where these perverse visions came from?
He had a very mediocre academic career at Durmstrang's and left England for good after he graduated. The humiliation of bumping into any of his former Hogwart's schoolmates coloring his choice. His going bald at twenty didn't help matters - he put that down to stress of his father being chucked in Azkban and losing more than three quarters of Malfoy fortune to fines. Living in Austria he found some success as an exotic potions and powders trader. He never had any desire to marry, as any sexual contact with others made him picture Potter's face as they were in throws of passion. Those green eyes filled with potent list! Eep! And of course those visions were worse when he COULDN'T see Potter's face.

Voldemort's feeble attempt to return in 2041 was crushed by The Order of the Eternal Phoenix and Dumbledore's Legacy muggleborn group's Horcrux neutralizers. Harry Potter's soul fragment having been removed years earlier at St. Mungo's under supervision of Hermione Granger-Weasley and her daughter Rose Longbottom.
Harry frying the so called Dark Lord with a Muggle thermal lance was a final insult to Tom. As he turned it on Riddle's limbless body, it was rumoured the screams could be heard from outside the Shrieking Shack to other side of Hogwarts.

Draco Malfoy passed away from a particularly nasty strain of dragon pox in his ninety third year. Bald, wrinkled, bent and with sunken features, his remains could've been mistaken for a very tall house elf. Only two extremely distant relatives attended his funeral, and then that was mainly to see if he'd left any gold. It was not to be, as what little he owned was eaten up by providing him with medical care in those last few years.

(Fred and George's replacement of Draco's haircream with one of their more potent products was never detected. They smirked for weeks when the blonde ferret unknowingly packed up two full tubs when he left for Durmstrang!
It was only revealed in 2136 at reading of the late Fred's will. Their nine hundred relatives and friends filling the Brighton & Hove Quidditch stadium pissed themselves laughing for almost an hour! Harry had to be taken to New St. Mungo's for the strain on his elderly chest, but recovered in a couple of days. For generations to come wizards, witch's & even muggles would go out of their way to taunt a large portrait of Lucius and his son, which still hung in a quite corner of the Ministry atrium. Icing on cake of this would often be portrait Draco hurling insults back or breaking down in hysterical sobbing - which incited portrait Lucius to smack him upside the head!)
i-o

pleasantly surprised by this fic. well done!