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Way Down We Go

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“The war was over.

Or at least that’s what the papers said.

They’d been saying it, for months, as if people needed reminding.

Maybe they did.

***

In which Harry and Draco both run away from their pasts and conveniently choose to hide in the same tiny American town.

It's super.”

Word count: 109,767

328 pages, Online Fanfiction

Published March 25, 2019

9 people are currently reading
83 people want to read

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xiaq

2 books5 followers

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5 stars
121 (50%)
4 stars
89 (37%)
3 stars
27 (11%)
2 stars
2 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Camille Belbeck.
82 reviews3 followers
June 12, 2023
cute drarry; i liked the realism behind dracos redemption; also hp in the us was j a rly funny change of pace for me
Profile Image for Corbin Bleu.
285 reviews
April 20, 2025
i love envisioning draco as a grocery worker in Alabama <3

xx
Profile Image for fayre.
409 reviews
March 24, 2024
Draco x Harry
Harry is a werewolf - leaves the aurora at 19
Draco gets sentenced to no magic for five years - it’s killing him
They separately move to Alabama
Draco works in a small grocery store and live in the trailer in back
Harry buys land with two barns, lives in one and makes garden/potions lab in another
They find a snake
Inter-house friendships
Profile Image for Maria Drago.
Author 3 books20 followers
July 3, 2024
Overall, amazingly written, perfect slow burn romance, hilarious conversations, so in-character for everyone, awesome trope usage, and dramatics left and right that I was eating up like instant ramen.
I would say my only complaint is the usual awkwardness (for me personally) surrounding wolfy stuff; but it's also so much better than any other werewolf story I've ever read, so major props!!

And now for my SPOILER-Y notes!
- I swear to god, if Draco dies... I saw that this is tagged as a Veela!Draco fic, so there better be some mystical, solvable reason for him being sick, like needing a mate or something.
- I'm so happy, SO HAPPY, to see that Werewolf!Harry is not giving off creepy macho alpha wolf vibes. Thank GOD!
- Ah, yes. Classic Harry stalking. Love to see it. (I'm not kidding.
- BUYING FOOD FOR DRACO CAUSE HE LOOKS UNHEALTHY UGHH <3
- AAAAHHH DRACO FEELING LESS SICK AFTER BEING AROUND HARRY A WHILE MAKVSIQBAJQBPQLR And the way he casually starts debating "prolonged contact" with absolutely no ulterior motives...
- The way I'm professionally trained in noting when Drarry start calling each other by their real names XD
- Hehe yes, protective Harry. And then angry Draco over being protected. I'm not saying I necessarily love Draco getting harassed, but for all intents and purposes...
- Wolf Harry going straight to Draco's mmm, yessss (AND DRACO'S REACTION HAHAHA)
- The WHOLE transformation scene was just HAHA. And OH MY GOD. And YEEEEEE.
- Oh my god, I'm so normal about this fic.
- I seriously love casual magic used for things you'd never expect. Like the charms Harry mentions he put on the sofa for "comfort" and "restfulness." That's just so cool! And the way they make Draco doze off on Harry's couch is too cute.
- Aaaaahahaha Draco deep-diving into Disney movies and then having a thing for Will Turner XD
- Everyone showing up in Harry's kitchen with Draco hurt was an unexpected delight!
- Love love love Harry's inexplicable, strong magic, and Draco's constant exasperation with it.
- Pansy and Blaise knowing full well Draco's got a thing for Harry and their absolute dry commentary on it is amazing.
- I was not expecting an actual plotline revolving around going up against the Ministry of Magic and getting a bunch of unfair sentences revoked. Impressive.
- "The Netflix" LMAO
- I'm certain that Blaise does absolutely nothing at all in the entirety of the Harry Potter series, yet his character in every fic is always a goddamn treat.
- Yaaaaas talking about their childhoooods! Love it when Draco realizes how bad Harry has had it.
- Draco reluctantly allowing Wolf Harry to sleep with him XD And petting him all furtively!
- I'm just gonna put in this entire scene because it is the greatest thing ever:
“Well,” Harry says, holding up an Alabama driver’s license. “Apparently my name is now Harold Pooter.”

Malfoy chokes on a laugh. Or maybe a bit of tomato.

“Good, strong, surname,” he says after a moment of wheezing. “It suits you.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it,” Harry says, paging through the next set of documents. “Because it’s your last name, too.”

Malfoy drops his fork. “I beg your pardon?”

“Mm. Drake Pooter. Apparently we’re married. A year ago today, even. Happy anniversary, dear.”

“Give me that.”

Harry hands over the paperwork as requested, watching as Malfoy’s facial expressions progress through all five stages of grief in the span of thirty seconds.

He picks up his fork again and holds it in a curled fist. “I’m going to kill him.”

“It’s not that bad,” Harry says, reaching to retrieve the documents. “It’s just for a day.”

Malfoy slaps away Harry’s extended hand.

“But—this is hardly fair.” He jabs the fork towards one page, “Did you see our occupations? Why do you get to be some reclusive tech prodigy and I’m just your—”

“Boy toy?”

Malfoy splutters. “I was going to say ‘kept man’ or ‘trophy husband’ but you’ve managed to make this even more horrifying, thank you.”

“No problem.”

- Tell me why I'm so obsessed with Draco being so freaked out during the hospital visit, and Harry being there for them, and them acting like husbands, and holding each other, and the nurses finding them endearing, and absgskakfjkshd
- He doesn’t really need the blanket anymore because Potter throws heat like a furnace, but he’s revelling in the pure opulence of being hand-fed by the Boy-Who-Lived, and if he’s going to die soon he’s allowed to indulge, isn’t he?
I always have a thing for when the absurdity catches up to Draco, about being around/friendly with/helped by/doing anything romantic with The Boy Who Lived, The Golden Boy, Harry Potter.
- Dramatically falling unconscious into the other's arms. Check.
God, I am loving this fic.
- This is a proper SLOW BURN. FFFUCK YEAH.
I don't know why I'm so hype right now.
- Aw HELL YEAH. When you're told point-blank by a doctor to keep up physical contact with your crush. Delicious.
- BRIDAL CARRY BRIDAL CARRY BRIDAL CARRY
- HIGH SOFT DRACO HIGH SOFT DRACO HIGH SOFT DRACO
- THE SPIDER BAHAHAHAHA. i feel like I've seen this before?? Read this scene somewhere?? Maybe that's where I got recommended this fic.
- The author acknowledging how she loves the "forced contact trope." Hell yes.
- LMAO CAUGHT IN 4K. The Healer video-calling them and waking them up from a nap, and Harry being all touchy, just-- UGHHH <3
- Amazing romantic interest revelation. 10/10. They're idiots and I love them, Your Honor.
- LMAOOOO ALL THREE SLYTHERINS BEING LOWKEY (HIGHKEY) TURNED ON BY HARRY USING PARSELTONGUE.
- Ok so we already got a hint earlier, but it seems pretty obvious that Harry can detect lies. I'm assuming it's because he can hear heartbeats.
Cannot wait for Draco to become aware of this.
- THEY DID IT! THEY DID THE MEME!
“I can’t believe I’m going to sleep with him.”

“Well. You don't have to.”

“No,” Draco says grimly. “I do. I really do.”

- Gonna take a moment here to admire the prose. Because damn. Draco's self-reflection and pining in chapter 16 are particularly poignant.
- Draco doing his damndest to get laid and failing. Hah!
- Narcissa: (Walks in on some smooching). Draco: I think I'm going to go walk out into oncoming traffic now.
- WE GOT ANOTHER MEME. HAHA. Harry: Hey, can you hold this? Draco: ... That's your hand.
- To be honest, I'm not that into "instant anger murder mode" Harry when Draco mentions his past or is in some sort of danger. Like protectiveness is cool, but this dark, volatile mood of Harry's occasionally just throws me off. But, to be fair, lycanthropy.
- The occasional insert of like, deeply-rooted memes that permeate the internet (have for years) and silly little phrases/convos that I've most definitely heard elsewhere had my brain lighting up like a Christmas tree at every turn.
- I love their dynamic so goddamn much.
“Well,” Harry says. “Shit.”

Draco, startled, glances sideways at him.

“What?”

“I’m sorry,” he says, which clarifies nothing.

“You often should be, for all number of grievances,” Draco says. “What are you currently apologising for?”

- Ginny being present an utterly delighted while Draco is learning the fact that Harry can not only sniff out lies, but also attraction? Peak storytelling.
- Honestly never even considered that we'd get the Werewolf story. Glad we did!
- Harry learning about Draco's Auror uniform kink XD It's extra funny because it's just like real life police uniforms and the like being used for, like, foreplay.
- Ok little puppy wolfy Teddy is kinda really cute. Unexpected, but cute.
- Mmmm love dramatically finding a loved one sprawled artfully across the floor, unconscious. How delightfully tragic!
- The arrest was pretty funny lol
- I'm gonna say it: I think Draco wearing the snake all the time is weird. I just think walking around with a live animal wrapped around your neck is weird. Not to mention, this just gives me creepy Voldermort vibes. But mostly it just seems really out of place.
- Draco purposely waiting outside for it to rain, so that he randomly yell at his lover, is one of the funniest, most on-brand things I have ever seen him do.
- When people refer "their wolf" I kinda gag a little every time lol. It makes it seem like a demon living inside of you with a separate personality, rather than a condition you have.
Profile Image for kelly ward.
42 reviews
January 2, 2022
Wow. Xiaq has been my fav fanfic author since I found her work through the Check Please! fandom. I don’t read this ship literally ever, but since she wrote it I had to check it out because I knew it would be impeccably written. I love the unique setting, plot details and writing cadence - especially the integration of similar settings to her previous Check Please! work. If you loved this one, I would highly recommend her fics “Like Real People Do” and “All Hail the Underdogs” - there’s no need to read Check Please! before starting them, and they feature the same incredible type of storytelling and exploration of real life issues such as race, class and disability.
Profile Image for Megan.
177 reviews4 followers
April 13, 2023
4.25 stars. A slow burn that never felt slow. I devoured this fic and was captivated by the concept from the start. For someone who was rapidly dying, Draco never felt weak, he was a strong character with strong convictions who i was rooting for. Werewolf Harry was great, I enjoyed all of his wolfish moments that he simply couldn’t help. Well paced, ending may have been a bit rushed but I had a lovely time.
Profile Image for B..
71 reviews2 followers
January 21, 2024
"𝘐𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳."

"𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦."

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘚𝘰. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵."

"𝘐 𝘢𝘮," 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, "𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

this was so perfect it was like giving a crack cocaine (perfectly carried out hurt/comfort, enemies to lovers) to a victorian child (me)
Profile Image for meg.
Author 3 books64 followers
October 10, 2024
Way Down We Go: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

xiaq

Tropes:
– Draco/Harry fanfiction
– Hurt/comfort
– Werewolf Harry
– Romantic suspense
– Found family
– Escapees

After facing the punishment of losing his magic for five years, Draco Malfoy runs away to Alabama. But the last person he’s expecting to see there is Harry Potter.

This was literally so much fun. Probably one of the funniest and wittiest books I’ve ever read, but simultaneously the softest and most wholesome character development I’ve ever seen. Harry is equally protective and possessive and nurturing and caring and just such a sweetheart. The way that he handles Draco‘s sass and his prickliness is such a study and how much they are meant to be. I also absolutely love the way that Draco shows his love in an almost begrudging but still equally as fierce way. The “need to keep physical contact for the sake of health” trope delivered in spades. I love the connection between two of them as well as the friend group all coming together. It was just such a lovely fun story about two mutually pining idiots and their journey to find love.

Also!!! Imagine my surprise to learn that this is written by E.L. Massey, the author of Like Real People Do–one of my all time favorite books. I just love her writing to the moon and back so I shouldn't be surprised, but what a delightful little surprise to find out.
Profile Image for Felicia Lannan.
110 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2023
I resisted reading this for a while, even though it's highly recommended, because I was put off by both:

- the 'i need to touch you to survive' forced proximity aspect but I'm pleased to report it was not in the context of still hating each other and some wayward spell but actually quite sweet and a logical step in their enemies to friends to lovers arc.

- Harry Potter in America is a concept that feels like it should be jarring. And it is, on purpose, because he is out of place and that should be acknowledged. But the author has still made it possible for all the characters we know and love to also participate so yay!

Harry Potter with snake will always be top tier.
Profile Image for Mai.
309 reviews4 followers
August 20, 2024
Absolute masterpiece of fan fiction, came to heal some of the wounds she-who-shall-not-be-named and her transphobia has left and the potter-sized metaphorical hole in my heart because I was a potterhead and haven’t been able to even think about the potterverse without rage for years.

But, the beautiful world-building of this fic, new and not perfect but wholly coherent with the world it’s based upon. The relationship between Draco and Harry. The snark. The everything. The amazing writing style of this author. The sweetness.

Def one of the best fics I’ve ever read.
17 reviews
February 23, 2024
Super romántico, me encanta la referencias a la cultura popular y el fanfiction .
Al igual que el gran poder mágico de Harry que hace sin esfuerzo.

Harry hombre lobo es de mis cosas favoritas y un Draco dramático.
12 reviews
February 1, 2025
Started out strong, and angsty but felt like it was intentionally drawn out somewhere halfway I lost interest but I finished it because I had to know how it ended. It felt like to much skirting around them being together. Idk it just got less and less heart wrenching as it went on.
Profile Image for Tayテイ.
11 reviews
August 28, 2025
This is the type of Draco I love to see. Not through with this, but absolutely loving it - I can already tell it's a 5/5.

"Draco doesn’t arrive at Potter’s residence until five-thirty-five because he’s a petty bitch."
Profile Image for Dan Urueta.
18 reviews
April 3, 2023
Read this fic for like ten times and it kills me every time.
Profile Image for finny.
81 reviews
February 5, 2025
dios no puedo explicar lo bueno q está este fanfic mañana elaboro ahora solo sufro hasta encontrar otro
Profile Image for kriswi.
288 reviews
March 8, 2025
Esperaba más, tenía potencial para ser EL FIC. La primera mitad definitivamente fue la mejor
Profile Image for Dee.
183 reviews
Read
June 22, 2025
I long to live in a refurbished barn in the countryside of the American continent and have a pet snake and a werewolf boyfriend. Absolute goals
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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