Yeah, so I've been a n00b for so long that it finally dawned on me that there might be people out there who are newer then I...so to return the favor that others had bestowed on me when first joining the fandom...I present the stories that I was given as MUSTS in their respective pairings...

GEN:

Naked Quidditch (PG-13 due to talk of private bits and measuring of said private bits) by evilgoddss

Fred and George lose a bet. The payment--the Gryffindor Quidditch Team has to play the game against Syltherin's totally starkers. The story is told completely in e-mails between classmates, teachers, concerned family members and Potter Stalkers. I believe this was written around Goblet of Fire. I read this way before I started fandom...it was something that was going around way beyond fanfiction. I didn't know what fanfiction was, and I still didn't know what this was after reading it. But it is completely hysterical and a nice way to revisit a time in the series where it was completely possible for the Weasley Twins to taunt Voldermort in a mass email.

SNARRY:

Snape: The Home Fry Nazi (NC-17 but not until the end) by pir8fancier

If you've seen the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld then you'll know the mental picture you're to have by the title of this story. When Harry defeats the Dark Lord, all Death Eaters and former DE's lose their magic. Snape runs away from the Wizarding world and moves to Arizona (?) where he opens a diner (!?). There are rules of his diner. No Talking. No Chidren. No Laughing. No Menu--you eat what the cook is preparing or you don't eat at all. Seven years later, Harry comes looking for some advice. Yes, the premise is silly and yes there are more then a few typo like things here and there...but the characterizations are so realistic and the relationship builds so slowly and beautifully that it sucks you in.

RON/HERMIONE:

A Hero's Return (R) and More than Memories (NC-17) by Bluerain aka redblaze
In "A Hero's Return", the war is over, Voldemort is defeated, and just when the Wizarding World thinks they have nothing more to celebrate, a hero they thought was gone forever returns home.
In "More Than Memories," A night that starts out inflicting the pain and horror of war ends in a way Ron had never expected. A story of love that stands the test of time, and of a passion undeniable, even in the face of heart-wrenching betrayal.

These were the first Ron-centric stories I ever read. The first stories I read written by someone who was clearly a RonLover. And this is the Ron that I read in Deathly Hallows--and her Hermione's not bad either! Srsly, her Hermione healed much of the damage that Emma Watson's Hermione caused in my estimation of the character. I read "A Hero's Return" first and I was up when the sun rose finishing it. I hadn't done that since Goblet of Fire. Their relationships are complicated, their paths are not always clear and there is no domestic bliss, but they are perfect and the stories are well plotted. They are both WIP, but the place where "A Hero's Return" leaves off, you really feel as if it's a complete story. "More Than Memories" is not quite so done, but she is still working on it, so start now, and then badger her to finish!

SNUPIN:

Cheat (NC-17) by snegurochka_lee
Remus knows Sirius is still trying to recover, but it's hard not to want. Especially when someone else is offering.

Okay, I promise, this will be the absolutely last time I rec this story! Unless of course I ever get to rec Snupin on crack_broom--srsly, how is this story not there yet? This was the first Remus-centric story I ever read and THIS is MY Remus!! Not just in this story--this Remus will reach in and pull your heart right out of your chest! But all of snegurochka_lee's Remuses are beautiful and multi-layered...sometimes he's top, sometimes he's bottom, sometimes he's hurt and sometimes he's comforting... sometimes he loves Severus and sometimes he just needs him...this is one of those stories. Warning, there is infidelity in this story, and the way she handles Sirius' personality and pain from his experience after Azkaban is stunningly and heartbreakingly done... please, please read it. Then I can stop bothering you people...

Another Kind of Fandom Wank by arionhod and scribbulus_ink
After faking his death and leaving the Wizarding world behind, Severus unwittingly reunites with someone from his past in the most unlikely of places: online in a Blood Bathory fan community.


Seriously, even if you hate the very idea of Remus Lupin and Severus Snape, even if you wish nothing but death to both of them...even if you hate AU's...you really HAVE to check this out. These two writers not only created a new life for their characters, but they also created a totally new way to tell a story. They tell this story entirely through Live Journal. They created a fandom, created a community for it, created wank and sock puppets and all to tell this story where two old enemies get to know each other without their past history getting in the way. You have to check it out!

THREESOME:

Care of Magical Creatures (NC-17) by Arsenic (Pairings: RL/HG/SS, copious references to HG/HP/RW, secondary pairing of GW/NT)
Hermione, filled with survival guilt after being the only one of the trio to live past the war, she finds salvation in helping others. Werewolf cubs to be specific. Starting a werewolf school is a lot of hard work, she gets it in the most unlikely places.

This story is so well constructed and all the relationships are so well developed you will get swept away. Her Hermione is so rich in suffering and angst and you just want to wrap her up and take care of her. Her Remus is also broken and hurting and together the healing is slow building and touching and thankfully humorous. Her Snape is of course a snarky bastard... until he isn't. And her original characters? You will fall in love with these little cubs!!

...And finally, my new obsession...

SNAPE/RON

I fell in love with the pairing early on in my fandom life. One of the first stories I ever beta read for was redsnake05's Unpredictable Terrain (NC-17) and it was sooo gorgeous. But I just chalked it up to her being one of the most beautifully lyrical writers I've EVER read and didn't think much about seeking out more of this pairing. But then a friend pointed me in the direction of...

Aftermath: A Story Told in Four Parts(N/C-17) by Josan
Snape is very happily living in the Muggle world, thank you very much, when a broken man shows up on his doorstep in need of a potion.

This story is amazingly well told. What I love about it is how invested you get in these two characters that are so much how they are in the books and yet become transformed in each other. Another great treat of this story is it's supporting cast--even the OC. I particularly like Arthur and the story he tells about Molly really helped me come to terms to how she was in the books. Anyone who knows me, knows how hard that is to do.

And then I discovered treacle_tart!! Srsly, where has she been all my life!?!?!

The Tao of Diogenes (R)
The war is finally over and two veterans meet again…for the very first time.

From the very opening paragraph, I knew that I was going to LOVE her Severus Snape:
The Severus Snape of his memory was a formidable man, a man to whom black was a lifestyle: a persona, an ideal, a principle. He was bitter, vindictive, and -- in his malice -- found fulfillment. Severus Snape sneered and scowled at the world on his best day and could sear a hole through your heart with one look on his worst. The only time Severus Snape ever smiled was when he was inflicting pain, promising misery, or torturing whomever had the misfortune to cross his path.

In short, he was not a nice man.


But what I wasn't expecting was to get a perfect Severus and a perfect Ron.

I don't want to quote the whole story--actual I do, but I wont--just this little bit. If you don't think this is soooo Ron, then you're not reading the same books I am:

When the scan was complete, he picked up a clipboard and began to record some notes. Snape’s patience ended when Ron reached the top of the third page.

“Are you going to give me a status report sometime this century, Mr. Weasley, or are you just going to continue writing your Russian novel?”

“One second, sir,” Ron responded without looking up from his clipboard. Two pages and a dozen brusque huffs from Snape later, the Potions master was ready to wring Ron’s neck.

“Mr. Weasley-“

Ron quickly cut him off by holding his index finger up in the air in the classic ‘one moment please’ stance, and continued to write. Three pages later he finally looked up, and Snape’s face was red and shaking, his lips drawn in an angry thin line.

“What in Hell’s name were you writing?” he snarled through clenched teeth.

Ron answered coolly, “The first two pages were a quick assessment of your condition. You are healing nicely, but since you refuse magical treatments and will only accept potions, you will remain here for a few more weeks to make sure we got all traces of the hexes you sustained …and to fatten you up a bit. Honestly, this whole gothic scarecrow look is not very becoming.”

Snape took short cleansing breaths -- a method used to survive his teas with Dumbledore -- and asked, “And what did you write on those other pages?”

“Oh those,” Ron replied with a defiant smile. “Let’s see.” He began to leaf through the pages. “This is a shopping list for the grocer’s - I am running dangerously low on pumpkin juice and we can’t have that. This is a list of possible birthday gifts for Hermione - she threatened to flog me if I got her anything to do with Quidditch and frankly, I’m stumped. Oh, this is a picture of Martin the Mad Muggle I sketched quickly - not bad for someone who never really drew anything before-“

“Are you telling me I sat here and waited for you to scrawl doodles from your warped and pathetic little mind before you gave me a proper assessment of my condition?” Snape growled, teeth bared.

Ron squared his shoulders and looked Snape in the eye. “I’m telling you I have no intention of visiting St. Mungo‘s Ward for Mental Restoration and Evaluation, professor. I am in charge here, and unless you are willing to watch me complete an actual Russian novel before you are allowed to leave this ward, I am more than up to the challenge.”


*chills* LOVE THE SNARK! There is a reason these are two of my favorite characters!!

If you're not ready for Snape/Ron yet, I suggest starting with her other story:
A Bitter Bargain (Snape, Ron and Ron/Harry PG-13)
Ron Weasley has to make a deal with the devil to save his friend's life.

After Deathly Hallows, it has sometimes seemed sort of hard to find a Snape who as much a Slytherin bastard as this Snape starts out being. I was a bit thrown off actually. He was the Snape I really hated. But just like in the books, there was a reason he was such a bastard. And this time, it's not over a girl. This time, Ron helps him in his redemption; both of their redemptions... It's very much a Harry/Ron, and I totally recommend it as such! And so much more!!

This reccing things is kinda fun! I'm going to do it more often! First, I gotta read more!!

Oh, but wait, that reminds me--one more. But it's not a classic--yet, and it's not Harry Potter, it's Buffy. It's Spike and it's Xander and it was written FOR ME!! Go read the lovely drabble!
Kiss and Chips (NC-17) by brumeux77
Xander and Spike have a moment of (snarky) afterglow.

Also, don't forget to leave kudos to these gorgeous talents!