Summary

• Harry and Hermione romance explored in fanfiction, providing a natural consequence of Harry's growth with competent adults in his life.
• Fans have found ways to make relationships between Harry and Voldemort, Snape and Hermione, and Draco and Hermione make sense in fanfiction.
• Fanfiction explores different aspects of canon relationships like Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, James and Lily, and Sirius and Remus, offering new perspectives and character development.

As exciting as the world of wizards and fantastic beasts is, the popularity of Harry Potter fanfiction shows that the relationships in these movies are something fans have become very invested in. Fanfiction has continued to be a popular way for people to further explore franchises with their own stories and Harry Potter is one of the most popular subjects. The unique universe of the Wizarding World provides a rich backdrop to explore some relationships in different ways from the books and movies.

Archive of Our Own is the most prominent place to find these stories, and fans can sort through their favorite ships to find a whole new take on the Wizarding World. Among the most popular relationships explored in fanfiction, each of them features some standout and extremely well-written story that explores the couple in question with an entirely new lens. Some of these ships are new and controversial while others reunite fan-favorite, sometimes even minor, Harry Potter characters they seem destined to be together.

This article contains discussions and references to sexual assault and underaged relationships.

10 Hermione/Harry - "A Marauder's Plan"

Author: CatsAreCool (Rachel500)

Though the books ultimately decided that Hermione and Ron were an ideal couple, many fans felt a Harry and Hermione romance made more sense. Not surprisingly, this has become a popular ship in Harry Potter fanfiction with "A Marauder's Plan" exploring it most effectively. This story gives readers a powerful look at their relationship as a natural consequence of Harry finally getting some competent, responsible adults in his life.

Harry gets taken in by Sirius, and it ends up making him a lot stronger and happier in the long run. None of the characters feel like caricatures, and the relationships between each character are extremely realistic and fleshed-out. All in all, it's a great read for anybody looking for more extensive wizarding lore, bonding between Sirius and Harry, and a great romance between Harry and Hermione.

9 Harry/Voldemort — "The Darkening Of Your Soul"

Author: Maeglin_Yedi

In the most extreme possible version of enemies to lovers, dedicated writers have found a way to make Harry have a relationship with Voldemort that makes sense. "The Darkening of Your Soul" involves Harry going back in time after he has been betrayed in his own life. There, he can try things differently—though Voldemort gets the same opportunity.

Harry and Voldemort are soulmates in this story, which puts them in an interesting situation. They can't defeat each other, so they need to build a version of the world that they can both live with. While the books and movies certainly pitted these two characters against each other as enemies in war, there is certainly a connection between Voldemort and Harry that can be explored in some interesting ways.

8 Hermione/Snape* —"second life"

Author: lariope

*There is no romance until both parties are of age

The Snamione ship plays with the enemies-to-lovers trope, though it's also used by many fans to give Snape a requited love interest and/or give Hermione a love interest who is on her level intellectually. In "second life," readers get to see both Snape and Hermione try to protect each other through the end of the war.

At 48 chapters long, the story gives a considerable amount of time to developing Snape and Hermione's relationship until they trust and care for one another realistically. Those who love Snape will find him gracefully handled as few other authors can replicate.

7 Harry/Ginny — "The Changeling"

Author: Annerb

Despite the books and movies setting up their relationship for a while, there are many failings to the Harry and Ginny romance, mainly due to Ginny's lack of presence in the story. As one of few stories to put Ginny under the microscope, "The Changeling" does a lot of work toward fixing the failings of Ginny's character in the movies. The premise begins with Ginny being sorted in Slytherin, and the series goes forward from there, through each year at Hogwarts and several years after.

By putting Ginny in Slytherin, she's able to grow into herself in ways she never could in Gryffindor. Because of that, the relationship she develops with Harry is incredibly powerful, as both push each other to be better people. The fic makes a classic children's story complex enough to be adult literature and grapples with the meanings of war and ambition.

6 Harry/Snape* — "The Games They Play"

Author: DebsTheSlytherinSnapeFan

*There is no romance until both parties are of age

Snape is jaded and broken by the world, which makes him the perfect person for Harry to connect with once he learns how much Dumbledore manipulated him. This story imagines Harry going back in time under a fake name to protect his younger self from the adults who were unwilling to in his childhood.

The younger Harry can be a child for the first time in his life, while the older version finds his place in the 90s with a man who truly understands his struggles. Snape's eventual redemption gives many fans the desire to see how he and Harry would interact if he wasn't forced to play this ruse. Altogether, the story explores a lot of the fandom's favorite tropes without coming across as pandering.

5 Hermione/Ron — "Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run"

Author: waspabi

Like other canon ships, Hermione and Ron end up being in the background of most fics, rather than standing on their own. However, this Draco and Harry fic spends a lot of time building up all its characters, and its take on Ron and Hermione captures a side of their relationship that is rarely seen.

The story follows what would have happened if Harry had never gone to Hogwarts and instead had to learn about magic from Hermione and their friends while on the run. It is character-driven instead of plot-driven, so those looking for a concrete direction for the story may be disappointed. However, those who enjoy getting into the minds of the characters will find a lot to love.

4 James/Lily — "The Debt of Time"

Author: ShayaLonnie

James and Lily may be the fourth most popular ship in the Harry Potter fandom, but there are shockingly few fics that focus on them. With that being said, their best story is a time-bending Sirius and Hermione story, which manages to capture the dynamic between James and Lily unbelievably well.

"The Debt of Time" follows Hermione as she is sent back in time to the 70s and becomes the adopted sister of James Potter. She becomes a trusted and loved member of the Marauders but has to cope with the idea that nothing she does can fundamentally change the fate of her newfound friends and family. It gives a lot of time to Lily and James but keeps their tragic endings intact.

3 Hermione/Draco — "Manacled"

Author: senlinyu

Despite seeming to hate each other for the majority of the franchise, the Draco and Hermione fanfic is very popular. After losing the war, Hermione is sent to Draco Malfoy to be bred and broken, which Voldemort hopes will prompt her to reveal Order secrets. This is an incredibly dark fic, and readers should be careful to read the tags before diving into it.

However, in addition to being very dark, it is widely applauded. The fic is 77 chapters long and provides readers with an incredibly slow-burn relationship between Draco and Hermione in a world where their affection for one another could get them both killed. It is an incredibly haunting story, and the pacing keeps readers ensnared from start to finish.

2 Sirius/Remus — "All the Young Dudes"

Author: MsKingBean89

Wolfstar is one of the most popular Harry Potter ships, and this story has a lot to do with that. The story follows Remus Lupin from before his time at Hogwarts through the middle of the Harry Potter series, with a particular focus on his sexuality and relationship with Sirius. Because of its length and depth, many fans consider it a proper book unto itself and accept its information as canon in the greater Harry Potter world. For those looking for comfortable, familiar characters in a work on par with serious literature, this is a must-read.

1 Draco/Harry — "survival is a talent"

Author: ShanaStoryteller

Harry and Draco discover that they are soulmates in their second year, but they have to keep their relationship hidden because of the complexities of the war. The story then continues that idea through each book. It explores the way these two characters find a connection despite them being such bitter enemies throughout the canon story.

This is one of the best Harry Potter fanfictions out there because it perfectly balances canon with fan expectations. Draco gets the redemption arc fans crave for him, but it's hard-won and takes a lot of time. The Wizarding World is given considerably more culture and history, which enriches the narrative. Finally, the writer knows exactly how to write the characters, keeping the best of the series while discarding what has aged poorly or no longer fits.

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  Harry Potter

  Created by:

  J.K. Rowling

  First Film:

  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

  First TV Show:

  Harry Potter

  Cast:

  Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Richard Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alfred Enoch, Harry Melling, Gary Oldman, Robert Pattinson, Warwick Davis, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, David Bradley, David Thewlis, Katie Leung, Jason Isaacs, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, Jamie Campbell Bower, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen

  TV Show(s):

  Harry Potter

  Movie(s):

  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

  Character(s):

  Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, Dobby the House Elf, Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black, Ginny Weasley, Voldemort