Two darkfic recs

[emmagrant01]

I have an admission to make: I have a secret love of darkfic. It's a sort of guilty pleasure, saved for days when I just bizarrely want/need to read about characters in pain and angst, with no happy ending. It's hard to explain the appeal, but a lot of darkfics show characters struggling with pain I hope I'll never know -- and doing so with determination and dignity. Their strength of character shines through, along with their love. Darkfic stories can be stunningly romantic, in a tragic, heartwrenching sort of way.

So here are two recs. Please heed warnings, comment to the authors if you read, and please share your recs with me. :-)

A Bright Cold Day in April, by amanuensis1
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Hermione/Ginny
Summary: It's a bad time to be in love.
Warnings: Unbalanced relationship (potential D/s vs. potential abuse), non-con, girlbits.

Review: Amy's fics always slay me, but this one had me reeling. It redefined femmeslash for me. I love Hermione and Ginny in this. And I can't say more, because I don't want to spoil it -- but read my comment there, if you want to know more about what I thought.


Immoderation, by florahart
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Remus/Severus, Remus/Greyback, Remus/Voldemort
Kink(s): mindfuckery and injury leading to not-possible consent or rape, depending where (or whether) you draw that line; threesome; uh, exhibitionism of a sort?

Review: The thing that really stuns me about this fic is that Flora was given Remus/Voldemort to write for a Valentine's Day fest (!) and this was what she did with it. She has my eternal admiration. It's an incredible, beautiful, gorgeous, tragic, perfect mindfuck. Oh, so much love for this fic. Remus takes abuse so beautifully, doesn't he?

If you're also a fan of the dark stuff, what about it appeals to you?

Feel free to add recs, of course. :-D