Irresistible Poison
“There really is no such thing as a typical Potter slash story: with such a variety of characters available, the tropes in Potter slash are highly dependent upon the pairing,” explains Catherine Tosenberger (2008, 195). I believe that the Drarry (Draco/Harry) slash community exhibits this clearly. Drarry is still one of the most famous pairings in Harry Potter fanfiction. The slash started early, as both of the characters make appearances in the early books and “after the release of Goblet of Fire, Potter fandom grew to gargantuan proportions.” (Tosenberger, 2008, 192). The pairing itself is an example of “enemyslash” (pairing two known enemies together romantically and/or sexually), and the fact that the two characters cannot stand each other throughout the series is part of the appeal for writers.
What we see in Drarry fanfiction is the tension felt by both parties as they fall in love with someone they don’t want to (or they’re not supposed to want to). Many stories recount the denial and increased aggression towards each other that comes out of these contradictory feelings. While these stories rarely discuss homophobia, the tensions of falling in love with someone who you’re not supposed to are apparent.
While earlier scholars discussed women’s desire for sexual equality as a key component in Kirk/Spock fanfiction (Russ; Frazer Lamb and Veith), this idea doesn’t hold in this particular ship nor the Harry Potter fandom as a whole. Draco, even though his family is rich and influential, is a powerless character in many respects. He is hated by his classmates outside of Slytherin, mistrusted by teachers, and marked as the son of a deatheater at Hogwarts and among the “protagonists” of the story. Even among the antagonists of the story, Draco is seen as needing to prove himself and his allegiance to Voldemort. After his father failed to capture Harry Potter in the fifth book and was sent to Azkaban, Voldemort forced Draco, under threat of death, to try to kill Dumbledore as a 16 year old boy. Harry, at Hogwarts, has all the power in the relationship (Rowling, 2005). This dynamic is only exaggerated in Irresistible Poison, through the usage of a love potion.
In Irresistible Poison, a famous Drarry fanfiction written in 2001, Draco accidentally swallows a love potion and runs into Harry, the first person he sees after swallowing the potion. Much to his dismay, Draco feels the effects immediately and wrestles with the discomfort of falling in love with someone he doesn’t like. Draco finally admits to Harry what happened and Harry, begrudgingly tries to help break the spell. The story covers the conflicting emotions of the two as they try to find a solution. While Harry doesn’t experience the effects of the love potion, you can still see the shame he experiences in even trying to help Draco. Embarrassed and afraid his friends will judge him or hate him for it, Harry only tells Hermione when he can’t think of any other solution (Rhysenn).
While the story makes no mention of homophobia, the two characters experience similar feelings of shame, discomfort, embarrassment, and guilt that queer people must face within homophobiic spaces. This story was written over eighteen years ago, a time when homophobia may not have been as strong as it was in the 20th century, but was certainly more prominent than it is today. The comparison of Draco’s love potion as poison (alluded to in the title) may also play with the notion that homosexuality is still a taboo, despite not being portrayed as one outright in the story. The drama and conflict is only enhanced within the unequal power dynamics between the two characters, both in regard to their characters’ statuses and the love potion. While it is important not to assume the identities of writers on the Internet, especially regarding sexual orientation, what we can see through this particular fanfiction is an exploration of the messiness of sexuality and all the contradictory feelings that come with it.
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