It's okay, I've done it before.

For my 600th post, I'm putting up a very long, very unusual fic. This was my submission for happy_trekmas. I really enjoyed writing this, not least of all because it's so different from what I normally produce (shite), but I also collaborated much more with (read: actually listened to) my beta - who always knows better than me. It's a threesome I don't ship, and it actually has angst and plot and everything!

Title: A Hunger That Never Dies
Rating: R
Series: AOS AU, with references to TOS and DS9 characters and episodes
Pairing/Moresomes: Chris Pike/James Kirk/Leonard McCoy, Leonard McCoy/??? *cough*
Word Count: ~20K
Summary: On an away mission, Captain Pike is…injured. Is he ill, is he mad? Is he even Chris Pike anymore? Can Jim Kirk find a “cure” or will he and Dr McCoy be swept up in the captain’s madness in an attempt to save him. And can the Klingons, Section 31, and the Vulcan Science Academy help them, or just make things worse?
Warnings: Creature, bloodplay/drinking, a bit of gore, discussion of PTSD, angst, dub-con, mind melds
Notes: This story would NEVER have been possible without my beta delphipsmith, who was more helpful than the VSA and S31 combined. Also, thanks to mildred_bobbin for proofing a fic containing (almost) no one she recognised;) And, of course my brother nicevenn, for the leap out of current fandom projects. Xx

I must also mention my wonderful giftfic, a beautifully-crafted Garak/Bashir story which can be read here: The Intervention of Time and Distance, by templemarker. ♥

This'll make you go awwww... and you might drool a little too. My family usually celebrated both holidays - comes from having a mix of faiths in the house, and my own household now is no different, although I don't have a Reform synagogue near me anymore.

This makes me feel all warm inside. And hungry. Happy Hanukkah!, by joan_waterhouse, AS/S, PG, ~400 words.

FINALLY, RL and LJ are both behaving and I can get this posted. The following people should be worshipped and adored!


Happy Birthday to:

justine_currie, sesheta_66, riventhorn, delorispea, gomusing, auroraprimavera, saras_girl, thewickednix,
beren_writes, taradiane, autumn_falls18, crimsonxangel12, yumekutteikt, sunmontue, silentauror, chimera3838, et_tu_lj

( These will be under your tree/next to your menorah/anywhere else you expect pressies )

And look! nicevenn is writing me a wonder festive fic for the Advent and it's got H/D and skiing and all the mayhem that's sure to ensue from the boys shacked up in a chalet together! Grab a glass of glühwein - Colorado style - and enjoy!

The Problem with Slopes, (NC17, overall)

But that's only part of what's happened in the last two months, or since I've had time to actually play with you lot.

Before I start cutting this to save you all from having to read the rest of this post, let me just say a HUGE THANK you to everyone who sent me virtual kisses! I tried to send one to everyone on my flist, but my explativing explative modem doesn't seem to like my new house very much, and it bails every five minutes, so I'm actually pretty chuffed to have got as many sent as I did. I am very, very sorry if I missed you out, but please know that I wanted to snog you stupid, even if I didn't.

Right, now. Why I've been gone and where I'm going, and if you'd like to skip to the end, there's some fic for you:)

( We moved )

( Then husband went to hospital )

( Step right up for your flu jab )

( Thank god for fandom )

Now for the fic -

Last week I received a gorgeous piece of school!smut (how did she know?) from one of my favourite writers. I had actually forgotten I left a couple of prompts over at hd_relief, and was delighted to be presented with this:

Author: khasael
Title: Relax (don't do it)
Summary: It was only a matter of time before Harry's inability to remember Potions information got him in trouble... although some sorts of trouble are a lot more pleasant than others.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3,700

In addition, I was honoured to write this little ditty for cassie_black12 for the harrydracompreg fest - it's silly, not squicky and I had a fantastic time coming up with the plot. Thank you to everyone who commented - I'll reply later tonight when the modem might be more co-operative. Thank you, also, to my fellow mods, sassy_cissa, kittyfic, and enchanted_jae!

Title: The Proof Is In the Potion
Prompt: Breaking the news to Draco's parents.
Rating: NC17
Warning(s): Mpreg, duh.
Epilogue compliant? Not even a little bit.
Word Count: ~8K
Summary: Rita Skeeter does some actual research, and damned if she isn’t shocked with what she finds: Draco in the family way, a secret from way-back-when, and Lucius has the most shocking taste in alcoholic beverages.

All for now - I'm mostly back and really missed you guys.

As the subject line would suggest, this is a mish-mash of an update, so apologies to anyone looking for coherency.

* hd_remix has finished, and I just wanted to say thank you to all the writers, artists, readers, commenters, helpers, lurkers, and anyone else who had anything to do in any way, shape, or form with that fest. I had a brilliant time with it, and can't wait to do it again. And the best part - or nearly the best part? Matching eveyone! It was da bomb!

* In keeping with that subject, I want to say another ENORMOUS thank-you to acromantular, who penned Room for Impovement based on this silly little drabble of mine. Her fic was just such a wonderful gift to receive. I wrote the fic below, remixing nicevenn's Ranus Princeps, which was also a darling gift to me a couple of years ago. All of these fics are short, cracking good fun, and pretty much hawter-n-hell, so do give them a look if that's your kind of thing :)

* Mr Nursedarry finished his last day at work yesterday - by being hungover after some RAF birthday celebration and not going in - and is now officially on leave until July, when he comes out of the force. That means between now and then, we just need to find a house (going to look at one today, in fact), and he just needs to find a job. So, not a lot going on at home...

* OMG, how much do I LOVE leo_draconis's Shared Bed Fest? This is one of my ALL-TIME FAVOURITE plot devices (as anyone who's read my fic might tell you) and the stuff being posted over there is... GUH! I may have even used this very theme in a prompt for an upcoming well-known fest.

* T-minus a week and two days until THE TRIP! Have already got great plans which include shopping, eating, fangirling, partying, visiting parents (probably a good idea, as dear old dad had a hip operation a couple of weeks ago)swimming, shopping, sigh-seeing, con-ning, squeeing, and shopping. CAN. NOT. WAIT.

* Finally, and this is important: I'm looking for a couple of HP fan-artists to take on a commissioned drawble or two. Is anyone interested? I'd need them by about the 10th of June. Please comment or PM if you're interested. It's a fun project - I promise!

Right, time to go look at that house and get to a BBQ. Here's some smut for you before I go:

Title: The Slytherin’s Prince
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco, mentions of Theo/Draco
Rating: NC17
Warnings: None - no, I really mean none.
Summary: Harry has been turned into a frog by a spurned girlfriend (guess who), and only a kiss from Draco Malfoy can break the spell. Draco’s new pet is a nice diversion from an affectionless affair with a house-mate, but he doesn’t realise that this frog can give him more than just companionship. 1st person present tense.
Word Count: ~3000
A/N: It helps to have read the original (link above), but isn't strictly necessary. Thank you and ♥ to my betas delphipsmith, cassie_black12 and britpicker, groolover.

( Hop to it! )

My Remix gift has posted!

And you should read it because it's a hawt little fic and it's fabulous and funny and full of sneering god-these-people-are-amatures!Draco, who's still a little shy and I LOVE him like that and Harry's so just-going-with-it wonderful and speaking my favourite foreign language and I can't stop squeeing!

She's remixed Better and Better, something I never would have considered, and it just works so well!

Title: Room for Improvement
Author: ????
Pairings: Harry/Draco, Harry/Ginny
Rating: Adult
Warnings: a brief unsavory bit of Harry/Ginny het
Summary: Malfoy's family-rehabilitation project is going so well. But is Potter worth risking all his hard work?
Word Count: ~2500

*sings* It's my birthday, It's my birthday! Well, not really, but giftfic from another of my hp_kinkfest prompts has been posted and it's hawt and sweet and nnnngggggghhhhh!!!

If you'd like a little spanking thrown into your Harry/Scorp, then race over to give Errant Child by meglw0228 a smack. This fic is full of UST to the point where the reader is about to explode by the end. And throwing Al in as the innocent bystander completely melted my brain.

( Teaser )

I'm sure if we all beg ask nicely, maybe we might get a sequel? Y/y? *nods empatically*

I've not read a lot of H/Sc recently, and this, plus my other lovely H/Sc gifts have been reminding me of how much I love this pairing!

Thank you, lovely meglw0228!

It's like Chanukah all over again! More presents for me today! Wonder if I'll get something nice tomorrow? (Oh, yes, I do - the house to myself while Mr Nursedarry is in Cardiff watching the rugby:)

I've got more gift fic to rec, this time coming from hd_seasons.

You all know me - I asked for: Getting together first-time sex, happy endings, Parsletongue, the Hogwarts Express, Harry summoning his patronus, Quidditch, hair touching each others hair, surprise kisses, kissing in front of and audience by mistake, kissing eyelids, broom, wands, Harry's glasses, returning Draco's wand, dancing together somewhere, flying together on the same broom.

And yes, Yes, YES!!! It's pretty much all in there - woven together in the most beautiful and delicious way. This is one candy heart I'm going to be savouring all month!

Of Dreams and Reality by Anon.