Name: manno-malfoy (Signed) · Date: 10 Jan 2018 11:13 AM · For: Reconstruction

I read Schrodinger's Cat many years ago, and I can still say that it's one of the few fics that I remember in so much detail. It made such an impact on me with how realistic, honest, and raw it is. Therefore, when I saw you had another Ginny/Harry story that seemed potentially heartbreaking, I lunged at it. And your writing didn't disappoint.

 

It was every bit as heartbreaking as I hoped it would be, perhaps even more. It's so eloquently written and the sentiments so genuine it gave me goosebumps at more than one point. I just can't get over how realistic your stories are. What Harry feels is absolutely justified, but reading about it from Ginny's point of view first was shattering. You let her be so vulnerable and honest, I even hated Harry a little while reading her side of things even though I knew he had every right to feel as he did.

 

The switch of POVs was a touch of genius (although it took me a paragraph or two to realise that it's Harry's POV). And I was elated that you gave them a chance in spite of the dire circumstances this time. And that you portrayed Ginny as this strong, solid character with vulnerabilities until the very end. I think you do Ginny a lot of justice in your writing, and that might be why I love your Harry/Ginny stories. You have a way of making them so human and melancholic, and I really do enjoy that.

 

There were many beautifully constructed sentences in this story, especially in Ginny's first section which helped hook me to the story and set the bleak atmosphere. But the one that I thought was really clever is:  

"Ideals aren't human."

 

Such wonderful work, and I'm so glad I got to read it.

Author's Response:

Howdy howdy howdy! On my crusade to returning my unanswered count to zero, I have arrived at your kind review.

 

First off, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. The transition between POVs was, I think, not the best, but it's good to hear it worked in the end as I figured it was the only way to really demonstrate not just Harry's side of the story, but their actual reconnection, which by then, Ginny was rightfully wary of. No matter how badly she wanted it, she couldn't stand it if wasn't real.

 

For some reasons since Schrodinger's Cat it's very hard for me to write an actual, (hopefully) well-written positive story about these two, but the challenge pushed me and I decided it was a good way to push from the negative to the positive. A happy ending!

 

Once again, I'm thankful for the time you took to read and review and that you appreciated the writing and the story!

Name: ??? It's a mystery (Anonymous) · Date: 17 Aug 2017 11:43 AM · For: Reconstruction

I was going to come up with another hint for you but my head is still full of all my reactions to this story. This was such a powerful story! I must admit, even so close to the end I thought you were going to keep them separated! I think it was that line at the end after they've been nodding at each other across crowded rooms less and less, and then you say 'It was the last time' - I thought that was the end for them, so the few paragraphs after that were such a treat and I loved how you spun it around at the end and still brought them back together. <3

 

This really shows off Ginny's strength - just like before, as a teenager who watched Harry go away on a dangerous mission while she had to stay behind and therefore brought back the DA, here she still has to watch as Harry is 'gone' and then leaves her once again when he finally regains his memory, and throughout she is resilient and will not be pushed around or told how to feel. Her devotion to Harry through how she collects memories from all their friends in an attempt to bring back what he lost is so sweet. And it is therefore crushing when he leaves - but Ginny of course handles this with grace, as she's done before.

 

Then you switched to Harry's POV - I wasn't expecting it and was actually a bit thrown off at first, but ultimately I think the POV switch was necessary as it shows why Harry needed the space and why he felt he had to leave, trapped like an outsider in his own life, with people who love who he was, but what wbout who he is or will become after what's happened to him? And it also felt very true to character for him. Harry was never good at processing emotions so this seemed a lot like something he would do - just get away where he can try to process it all because he needs to.

 

What this story really demonstrates is /why/ Harry and Ginny are so suited to one another, and even when Harry doesn't remember himself or her, there's something about her that can relate to him on a simple level and he always feels comfortable with her, and she understands him. The ending, with the fierce look in Ginny's eyes fading before she tries to walk away, suggests that this is what she's been waiting for from Harry for so long, but it's almost too good to be true, in a way. As if she saw it as a potential outcome, and then after time it became just a dream, and she never was the type to hang onto dreams or fantasies, but Harry is sure this time so she is ready to put all of her energy into rebuilding their relationship again. This honestly is such a good story to sway even the most non-Hinny shippers, I'd bet.

 

Last but not least, your incredible descriptions in this story also stood out, I particularly admired this one: 'you were left a husk, finally tossed aside after the darkest of harvests.' Wow. Everything about this story is amazing.

Author's Response:

Like I said before, even though with the whole anon business you'll probably never know, I'm sorry for the late response.

 

I am not sorry that you loved the story! Wading back into Harry/Ginny after a LONG time away from writing them when they were once my OTP (pre-Schrodinger's Cat) was tough for me, but the challenge provided a good opportunity where I could have difficultly and a measure of negativity that became positive instead of the reverse. I'm glad you liked the POV swap. I thought it was necessary for exactly the reasons you mentioned though I admit it wasn't readily understandable. It's cool that you saw the traits that were at Harry and Ginny's respective characters in the writing, even though they faded a little from being terribly obvious in the middle of the story.

 

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

Name: victoria_anne (Signed) · Date: 14 Aug 2017 10:11 PM · For: Reconstruction

Hey Kevin!

 

Lordy lord I have so many feels already. I love Ginny's strength through such a hard time, the way she never left Harry's side, and how she's a force to be reckoned with to the medical staff. It's perfect.

 

Argh this is tearing my heart in two. Harry's moving out! This is so awful! That he just isn't comfortable with Ginny because she's a stranger to him. Makes sense, of course, but still. Poor Ginny. I love how she still remains so resilient when the press hound her.

 

Ooh and I love that we get to see Harry's point of view. And I love that you've used the same style of writing. It's like they're mirroring each other. They're both feeling a little bit lost.

 

Argh but the ending is so beautiful, my goodness! I enjoyed this so much Kevin, it was really truly wonderful. You're amazing at what you do. I'm not sure if results for this challenge have been released yet, but either way, good luck/I hope you did well!

Author's Response:

Howdy! I'm tardy to the reviewing-response party err...responding to my own reviews anyway (I'm not sure there was ever a party).

 

I'm glad that you liked the story and the way it developed! It was hard to come back to these two as a pairing (my former OTP) since Schrodinger's Cat, but these challenge really helped because it allowed me to start with the same kind of Ginny, who is suddenly left to pick up the pieces of heart when things between she and Harry abruptly go bad. She holds on to who she really is so that the heartbreak doesn't change her identity even if it still hurts - A LOT - but this time I brought it back to a happy ending, which was gratifying for me as well.

 

Once again, I'm glad you enjoyed the story and thanks for taking the time to R&R!

Name: Crimson Quill (Signed) · Date: 09 Jun 2017 12:11 PM · For: Reconstruction

Hey Kevin,

 

So I've never had the pleasure of reading any of your writing before but I was obviously really missing out! I was so impressed with how this was constructed. You really played on the emotions to perfection, how can this be so deeply sad but also breathtakingly romantic and beautiful too? you've really achieved it with this one-shot.

 

you've really created such an intimate piece of writing which as so many emotions running through it. I thought the way you chose to story tell had such an personal feel to it. It really pulled me into your writing and engage with it. I think my favourite part of it is that description at the beginning of harry's eyes ' The deep green occupied my mind daily', I thought that piece was really beautiful as harry's eyes are such a plot line within the series. it was a lovely touch to get detail into this piece. 

 

"I can't live with you and lie to you at the same time." so my heart broke into like million pieces at this line. It was so sad because it seemed so final you know? poor Ginny!

 

The change of view point was really effective to building the complete picture out of this. I really felt for Harry in his section, you get into his mind set really well to explore the affect as he sees it. You managed explore his state of mind in a realistic way and his journey with his recovery.

 

I don't ship hinny at all but this really got me wanting to see a the happy ending for them because your writing portrayed so much love and heartache between this couple. I don't deal with angst well! I thought you came to your ending very naturally like there was enough build up that it didn't seem too rushed. It was baby steps and I'm so glad this gorgeous piece ended on a such a hopeful note. good luck with the challenge because this was simply stunning! 

 

- Abbi xo

 

P.S - thank you for all your hard work as part of staff, I love watching you on the live streams. you're a wonderful human being <33

 

Author's Response:

Howdy Abbi! Thanks so much for this review and your kind words! I'm sorry it's taken so long to respond :(

 

First off, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the story. It was a tough one (1) for me to write (which I know sounds weird because even though I love Harry/Ginny, I'm also best known for destroying them :P), but I felt a real need to address both the emotion behind everything and the actual experience of the amnesiac. So I chose the different POVs to try and accomplish it, using each for one (1) of the purposes. With Ginny I think because of her closeness and devotion that I could access while Harry was out, the emotion was much easier to get from her - though the challenge there was definitely finding the right way to capture her vulnerability in the situation with her characteristic strength and resolve. Hopefully that came across well because it's one (1) of my worries about the story. Unfortunately with Harry, I had to find a way to deconstruct him and rebuild him, but not just without Ginny - who would never voluntarily withdraw - but after taking the incredibly difficult step of cutting her out while so much is being cut out of his life.

 

Then there was the whole bringing them back together - another big fear (that it didn't work) - so hopefully it worked out too.

 

Thanks again for reviewing!

Name: WindingArrow (Signed) · Date: 01 Jun 2017 08:32 PM · For: Reconstruction

KEVIN! You know, I seriously thought I would get at least one comedy out of this challenge, but NOPE. Ya'll CONSPIRED against me with the sad and depressing and I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TISSUES! The horror!

 

That aside, at least this ended happily. Not hopeful, not heart-wrenching, but bona-fide happy and I like it! the lead up to the happy, however... I guess this is my karma for posting an amnesia challenge whilst also being the author of TMWYA... >.> *ahem*

 

I love the narration style. It was like a very intimate diary. What I love the most about it is that you show Ginny's vulnerability so well without sacrificing her actual true character voice, which is very difficult to do and I so appreciate when someone pulls it off. She is scared, she is upset, but she will not be moved.

 

And Harry's part- I like how you explained it all, his choices, why he pushed Ginny away. Their path back together again. And now that I'm at the end of the story, I wonder about the title. Fix You. Was Ginny trying to fix Harry? Or, after being absent for so long (even longer after he lost his memory), was Harry supposed to fix Ginny? It definitely suits either way and maybe you leave it up for interpretation, but as the author, I'm curious to know how you personally see it?

 

Thank you so much for enter my challenge. And since you set out to break my heart, thank you for fixing it by the end. :)

 

-Liz

Author's Response:

Howdy Liz! Thanks again for hosting this awesome challenge and for your review! Sorry it's taken so long to respond.

 

I will start where you ended and say that part of the point of the title was definitely for it to be capable of being looked at it different lights. Ginny was, of course initially, trying to fix Harry - to make things the way they were before. He definitely ends up fixing the hole his amnesia created in her too, which is a new way of thinking about it for me as I had seen the alternative as realizing that the "Fix" is more rediscovering each other. I'm sort of obsessive about titles (if you didn't already know :P) so I always love talking to people about them.

 

I definitely wanted the story to be intimate and to address both of their perspectives. Ginny's combination of vulnerability and strength was definitely something I wanted to write in and I'm glad you found it believable. I think it can be hard writing the vulnerable side of Ginny, but I wanted to make sure I didn't fall into the trap many do of making it "faux" vulnerability or casting it as more of an controlling part of her where her strength falls by the wayside or feels like a facade and it's good to hear that you thought it didn't do that. Originally, I intended to write this all from her POV, but I decided it might not provide enough insight into the amnesia element (or their reunion given what I set up with the end of Ginny's take) and so I really wanted to get Harry in there too, creating the healing as an organic, two (2) part process.

 

Thanks again for this, Liz! It definitely challenged me - something I relish every time I take one (1) on.