We all want more of Harry Potter beyond the seven novel series dreamed up by J.K. Rowling and the timeless eight film blockbuster franchise. So where exactly do you go when searching for more of the fantastic universe introduced to us by The Boy Who Lived? If re-imaginings of the acclaimed series that answer all the "What ifs..." sound like heaven, you'll probably find yourself lost in the digital labyrinth that is Harry Potter fan fiction.

From Fanfiction.net to Archive Of Our Own (AO3), Wattpad, Live Journal, and HarryPotterFanficition.com, there are literally thousands of stories written by Potterheads across the globe catered to anyone's taste. And as a longtime fanfic reader, I'm here to tell you, fans of The Boy Who Lived are an incredibly imaginative bunch. From multi-chapter stories that dream up epic romances about popular "ships" (shorthand for relationships) like Draco and Hermione, to time traveling adventures and mature erotica rated "M" that will make you clutch your pearls, there is a story for everyone. Some can be a bit rough around the edges, but a fair warning: once you read one, it's hard to stop.

So while it's nearly impossible to give kudos to every amazing story out there inspired by Rowling's words, I hope this list of some of the best Harry Potter fan fiction will lead you on a path to finding what's right for you. We've organized our 52 selections by some of the fandom's most popular ships and story prompts, which you'll discover often overlap with one another. We also included a rundown of need-to-know lingo amongst fanfic die hards. Happy reading!

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A Basic Fan Fiction Glossary

  • Abandoned - A story left incomplete by its writer for an extended period of time.
  • Alternate Universe (AU) - The writer rejects Rowling's original material and re-invents key plot points.
  • Canon - Material that stays true to Rowling's original narrative.
  • Crossover - A story introduces themes and characters from a separate fandom. (Ex: Harry Potter meets the Avengers.)
  • Erotica - A.k.a smut, a.k.a NSFW. While some would argue the majority of fanfics are erotica, these are stories where sex dominates the plot.
  • Gender Bent - Characters appear as the opposite gender from Rowling's canon.
  • Marauders - Stories following James Potter, Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew and their years at Hogwarts.
  • Modern AU - The alternate universe plot takes place in present day.
  • Multi-Year - The story spans multiple years.
  • Next Generation - Stories that follow the lives of the Harry Potter characters' children, like Harry's sons Albus and James Potter, or Draco's son Scorpius Malfoy.
  • One shot - A one chapter fic that can be long or short and sticks to one plot and storyline.
  • Post-Hogwarts - Narratives following Harry, Ron, and Hermione that take place after the Battle of Hogwarts.
  • Ships/Pairings - Popular fandom relationships.
  • Tags - A vital part of reading fanfics—particularly on AO3—tags highlight major themes and features of a story. Pay attention to tags rated M and E that warn of any sexually explicit content or trigger warnings (TW). Pro-tip #1: Tags can be used to filter out thousands of fics to find your preferred stories. Pro-tip #2: They are almost as entertaining as the story itself. Ex: Hot for Teacher's include "Draco's a DILF," "Awkwardness," and "Ginny and Harry are pervy and hilarious."
  • Unfinished/Work in Progress (WIP) - A fanfic that's regularly updated, but incomplete.

Crossovers

  1. Harry Potter and the Natural 20 by Sir Poley - This story blends the worlds of Harry Potter and Dungeons and Dragons for a 74 chapter epic adventure. Rating: T(een)
  2. Holly Potter and the Midlife Crisis by - An unfinished, AU, gender bent fic that has 61 chapters and counting, Holly Potter and the Midlife Crisis follows the "Girl Who Lived" as she's thrust into Marvel's Avengers Universe. Rating: T
  3. The Havoc Side of the Force by Tsu Doh Nimh - Harry Potter and Star Wars' Anakin Skywalker meet in one of the fandom's most popular crossover fics, with over 15,000 favorites on Fanfiction.net. Rating: T

Draco and Hermione (Dramione)

draco and hermione

Warner Bros.

  1. Isolation by Bex-chan - This romantic AU has been reviewed over 16,000 times and takes place in the moments after Half-Blood Prince. While Harry and Ron search for Horcruxes, Hermione stays behind at Hogwarts. Draco is secretly living at the school for his protection, forced to stay in Hermione's dormitory. Rating: (M)ature
  2. Rebuilding by Colubrina - With over 38,000 reviews, Rebuilding follows Draco and Hermione as they fall in love after returning to rebuild Hogwarts after the war. Rating: M
  3. Manacled by SenLinYu - In a world where Harry was killed in the war, Voldemort orders the wizarding community to repopulate, resulting in Hermione's forced surrogacy as she holds an important Order of the Phoenix secret. Rating: (E)xplicit
  4. Hot for Teacher by MotherofBulls - As a single parent, Draco notices that his son Scorpius has a crush on his Hogwarts teacher, who's none other than Hermione Granger. Rating: M

Post-Hogwarts

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Warner Bros

  1. The Aurors by FloreatCastellum - Harry settles into adult life with Ginny as an established Auror. But now he's been partnered with an bothersome idolizing trainee. Rating: T
  2. A Black Comedy by nonjon - With over 6,300 reviews on Fanfiction.net, A Black Comedy is an AU that finds Harry and Sirius on an adventure of "drunken debauchery" two years after the defeat of Voldemort. Rating: M
  3. Ghost of You by blacktag189 - Picking up moments after the end of the Second Wizarding War, Ghost of You follows Harry and Ginny's romance as they adapt to a world without Voldemort. Rating: M
  4. The First Day by little0bird - This canon-compliant story written by popular fanfic writer "littl0bird" is another that takes place directly after The Deathly Hallows, following Harry and Ginny's romance as they grieve in the days following the Battle at Hogwarts. Rating: T

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Alternative Universe (AU)

  1. Swung by Serafim by flamethrower - The 45 chapter epic re-imagines Harry and Ron's third year in Hogwarts...if Gilderoy Lockhart had successfully Obliviated them in The Chamber of Secrets. Rating: M
  2. Prince of the Dark Kingdom by Mizuni-sama - A renowned AU multi-year, Prince of the Dark Kingdom is an abandoned 126 chapter story. It tackles a world in which Voldemort rules and he and Harry become...friends? Rating: M
  3. Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Less Wrong - In this 122 chapter story, Harry is a science-fiction obsessed boy wizard raised by his Aunt Petunia—who's married to a biochemist. Rating: T
  4. A Dealer Not a Death Eater by Jaxon - In the years leading up to the first Wizarding War, Lilly Evans is in-love with Severus Snape instead of James Potter. Rating: E
  5. Text Talk by merlywhirls - In this modern AU, while in boarding school Sirius Black accidentally texts Remus Lupin—who's stuck in the hospital. But what starts out as an innocent mistake turns into something more. Rating: Not Rated
  6. Delenda Est by Lord Silvere - An adult Harry Potter travels back in time and meets a young, mysterious Bellatrix Lestrange, who he soon partners up with to change the course of history. Rating: T
  7. Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man - At over one million words and 132 chapters, the story follows a Harry Potter who was sorted into Slytherin. He also has a brother named Jim who's believed to be the Boy Who Lived. Rating: T
  8. The Best Revenge by Arsinoe de Blassenville - This fic answers one question: What if Snape had rescued Harry from the guardianship of the Dursleys? Rating: T

Harry and Hermione (Harmony)

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Warner Bros.

  1. A Marauder's Plan by CatsAreCool - An AU with over 2,000 favorites that has Sirius remain England in order to watch over Harry. Rating: T
  2. The Reclamation of Black Magic by ShayaLonnie - This AU spans Harry's seven years at Hogwarts in a world where the Black family reclaims their magical dominance to change the wizarding world forever. Rating: E
  3. Harry Potter and the Future's Past by DriftWood1965 - The day after the Battle of Hogwarts, the Goddess of Love provides Harry and Hermione the chance to go back in time. Rating: T
  4. Escape by SingularOddities - A Marriage Law goes into place during Hermione's sixth year, causing her to make an unexpected choice. Rating: T

The Marauders

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Warner Bros

  1. The Life and Times by Jewels5 - Though abandoned and not updated since 2015, this nearly-complete dramatic adventure depicts James and Lilly Potter's beautiful love story in the years leading up to their deaths. Rating: M
  2. The Rise and Fall of the Stag and Doe by SiriusUntiltheVeryEnd - Another favorite take on James and Lily's romance during their years in Hogwarts, leading up to their last days. (Warning: it's 95 chapters). Rating: M
  3. All the Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 - Focusing on a much-loved fandom ship, Remus and Sirius, this very long 188-chapter multi-year slow burn charts the Marauders' lives during and after Hogwarts. Rating: M
  4. The Electric Fizzing Prick Pistols, or Whatever by whitmans_kiss - This charming one shot follows the Marauders through their Hogwarts years: James paired with Lily and Sirius with Remus. Rating: M
  5. We Were Infinite by WolfstarPups90 - Another fic that follows the Marauders through Hogwarts and beyond, focusing on Remus and Sirius, and Lily and James—only this one is 106 chapters and counting, last updated in 2019. Rating: M

Erotica

  1. Eros and Psyche by RZZMG - The most epic, smuttiest Harry Potter fan fiction—with 67 chapters, unfinished— Eros and Psyche is an AU that sees our favorite Hogwarts students play an explicit magical card game that brings forth their most personal desires. Pairings include Hermione and Draco, Blaise Zabini and Ginny, and Ron and Pansy Parkinson. (Pro-tip: all of RZZMG's work is extra hot.) Rating: M
  2. Problem by katatonic25 - Hermione and Draco are grown and sexy ministry officials who find sizzling comfort in one another. Rating: M
  3. A Big Happy Weasley Family by WerewolfWarriro - Harry, um, services just about every member of the Weasley family. And yes, this includes a threesome with Ron and Hermione. Rating: E
  4. Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor by cloneserpents - In this beloved erotic comedy with over 1,000 reviews, Harry leads his friends on a Horcrux hunt after reading a magical book that gives him special powers. Rating: M
  5. The Dragon's Bride by Rizzle - Draco and Hermione wake up naked, hungover, and tattoo'd. And did we mention married? Rating: M

Draco and Harry (Drarry)

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Warner Bros

  1. Azoth by zeitgeistic - This wildly popular fic is a must for Drarry stans everywhere. It follows Harry and Hermione as they return to Hogwarts to complete their seventh and final year after defeating Voldemort in the Second World War. But of course the Boy Who Lived can't help but fall in-love with Draco Malfoy, which means plenty of steamy scenes between the two. Rating: E
  2. The Incredible Race by Cheryl Dyson - Now Aurors, Harry and Draco and are obligated to participate in a nationally televised race so the Ministry of Magic gains free publicity. The only problem? They hate each other. Rating: M
  3. Then Comes a Mist and A Weeping Rain by Faith Wood - A one shot with over 21,000 words, it's a sweet rom-com that features a moody Draco whose emotions manifest into a floating cloud over his head. (Literally and figuratively). Rating: E
  4. Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop - In a Draco Malfoy meets Groundhog Day fic, the Slytherin relives the same 24-hour period over and over again, but he soon finds himself falling for a certain Boy Who Lived. Rating: E
  5. Not Your Usual Veela Mate by Janara - An AU fic that begins at the beginning of their sixth year, Draco is a Veela (a seductive, semi-human magical being) whose mate is revealed to be none other than Harry Potter. Rating: M
  6. Must Love Quidditch by dracosoftie - Harry believes he's found his soulmate on an online dating site. That is until the identity of his digital beau is revealed. Rating: M
  7. Temptation on the Warfront by alizarincrims0n - In this 31 chapter AU, Draco Malfoy joins the Golden Trio on their hunt to find the horcruxes to destroy Voldemort. Rating: M
  8. The Standard You Walk Past by bafflinghaze - Upon returning to Hogwarts to complete their seventh year following the Second Wizarding War, Headmistress McGonagall assigns Draco and Harry as roommates to promote house unity. Rating: M

Next Generation

  1. Take the Tumble by Kittenshift17 - Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy hate each other, but they succumb to an irresistible challenge, proving their passionate rivalry is more than it seems. Rating: M
  2. Must Have Done Something Right by MissPronounced - In this romance, Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy finally come face-to-face in their sixth year at Hogwarts. Rating: M
  3. Harry Potter and the Conspiracy of Blood by CambAngst - Years after the Battle at Hogwarts, in this murder mystery Harry and four generations of his family battle to survive against a mysterious enemy. Rating: M
  4. Try and Tri Again by Joeygirl1994 - Victoire, the daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley, is finally dating Teddy Lupin (Tonks and Remus' son), but her happiness is threatened after she's chosen to participate in the Tri Wizard Tournament. Rating: T
  5. Our Little Secret by little0bird - The "past and present collide" in this fic featuring the next generation of Potter/Weasley kids in Hogwarts, including Rose Weasley, James and Albus Potter, and Scorpius Malfoy. Rating: T
  6. Quietly by starlightpeddler - As Albus and Scorpius' friendship slowly begins to grow into something more, they struggle to keep their new relationship quiet from the rest of Hogwarts. Rating: T

Hermione and Severus

  1. Pet Project by Caeria - Hermione overhears a private conversation in regards to Professor Snape that leads to an unlikely romance in this fic that has over 13,000 favorites on Fanfiction.net. Rating: M
  2. The Contract by stellastark - Hermione is forced by law to marry Lucius Malfoy, leading to her to seek out Professor Snape for help. Rating: M
  3. Forbidden by Savageland - Ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione is pulled into an investigation of two missing Hogwarts students that seems to lead back to the dead Severus Snape. Rating: M
  4. Inkstains by Zigadenus - This unfinished, 52-chapter fic finds Hermione dealing with emotional fallout from the war and her messy divorce from Ron. Rating: E

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