Ah, Dramione. That one ship we all secretly ship, though most of us would deny it. What is it about their mutual hatred that seems to make them so perfect for each other? I don't know, and a lot of Wattpad Dramione authors don't, either.

Dramione fanfics have been done so often that they're riddled with cliches, and I can't fully cover them all with a simple 1000 word example. In fact, I don't know that I'll fully cover them here, and I may have another Dramione chapter in the future. I give you:

The Dos and Don'ts of Dramione

1. Don't make Ron cruel to make Dramione the best option.
He can be anything from a mouthy jerk to clearly abusive in Dramione fanfics. Now, granted, you probably haven't met Mr. Ronald Weasley. Let me tell you, he treats his wife like a queen. He loves her. He would never act that way. And I know you're trying to make Dramione even better, but that's not the way to do it. You can't build something up by tearing something else down. It doesn't work in politics and it definitely doesn't work in fanfics. It just makes every Ron fan hate your story. And this is breaking rule number one of when not to change canon: someone's personality (see the last chapter for further details).

I hate how Ron is portrayed. In every Dramione fanfic, he's always a jealous prick who becomes the Draco of the story. It's like the two boys switched places. Is that necessary? No. Should it be done? Absolutely not! I truly hate it.

Ron is an amazing person, and some of those Dramione authors truly hate him, and say so. I'm all for people having different opinions on characters (I have about a billion on Snape, Draco, Dumbledore, even Umbridge, mainly because if I don't like a character (or don't know why I do) I try to look at things from their perspective and then I understand their position better). However, you can't change a character like that. He ceases to be the same person. He becomes someone else that we all absolutely despise, while still liking the "Ron" part. We like him in name only, and that's awful.

So, don't ever make Ron a cruel person. Yes, he would probably be quite upset if Hermione suddenly sprung on him that she was starting to like Draco Malfoy (see #8). Harry would, too. It's quite possible that the two of them wouldn't speak to Hermione for a while. But Ron wouldn't suddenly become an abusive maniac, and give Draco a chance to swoop in and save the day.

Actually, if you do it just so Draco can swoop in and save the day, you're changing all three characters' personalities... Hermione is obviously a lot tougher than Draco (remember when she slapped him third year and he ran away?). She would probably be smart enough to whip out her wand and do a quick Petrificus Totalus on Ron, and then by the time Draco showed up to save her she'd have already finished her Arithmancy homework, and would be starting on Transfiguration, using Ron as a footstool.

Anyway, moral of the story is don't change any personalities, but this one is especially important, because making Ron cruel and abusive is a huge cliche in this type of fanfiction.

2. Do make Hermione extremely conflicted about where her feelings for Draco are headed.
A great time to not make Ron such a prat, too. If you give her a perfectly good second choice, she'll feel that much more conflicted when she starts falling for Draco, and that would make the story so much better.

A lot of the fanfictions tend to gloss over how much Draco and all his friends despised Hermione, and how terrible they made her life (at least, hey do after Draco and Hermione start liking each other). Once she starts liking him, all is forgiven and they move to an alternate Hogwarts called Super-Unicorn Fairy Romance Dream World where no one seems to think its weird that they're dating now (except Pansy Parkinson and Ron Weasley) and Hermione doesn't care that in fourth year, Draco was actively feeding the news lies about Harry and herself and Hagrid, or how since second year he's been treating her like literal dirt and calling her a mudblood. Is that not going to bother you after you stop making out?

In all honesty, Hermione would probably be shocked and scared by her feelings for him when they start to appear. Even if Draco's become a bit nicer in recent weeks (or if it's set after the war and he's changed, which opens a whole new can of rat spleens based on his ex-Death Eater status), she's going to be freaked out. In fact, she'll probably staunchly deny it, even to herself, and bury herself in her studies more than usual to distract herself. Even when she finally can't do deceive herself anymore, and has to admit it, she should be seriously conflicted by this. A lot of Dramione fanfics would be so much better if they included this, instead of skipping straight from downright loathing to making out.

3. Don't make Draco suddenly turn nice and sweet and sensitive.
Draco is exactly none of those things, not even to Pansy Parkinson (for more on her, see #5). He can't confess his feelings for Hermione and suddenly be a totally different person. That's incredibly boring. He has to be the same person inside. That witty, spoiled, infuriating little prick has to remain the same, even if he likes Hermione.

He should still despise Harry and Ron, even if Hermione wants him to like them. He should still hate muggleborns (at least for a while), even if he's dating one (which would put him in a very bad position, which is very good for you as an author! Think of Severus Snape!). He should still be funny and witty and spoiled and stuck up and full of himself and mean. You can't change all those things just to get a feelsy romantic moment where Draco brings Hermione flowers and chocolate after she doesn't get all her OWLs and comforts her sweetly and sensitively. Nothing about Draco Malfoy is sweet or sensitive. He's even a prat to his friends. He's not going to change for any girl, especially Hermione Granger!

Now, this is not to say that, as their relationship progresses, he can't become a better person. Hermione can definitely be a good influence on him, but things like that take time, and lots of it. It's not an overnight thing. It takes a lot of patience and self discipline to become a better person, or to stop a bad habit. That would be an interesting journey to watch, but it has to be just that, a journey. What's important about journeys? They take time to et where they're going. Time a lot of Wattpad authors don't give them.

4. Do give Draco conflicted feelings, as well.
And not just "oh I love Hermione but what will my parents say?" This kid grew up despising muggleborns. As a twelve-year-old, he was already using terrible racial slurs to belittle muggleborns. He hates them, particularly Hermione (because she's the top student in their year and showing him up at every turn). He was hoping she would be killed by the basilisk in Chamber of Secrets! That does not all go away because of a crush! In fact, that hatred would probably be intensified by a crush on her! He should be mortified by what he's starting to feel! He should become more unbearable!

He should have about the same inner turmoil as Hermione, and he probably wouldn't handle it as well. Knowing Draco, he'd most likely blame her and lash out. He might even accuse her of giving him a love potion if they manage to catch each other alone (wouldn't that be a fun scene to see?).

He's not going to take it quietly, though. He would never tell anyone, and he would refuse to accept it for much longer than Hermione would. In fact, he should be just as upset about this, or more so, than he was when he realized he couldn't kill Dumbledore, and Voldemort would kill him if he didn't.

Now, this "Do" is assuming that you're writing this before the war. After the war, he might be a bit changed in his views on muggleborns. However, eighteen years of prejudice is incredibly hard to overcome. He should still struggle with that a lot, even if he knows that she's no different from him. You could also throw in the twist of "I don't deserve her; look at all the terrible things I did in the war." He would probably be too ashamed of all that to ever tell her what he felt, and also ashamed of everything he'd ever done to her.

Either way, give him conflict. This would not be an easy road for him. As I said in #3, he can't just change into a different person when he starts falling for her. Think of how you'd react if you'd been prejudiced against a type of person for your whole life and suddenly found yourself with a crush on that person. Now try to convey that conflict into your story.

5. Don't make Pansy Parkinson an ugly (word for prostitute).
Every single Dramione fanfic on God's green earth has Pansy Parkinson as your typical ugly, stupid, promiscuous girl obsessed with Draco that he has around to snog and that's all she's ever good for, except glaring at Hermione after the Dramione starts happening. Give her some depth, make her a smart girl, give her better insult than curse words. In the books, it was pretty obvious she liked Draco, but that does not in any way equal " mindless snogging partner for when Potions is a little too boring."

In so many Dramione fanfics, she's literally around to be a block of wood with a mouth, used to make Hermione jealous when the big fight happens between Draco and Hermione. It's quite annoying, because how much more interesting would the story be if Draco and Hermione weren't forced together by fate and actually had other options? Options with brains who weren't completely ugly. Because, honestly, why would conceited Draco Malfoy be interested in snogging an ugly girl? He could have anyone in Slytherin House and he chooses the ugly girl whose personality doesn't extend beyond her mouth?

Which brings me to another point. You can make someone truly hatable without making them ugly and stupid. I'm pretty sure every single person who's read Star of Gryffindor absolutely hates Nico Jasper. I didn't make him stupid, or ugly (actually, I'm not sure I've given a description of him... But he's not ugly). Why do they hate him, then? Because he's a despicable person! He's prejudiced, he's mean, and Astra would tell you that it's quite possible that he's a psychopath (no comment from Ellie). He's always gone out of his way to pick on my MC. He's almost killed her before in a hallway duel. He's told James that he hopes Lily Luna Potter dies. He's told Astra that her absentee wizard father probably abandoned her because she was the daughter of a muggle. He's a hatable character (I hope). But he's not stupid. In fact, he's pretty smart, or Ciara Malfoy wouldn't hang out with him.

So, how do you make someone hatable? Make them do hatable things. If you make Pansy Parkinson a smart little devil, who's constantly taunting Hermione and being an absolute menace, you'll have succeeded at making her horrible. Don't try too hard to make her hatable. Just think of what sort of person you would hate, and make her that. Readers are smarter than you think. We can tell who's supposed to be hated, and if she deserves it, we will hate with vehemence.

Also, if you make her more than a block of wood with a mouth, it makes a whole lot more sense why Draco would even be near her. If she only exists to lock lips with Draco, I don't see why he wouldn't avoid her. He's smart. He knows he can someone with a brain if he wants. There are even other girls in his year he could go to, or girls in the year below or above. His options aren't very limited. So, when you make Pansy a stupid, ugly (word for prostitute) it makes me question how much he truly likes Hermione. If he's willing to settle for Pansy, maybe he's just settling for Hermione. She's certainly better, but how much more?

6. Do give the romance time to happen.
Yes, that must be longer than three chapters. In any romance book, you can't have the focal couple making out in chapter two. They need time to get to know each other and start to like each other. And Dramione is a rather unique case in the world of romance based on their aforementioned loathing for each other. It should take even longer for them to hook up! Don't rush it just to make your readers squeal like third years on their first trip to Hogsmeade!

7. Don't make it just romance!
Romance books that are just romance are quite boring (unless you're my grandmother. I'm assuming you're not my grandmother). Why should fanfics be any different? You can't make Hermione and Draco's relationship the plot of the story. Give it a separate plot, quite apart from the romance.

Even better, don't even give any signs of the romance. Then, throw them into a situation where they have to work together, and see what happens (aka: they struggle. A lot). Then, let their relationship build as the plot continues. Make it a supporting part of the story, not the main part.

Honestly, if I'd made Star of Gryffindor (or one of its sequels) revolve around Astra's love life, would you have liked it? (Assuming you've read it, which you should totally do! #ShamelessSelfPromotion) I don't think so. Obviously, I didn't set out to write a romance novel (because that would be a load of hippogriff dung), but the point stands. It's the same for every romance book, as well. Even Twilight has something of a plot. And trust me, it won't take anything away from the Dramione. If you put thought into the plot, it will probably enhance the relationship!

8. Do make them face the consequences of the relationship.
Harry and Ron, no matter their closeness to Hermione, would accuse her of being Confunded if she told them she was dating Draco of her own free will. When they found out it was true, they would probably never speak to her again. Harry and Draco are nemeses at school. Depending on the fanfic, they've been making life like Azkaban for the other person for anywhere from five to eight years. Ron is the same. They won't forgive Malfoy easily, and they'll consider Hermione to be betraying them, especially if she springs on them out of nowhere that they're dating.

Draco, too. His parents would disown him, at the very least, if he started dating a mudblood. Voldemort might even kill him, to save them all the shame of being associated with him. This relationship could quite literally put Draco in extreme danger. You can't ignore that, or Hermione's consequences, in your story. Even if they decide not to tell Draco's parents, word is bound to get out. And Draco is going to have some explaining to do, for sure.

9. For the love of Merlin and all things Harry Potter, do not make them Headboy and Headgirl!
This is the premiss for over half the Dramione fanfics in existence. The biggest cliche ever, and thus the last on the list (helpful study tip: you remember what you study first and last the best, not what's in between!). Do not make them Headboy and Headgirl, and whatever you do, don't make them have to share a special dorm!

That is not how Headboy and Headgirl work! I should know, one of my friends is Headgirl this year, and she's definitely not bunking up with our Headboy, Teddy Lupin*! This situation is contrived solely to give Dramione a private common room to make out in, or worse. It's completely unnecessary to a good story, and actually seems pretty detrimental, if you ask me. If I had to spend the year alone with a boy, hidden away from all the other students whenever I went to my common room, I might end up making out with him too, no matter how much we used to hate each other (actually, no, I'd probably sneak out to Hogsmeade more often so I could write more often, or I'd read a lot of books). It's really lazy story-telling, if you ask me.

Yes, the most adorable relationship in existence, Jily, didn't take off until Lily and James became Headboy and Headgirl. However, that worked perfectly for them because James spent his entire Hogwarts career trying to impress her, but had actually grown up a bit by seventh year and wasn't such an arrogant person. Lily apparently noticed this, and they started dating, beginning the sweetest relationship ever. This doesn't mean it'll work for Draco and Hermione; on the contrary, it would probably make them hate each other more to be Headboy and girl together.

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So, there you have it! Did I miss any? If you think of one, tell me in the comments, and I'll add it!

*This is spring 2016 as I write this, so yes, Teddy Lupin is still in school. He's two years above me, and super nice.