Another Mask Behind You by lettered

[capitu]

Title: Another Mask Behind You
Author: lettered
Rating: NC 17
Word Count: 120,000 Approx.
Summary: Draco is a high-end prostitute who hides his identity. Harry unknowingly hires him. And then there is porn, questions about identity, domestic bliss, more porn, and truth as seen through a web of lies. (And then more porn. Seriously, if you don’t want sex scene after sex scene you probably shouldn’t read this. And please read the warnings.)
Content/Warning(s): dub-con, D/s elements but the dynamic shifts back and forth (not formalised), prostitution (and please, read more at post in the fic).

Well! ^^ The summary pretty much tells you what this story is about.

Draco is a high-end escort and yes, Harry unknowingly hires him. You see, the thing is, Draco has created a potion that, unlike Polyjuice, doesn't turn him into someone else, it rather modifies his features just enough to make him different, and once Harry starts taking Draco to places (usually Ministry or private events), well, it's obvious he's interested, and then he's obviously more than interested when he asks Draco (Tristan as the guy who Draco 'turns' into is called) to spend a month with him. And yes, at first Draco does it for revenge, he wants Draco to love Tristan, and then Draco would reveal himself. Only it never happens, because while Draco might deny it, he starts having feelings for Draco.

Eventually Harry discovers the ruse, but by then Draco admits he loves Harry, but Harry, well, he's hurt and upset and more than that, he's bloody furious, but Draco's going to try to win him back (Hermione is awesome btw). There's a lot to be said, a lot of things happen, but I don't want to spoil it.

Just now this story is incredibly intense and raw and it's filled with feelings and self-discoveries. It's an emotional rollercoaster. And it's hot too. There's so much dirty talking, so much, there's sex and it's hot and intense and rough and filthy but also loving at times, and I know it comes with a lot of warnings (mind those, by the way), but it's the story is awesome.

Comments

[vaysh]

Seconding all the way.

[capitu]

♥♥♥

(I hope you're not seeing those as huge hearts. God, what happened to lj the other day. ^^)

[vaysh]

Your lovely hearts are normal-sized. LJ has resized the hearts over night, I think. :)

[capitu]

Oh good. :D It was crazy (if a bit sweet?) to have those giant hears around. :)

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

That was stunning. It was so stunning. I was dry-sobbing by the end of it, all my favourite kinks in a story that wasn't even for me -- only it was because I was reading it and just... just. OMG.

[capitu]

I know, right??? The ending of the first part and the second nearly killed me, and then came the third and the fourth and yeah. Same. :D

[lauren3210.livejournal.com]

I loved this fic omg! Like, I found some of it hard to read, because of how Draco described Harry, and even though I knew it was just Draco's (twisted) opinion, it still really grated me seeing Harry portrayed like that. But God, the writing, it was just fucking sublime, every moment of it was beautiful!

[capitu]

I know! I saw you comment, the piggy eyes. ^^ I scowled every time I read it. Draco was certain of his truth. *nods* But then, so beautiful when he finally saw.

"Slowly, watching him, it dawned on Draco how he had managed to avoid realizing just how beautiful Potter really was."

<3

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

There are things about this that tempt me a lot and things which hint that I should stay away. Could you tell me, behind a spoiler cut or in a pm, how the non-con dynamic works? Meaning is it Harry ignoring Draco's consent, the opposite, or something entirely different?

Is Harry portrayed respectfully and with love? Or is it a fic in which he's "taught a lesson about Slytherins"?

Thank you. ♥

[vaysh]

The non-con/dub-con is that Harry does not know the escort he is hiring named Tristan is in fact Draco Malfoy with magically altered featured. Harry falls in love with Tristan. One of the main points of the story is that even though Tristan is very similar to Draco (snarky, not idolising Harry or being awed by him) for Harry, it is Draco's past that makes it (initially) impossible for him to simply transfer his feeling for Tristan to Draco, when he learns they are the same person. Like when Harry and Draco sleep with each other, Harry loses his erection when he sees the Dark Mark on Draco's arm.

I think Harry's portrayal is very respectful and true to canon. He is socially awkward and shy but never dumb. He knows more of what's going on than what Draco (the novel is written in his pov) realises. He is not an Auror but helps a lot of people with many things. His love and need for someone like Tristan is sweet and touching; his issues from the childhood abuse are subtly highlighted but don't dominate his personality. His presence in the story is incredible, physical as well as magical. You cannot help falling in love with him, same as Draco. If someone is taught a lesson in the story, it is Draco.

edited to make the lj-spoiler work. *headdesk*

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

That all sounds extremely promising, thank you, I shall continue to read.

[capitu]

I can tell you more, behind a spoiler tag here. ^^


The non-con dynamic, is partly due because for the first half of the story Harry doesn't know he's with Draco. He thinks he's with this other man that Draco is pretending to be, this escort/rentboy called Tristan. They fuck and Harry even hires him to live with him for a month, and Harry gives himself to Tristan over and over, you can see him falling for this guy. But through this Draco hates Harry. He blames Harry for all he's gone through, because Harry saved him (from Azkaban), but didn't save, didn't help him (them, really Pansy and co) to make their lives easier in a post-war world that hates the Slytherins and Death Eaters.

Harry's characterisation, well, the story is written in Draco's POV, and like I said, for the first half Draco hates Harry, and so he sees Harry through his hate, his denial of the person Harry is, that's his truth, and it takes him a while for him to see the whole person Harry is, but by then Harry's learn Draco's ruse and he's furious.

Here's another thing that might come as dub-con, because while Harry is still furious with Draco, they still fuck, Draco consents, Draco wants Harry, but the fucking, those first times after Harry knows the whole truth aren't loving and pretty, are angry and intense.

But then, once Draco sees, once Draco realised he is in love with Harry, see this magnificent, beautiful man Harry truly is. Harry's flawed, too, he has issues, but he's Harry, angry and hurt, but trying to give Draco the chance, to maybe even make things work between them.

I think, like vaysh said, it's Draco who's taught a lesson.

And not that you asked, but Hermione is awesome. :)

I hope that helps? :)

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

It helps very much, thank you. I'm downloading it to my Kindle now. ♥