Underwater Light

Underwater Light is a epic-length Harry/Draco slash story by Maya that was posted online in installments between May 2002 and July 2005. Written from Harry's point of view, the story takes place during his seventh year at Hogwarts and imagines how he and Draco Malfoy might become friends. Their evolving relationship is set against the backdrop of the looming war with Voldemort. Because part of the story was written during the Three-Year Summer before Order of the Phoenix was published, it presents a now thoroughly jossed sequence of events leading to the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort.
The story combines elements of the romance, mystery, and action genres. 
Maya wrote a few other stories set in the same universe:
* Loved Those of Great Ambition (prequel, from Pansy Parkinson's point of view; Pansy/Draco)
* Extended Courtship (prequel, from other classmates' point of view; Harry/Draco)
* Flame and Shadow (possible sequel, may or may not be in the same universe; Pansy/Ron)
Underwater Light, along with Maya's other fics, was taken offline in November 2008 when Maya went pro. Copies of the story can still be found online.
The story received attention outside fandom when it was listed as one of the top four "must read" Harry Potter fan stories by Time magazine in the summer of 2011.The Boy Who Lived Forever by Lev Grossman. Thursday, July 07, 2011.
==The Story==
The title of the story refers to a scene in the first chapter, when Harry, again a champion in another Triwizard Tournament held in his seventh year, must rescue Draco from the Lake in the Second Task; he is struck by the image of underwater light reflecting off an unconscious Draco. From this point on, Harry sees Draco in a new light, so to speak.
After the Second Task, Harry decides to befriend Draco in order to find out why Draco was selected as the one person he would "sorely miss." A major factor in Underwater Light's appeal is the bucketloads of UST in their budding friendship. Neither Harry nor Draco realize until late in the story that 1) Harry is gay or 2) that he is in love with Draco. However, as Harry's personal drama unfolds, Hogwarts students are being abducted by a mysterious spy; naturally, everyone suspects Draco. Eventually, the spy is revealed, Harry defeats Voldemort, and Draco gets over himself.
Maya's treatment of Slytherin characters is an example of resistant reading (or a Slytherin apologist). Through the development of Draco, Pansy Parkinson (especially in Loved Those of Great Ambition), Blaise Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle, Underwater Light demonstrates how the books' representation of the Slytherins as the "evil" house might be due in part to the bias of its point-of-view character (Harry).
Both Harry and Draco are presented as emotionally maladjusted, but in different ways. Draco's characterization shares many elements with Cassandra Claire's LeatherPants!Draco, but he is not as well-adjusted. Harry's characterization is a little uneven; initially he is presented as depressed and self-pitying, but later chapters also emphasize a (non-canonical) violent streak. Harry's characterization also reflects a general fannish criticism of the source text: that someone raised in a closet should display more psychological damage than the canonical Harry does.
==Fan Responses==
Underwater Light is probably Maya's most well known fanfic. Some fans consider the first chapter to be a bit slow or Draco to be portrayed as too perfect, but general fannish consensus is that the story is awesome: It was extremely popular in the Harry Potter fandom and was rec'd far and wide while still a WIP. Fanartists were also inspired to illustrate various scenes from the story.
Maya's interpretation of Draco has had a huge influence on his characterization in HP fanfic at large. One reviewer writes: 
Other reactions:
==Artwork Inspired By The Story==
Underwater Light inspired — and continues to inspire — much fanart in a wide variety of styles, both digital and traditional. Some art illustrates particular scenes from the story, but the inspiration for many pieces, especially the character studies, is less obvious and may only be evident from the artist's giddy notes extolling the virtues of the story. Many readers fell in love with the "wicked trio" (Draco, Pansy, and Blaise), and some expressed their love through art. But much of the art consists of Harry/Draco scenes.
>
File:Tumblr lt6uhePssk1qltdmd.gif|Animated tumblr gif used by a fan who was rereading Underwater Light and needed to express their feels. The text of the post reads: EVERYTHING IS DRARRY AND NOTHING HURTS!
File:Underwater Light by irishgirl982.jpg|Digital color art by irishgirl982, 2005. Only Draco's dark red lollipop explicitly ties this piece to Underwater Light, although the two characters' expressions represent a visual interpretation of their relationship in the early chapters; the story repeatedly mentions that Draco's favorite flavor is blood.
File:A Day On The Lakesmall.jpg|A Day on The Lake by mhyden, digital color art, 2004. This piece depicts a moment in chapter 12 after Harry and Draco snuggle under a blanket to hide from a sudden rain shower.
File:The wicked come in threes by bluestragglersmall.jpg|Example of "wicked trio" black-and-white digital art, by bluestraggler, 2005. Although Maya's story was written before Blaise's race or gender was officially established and therefore assumed that he was Italian, this piece depicts Blaise as black, consistent with book 6 canon. 
File:Jagged monochrome romance by bluestraggler.jpg|Pencil and graphite stick sketch touched up digitally, by bluestraggler, 2005. The artist writes, "...as a newly converted Harry/Draco fan (thanks to Maya's fic, Underwater Light, I felt a great calling to draw some hawt H/D fanart."
More examples:
*Underwater Light 09, simple pencil drawing by Plumeria. (2002)Plumeria WebCite.
*Harry and Draco Colour, scene illustration by elentaril, who writes, "This is fanart I drew inspired by chapter 18 of Maya's Underwater Light. It started out as a quick pencil sketch and then developed!" Digital color art. (2004)
* platinum - draco, portrait by bluestraggler depicting his " 'slow brilliant smile he so rarely used', as portrayed gorgeously by Maya in the fic Underwater Light [link] . IF YOU LIKE H/D AND HAVEN'T YET READ THAT FIC PLEASE DO IT NOW." Digital color art. (2005)
*The Antagonist Trio, portrait by roguewyndwalker, who notes that "This drawing is in honor of the supremely AWESOME fanfic, Underwater Light by Maya." Note that the characters are based on the actors cast in the films. Pen and ink drawing. (2007)
==Podfic==
In 2005, takenoko posted the first chapter of Underwater Light to fellytone_fic.takenoko. , posted in fellytone_fic, 2005-05-10.
== References ==
Category:2000s
Category:Slash Fanfiction