Defined by Love by lyonessheart with art by coffeeisagoodstart, is an appropriate title to a story which is all about putting together families in a lot of different ways, delivering the message that it isn’t blood that defines a family, but love. But don’t think for a minute that the story is all about cuddles and nappies – there’s some serious intrigue here, a touch of murder, and a sinister plot that has been at work in the pureblood world for years.

The story contains 54,327 words and has an E (explicit) rating and on AO3 is tagged for characters and pairings only. Other appropriate tags are romance, mystery, family, adoption/fostering, character death (not H/D) and EWE. The story features Harry/Draco, past Harry/Ginny, past Draco/Astoria, Scorpius, the Malfoys, Hermione, Ron, original children and other OCs.

We begin with Harry breaking things off gently with Ginny – his best friend and girlfriend – because he knows that no matter how much he loves her, she’s not the one. I love the author’s treatment of Ginny here – she and Harry remain close throughout, and there is no bitterness or pettiness. Harry goes on with his life – working at the orphanage, taking in two foster children, being denied permission by the Ministry to adopt them – and Ginny goes on with hers. Harry has room in his life and his heart for another child, but thinks the doors are closed to him. However, Ginny tells him about a private adoption agency, and he applies and wonder of wonders, soon finds himself with a newborn daughter.

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