My lifetime question has been answered
Thank you Hawkdaddy
I have compiled here a list of every single time Draco and Hermione interacted in canon, talked about one another, or could have conceivably interacted for all your Hogwarts-era fanfic needs!
If I left anything out, please don’t hesitate to comment or DM me! There are some really obvious ones I left out e.g. the fanfic classics: prefects’ bathroom, Astronomy Tower, Black Lake, Potions lesson…
I haven’t included page numbers because every edition is different and it would be confusing. This list is intended as pinpoint references for you to check out the scene in your own books, which is why they’re not super detailed.
Enjoy!
Keep reading
So, as Thomas Austruc just gave us a spoiler about Sparrow's apperance in the New York Special, I think It's time to introduce you to him and the rest of his team, that might apoear in the episode too!
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Already described in my Quantic Kids post - you should check him out in there, but if you're too lazy, let me tell you. Of you love Chat Noir, you're gonna adore this guy too!
You think it's batman who inspired Mr. Damocles in making his superhero perosna? Wrong! Knight Owl is a brain of the operation in the New York Superhero team. She's a good guy, but treats both Sparrow and Chat as sidekicks, which... Kinda saddens me to be honest. Still a good and positove character though!
Inspired by Batman (duh)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing" - These words of Majestia Alya quoted in the first part of the Origins Episode! Postitive, friendly and still powerfull star of the team, Majestia is blessed with the ability of flying and apparently is one of the most idolized superheroes in the whole Quantic Universe. According to Bunnyx she also has an evil sister, Ignoblia.
Isnpired by Wonder Woman
One of the most controversial superheroes I gues.
Victory is the current President of America - and apparently she revealed her secret identity just to win that position! She seea no good in villains - she has no seocnd though about their motives or origins and will detroy them without thinking if It's for the greater good.
Inspired by Capitan America
Apparently a nice guy who, just like pegasus, has the power to create portals
We don't have much time left until Miraculous World: London - At the Edge of Time premiere so I decided to write out everything about it that's in my mind so maybe that “some thoughts” is gonna be a little bit longer.
Anyways, here it comes!
This is the person that concerns me the most.
At first glance, this person clearly has a power that associates with time. They have a giant clock on their forehead and pretty much all over their costume and might be able to jump in time as well.
Now let's take a look at this shot:
Look at their left hand. It looks like they're holding something, something thin, it looks like it's either a tablet or a notebook. It also seems like they have a pen or something similar in their right hand.
Could it be that it's the same notebook where it's written in that Ladybug = Marinette Dupain-Cheng?
It's a mystery how long they have been lurking in the dark in the Agreste mansion's basement to gain what they needed. Did they just arrive, been there during the whole fight? Or maybe they've been here much longer than we could imagine. It seems this might be the moment when this person learns who's Paris's beloved heroine, they write it down then disappear to deliver the notebook into Lila's lair.
But where's Lila? She just leaves Nooro and the Butterfly Miraculous behind like that while someone breaks in her place to deliver crucial information. Is she in the toilet or something? She'll receive the notebook eventually but this whole setup looks very suspicious. It really looks like that stand got placed precisely there so that Clock Head (I will call them that from now on) could neatly place the notebook on it. And what are those boxes?
Now let's speculate where they might have gotten their powers.
This was the initial thought when there wasn't any trailer just leaks, after all the Rabbit Miraculous is able to give its users the ability to travel through different times. But after seeing how this dude uses their powers, that is they don't use the Burrow to travel in time, it got debunked right away, so there's no point in speculating over this anymore.
But we know that the two Bunnyx that we encountered so far possess three Rabbit Miraculous. One is used by mini Bunnyx, the other one is used by adult Bunnyx and the third one is the Kubdel family heirloom watch Alix got for her birthday. Now, it's possible that future Alix still uses the heirloom if they haven't fixed hers that was damaged by future Chat Noir. But either way, there are three Rabbit Miraculous that we saw and now there's someone who could use the third one: Marinette to become Chronobug. If she uses the third one that doesn't have an owner that we know about then neither present nor future Alix have to give up theirs for this.
And I'd like to use this point to speculate on where Marinette got her Ladybug Miraculous from.
The first thought was, she got it from her future self which seems eligible but after looking at the trailers for the 63637x time I have another theory on that.
Look at this scene from the French trailer:
This doesn't seem to fit in with everything that's happening. Why would Marinette put away her Miraculous? And why put it in a drawer? She's the Guardian, wouldn't it be more logical for her to put in the Miracle Box?
Unless, it's not present Marinette but her from the past. This whole scene looks pretty much alike with what happened in "Origins" when she first hesitated to use the Ladybug Miraculous because she didn't trust herself enough to become a superhero. Present Marinette using this particular part of her past to get a Miraculous seems valid since she didn't use it for a little while here and if she takes it, it will feel like it's just gone for a moment anyways.
So, she hops in with Bunnyx's help, takes her Miraculous then gets the third Rabbit Miraculous as well and then she can become Chronobug to save the World.
Clock Head's power coming from an Akuma seems more likely to be the case. Anyway, I'd like to use this opportunity to draw attention to this conversation between the Kwamis and Gabriel in "Destruction":
Gabriel to Orikko: You! You can grant me any power I want. You'll give me power to travel through time!
Orikko: No you're mistaken. Time travel is Fluff's power and I can't grant a power that already belongs to another Kwami.
Gabriel: Are you trying to deceive me?
Orikko: By all means, read the Grimoire again.
Sass: Each Kwami represents a concept and each concept can only exist once in the Universe.
...
It was a very interesting conversation. Orikko can't give the power of time travel to anyone because it already exists, if I understand correctly. But what about Nooroo? Timetagger is an Akumatized villain from the future who's able to travel through time. So it looks like, while Orikko is unable to grant powers that belong to other Kwamis Nooroo's ability can give those powers, or at least it's the case with time travel.
But what about what Sass said? "Each Kwami represents a concept and each concept can only exist once in the Universe." If each concept can only exist once wouldn't that mean the Akumatization also shouldn't be able to give the power of time travel since it belongs to another Kwami? Nooroo's and Orikko's abilities are clearly very different, but that doesn't mean that different rules should apply to them in the same Universe. Maybe I just missed something if that's the case, please inform me.
Anyhow, the Butterfly Miraculous's power gives very unique abilities to the Akumatized people and that might be the reason why it can also grant powers that already exist, because they're slightly different from each other.
But if that's the case why haven't we seen Gabriel use this; not giving the ability to travel through time with Orikko's power but using Nooroo's to give a different but still essentially the same ability to either to himself or to someone else? Or...wait...hmm...
We already witnessed episodes where someone from the future comes to either mess up things or to fix it, but we haven't seen someone from the past stirring up the present. I'm not necessarily saying that Gabriel has it in him to come up with such a plan and it wouldn't even make sense that Clock Head puts the notebook with the information into the lair of the next holder of the Butterfly Miraculous if they'd be Monarch's minion.
But what if the reason why Gabriel set Lila aside was because he looked into the future with a power given by an Akuma to either him or to someone else and discovered that the future Hawkmoth Timetagger mentioned is her. Or even better, what if Gabriel and future Lila are actually working together? That the whole sacrifice he made was actually just part of their plan alongside bringing Gabriel back eventually? Or past Gabriel and future Lila are competing with each other to see who's the better Hawkmoth? Okay, these scenarios are just products of my tired brain, let's move on.
Anyways, my final conclusion with Clock Head reverts back to the future (lol).
The above setup in Lila's lair is oddly specific as I mentioned before, as if she waited for the notebook to appear right there. I'm starting to doubt that Timetagger is the only Akumatized villain that was sent from the future. Why? Lila found out Hawkmoth's identity in a way that's unknown to us. It could be just a coincidence but for a show that makes a huge deal out of secret identities, the fact that she just knew somehow feels a little odd. I think the reason she was able to discover it is because her future self is occasionally sending minions to her. Timetagger was the first, as we know, she might have had a test run with him and slowly put together a plan to gain the Cat and Ladybug Miraculouses; and Clock Head too, is someone sent by future Lila and they're the part of the ultimate plan.
I wouldn't dare to speculate on the gender of the character based on their figure since we all saw instances in Miraculous when that wasn't so obvious (I'm specifically talking about the New York special here) but i just want to put these three images beside each other.
Chat Noir and Aspik have slim enough frame like Clock Head has, and of course let's not forget about the similarities on Aspik's and Clock Head's masks. Also look at them legs on Chat Noir and Aspik and now look at them legs on Clock Head:
I've read some other theories before that also came to the conclusion that this is Baldrien, I mean Adrien and I can't really think of anyone else either. At the back of my mind there's still Lila as well tho and I will write about her more below.
We all know that Adrien was in London in his white room during the fight between Bug Noir and Monarch so there's no way he could be there at the end to write down Ladybug's identity into the notebook. Except, if it's future Adrien. He's actually a very easy target to Akumatization especially if the Butterfly Miraculous holder is aware of the fact that he's a Senti-being and targeted his Amok, the twin rings specifically. And he showed us multiple times how emotionally unstable he can be. Also, future Chat Noir damaging future Bunnyx's Miraculous was really just an accident? Plus, seeing an Akumatized Adrien could be a good trigger on why Marinette will never want to reveal the full truth to him. This is the only way I can also explain these two shots:
It looks like these scenes are in the London lab where Adrien and Kagami were held captives and no one really knows about that place and what went down there. So if Clock Head is Adrien from the future he could very well hide there since he knows about that location.
Either way, whoever are they, one thing I'm certain about is that this person will be the endgame, that after Chronobug defeats them at the right time and use her Lucky Charm that will mark the end of the special, since it was them in the first place who discovered Ladybug's identity.
I saw others call them Ghost Guy so I'll also call them that.
When I first read the synopsis I was very sceptical about the someone has stolen the Ladybug Miraculous while Marinette was asleep part. She's very wary especially after what happened with Felix. But now seeing that the person who steals the Miraculouses is having ghost-like abilities, I'm more convinced.
Ghost Guy probably read the notes the other dude left at Lila's lair, went to Marinette's room, stole all Miraculous, not just the Cat and Ladybug one then visited her lair again to deliver them and from the looks of it they also put them into those boxes that probably got prepared for that purpose.
I also have a feeling that the glowing blue light on their hands indicates when they're able to touch something even when they're transparent.
I saw some theories on who this person might be. I've read it's either Adrien or Lila, maybe Felix. I tried to make something out of the symbol that's on their chest, hopefully it has some connection to who could this be, however it doesn't ring any bell to me. If someone has any idea about this don't hesitate to share it.
For me Lila seems to be the most logical possibility. The only evidence I have that it's her is the sheer fact that this person is standing in Lila's lair right after they deliver the Miraculouses and put them in those carefully positioned boxes, near the notebook where their accomplice, who's supposedly from the future, wrote down who's Ladybug. Not a solid evidence with a bunch of holes; both of them could be working for her for all we know.
The end of the synopsis said this: All that remains is to hope for one thing: that Ladybug succeeds in defeating her opponent, otherwise it will be the end of Ladybug for good.
Now this could be just a figure of speech to indicate that everything will be wiped out but why only mention Ladybug when the whole World is in danger? My theory is that based on that snip of the synopsis that the wish was for Ladybug to never exist. And that makes perfect sense if the one who will make the wish is Ghost Lila, since she despises Marinette and Ladybug to the core.
She was there at the Agreste Mansion when the battle happened between Bug Noir and Monarch.
I assume she was there to collect the Butterfly Miraculous which seems rather suspicious, like how did she know it will be lost in the rubble? Her future self told her? Anyway, the brooch probably was her top priority and didn't have time to look around or to sneak a peek when Bug Noir de-trasnformed. Not to mention she wasn't the only one who was there, Clock Head had to be there around the same time as her.
But here is the thing: when Clock Head brings the notebook to her lair, Nooroo with the Butterfly Miraculous and the whole set up was already there. Assuming that Lila has some help from the future, she can put those boxes and the stand beforehand, but she had to bring back Nooroo in record time. And I have two more theories regarding this.
The lair that we see in the trailers is actually future Lila's place. Future Lila sent Clock Head (Adrien?) back in time to gain the information about Ladybug then they delivered the notebook to the future, then future Lila went as Ghost Guy to collect the Miraculouses from present Marinette and then made a wish. I have one problem with this theory: it completely removes present Lila from the picture; also what the lair looks like is the same as we saw before in the present.
I know that above I already kind of established the Clock Head is Adrien theory but I'd like to back down from that here and say it's actually Lila from the future. Future Lila went back in time to find out who's Ladybug, while present Lila collected the Butterfly Miraculous. In present Lila's lair she already set up the stand and the boxes because she got informations from her future self about a plan where she can get the Miraculouses from the Guardian. Present Lila went back to her lair in record time with the brooch, then future Lila brought the notebook which present Lila read. Present Lila then became Ghost Guy, went to Marinette's room fetched the Miraculouses then went back to her lair and after she carefully placed the Miraculouses, she made a wish with the Cat and Ladybug ones. My problem with this scenario is, it completely neglects Adrien, since here present and future Lila work together as the Clock Head and Ghost Guy. And why would she go to the London lab?
My last question remains, why are there only three boxes displayed on the desk? There are 15 Miraculous that got modified into rings. Maybe Ghost Guy put there those that they need and put away the ones that they think are useless. Or those are not even Miraculouses? We can't see them clearly in the picture after all.
This scene was put at the very end of the last episode of season 5, after the pool scene, but we don't really know when it happened.
If the scenes are in chronological order then what happened there has nothing to do with the happenings in the London special since the London special is before the pool scene. And that seems more reasonable to me, since when she talks with Mr. Damocles via laptop it looks like he just moved from somewhere or to somewhere which requires some time to do; and from the moment he left his job to Monarch's attack I don't think that much time has passed for him to make so much progress in moving. And let's not forget that he's The Owl, he probably helped people after Monarch's defeat to get back on their feet and didn't have much time to talk about school with anyone for a while.
In any case, whether this scene is right after she gained the Butterfly Miraculous or after the pool one, I think it's one of her visitors from the future. Or maybe Gabriel from the past.
And this concludes my speculations. What do you think of all this?
Yes, I did it. I made it into a fucking essay.
Well, my pals, let me begin by explaining that I should be paid for this, because holy shit, this is a Herculean task. But it’s fine, I’m doing it because I love these books too much and it’s my duty! *standing up with the union flag in the background*
How is it going to work?
This very post will be my masterlist, where I’ll slowly be adding links to all the text posts as I write them. So like it, save it, reblog the shit out of it. Thank you.
Each post will discuss a specific moment in the books (as well as getting references from the movies and discussing what they left out), so it could be just one interaction or a whole point in their relationship, it will depend on my methods at the time.
Will you talk from a shipper perspective? Isn’t that biased?
Well, I’m glad you asked. I will, indeed, talk about how their interactions are further proof that DRARRY IS FUCKING CANON, but I promise to be rational. Furthermore, this is not the only aspect of their characters that I love, so I’ll include a lot of discussion about character development, redemption, coming-of-age and all that.
When will you be posting each post?
I can’t promise I’ll be able to keep a steady rhythm going, but I’m already writing the first one, about the moment they met at Madam Malkin’s. Please, don’t push me about it, because I do have a real job and all that rot.
So yeah, it’s on!
Philosopher’s Stone Chapter 1 - First Impressions
i’m not even kidding, I went on a word search rampage, motivated by an initially serious thought train about how JK Rowling depicts & portrays conventional attractiveness vs. non-attractiveness (inspired by me finally reading the Robert Galbraith books) and how it contributes to her characterizations. It has resulted in this:
The only characters ever outright called “handsome” by either the narration or another character, in the order of “handsome” appearance:
Gilderoy Lockhart: Actually indirectly called handsome: introduced as “very good-looking”; handsomeness only mentioned in that “he didn’t look remotely handsome anymore” and Ron going “*cough*Lockhart*” when accusing Hermione of only liking people (aka Cedric) for handsomeness’ sake.
Tom Riddle. Not introduced as handsome by 12-year-old Harry (16-year old Harry makes up for it by calling young Tom Riddle handsome EVERY time he is mentioned), just as a boy “much taller” than Harry with the same jet black hair. Dumbledore makes the handsome explicit* when at the end of CoS he refers to how most people failed to connect Voldemort to the “clever, handsome boy” Riddle had been.
Sirius Black: Pre-Azkaban, in the wedding picture: “handsome, full of laughter”; his “handsome, laughing face.” In the flashback, after we’re reminded he’s very good-looking he sits around looking: haughty and bored “but handsomely so”. Our last look at him alive is of his “wasted, once-handsome face” (this is where I cry); in the picture on his wall we see Sirius looking “carelessly handsome … slightly arrogant”, and of course break-our-hearts-one-last-time-Resurrection-Stone Sirius looks “tall and handsome” with a grin on his face and even walks handsome, really: “loped with an easy grace.”
Cedric Diggory: uh, Cedric may actually be the best-looking, according to the text.
Cedric alone gets adverbs of degree; he is “extremely handsome” and “exceptionally handsome”, thank you, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter. Cedric also gets called pretty boy at least twice, once by Seamus Finnegan, and once by a jealous Harry in his thoughts. Yet he is one of the few members of this club who shows no signs of a) evil b) vanity or c) arrogance. Cedric is downright lovely; poor Cedric.
Firenze: he’s confirmed as the “handsome centaur” in HBP, but we assumed as much before from Parvati & Lavender, whose giggles are probably the best non-explicit* barometer of male handsomeness in-text.
Bill Weasley: 14-year-old Harry actually calls long-haired Bill “cool”, not handsome. But we gather more information from Fleur’s eyeing him up: aka by “cool”, Harry, I think you meant “hot”, or possibly, since this is UK-set, “fit”. Hot/fit, being of course a distinctive category of literary attractiveness, it can, but does not always, crossover with “handsome”.
Mrs. Weasley (painfully) confirms Bill’s handsomeness after his face is ruined: “very handsome little b-boy”, “always very handsome”. Again, the handsome is there to make us sad- but not too sad this time, since it’s a glorious set-up for Fleur’s epic good-looking-enough-for-the-both-of-us moment of true <3.
Tom Riddle Sr. - the “handsome” Muggle, whose son looks like his “handsome father in miniature”; his handsomeness is both a huge plot point in Merope’s story and further re-emphasis of T.R. Jr.’s own looks.
Gellert Grindelwald - yes, the other Dark Wizard was also a card-carrying member of the handsome club. We first get him stealing the Elder Wand with “delight upon his handsome face”; later as Dumbledore’s “handsome companion,” “merry-faced” and “smiling lazily” in his picture. You wouldn’t remember it from the Very Serious version of the photograph used in the movies, but it’s also noted in the photograph Dumbledore and handsome friend Grindelwald are both “roaring with laughter”.
…which, interesting: the association of handsome + laughter is explicitly connected, repeatedly, with only one other character: Sirius Black.
-and not to go all psychoanalytic literary criticism, but THAT adds an angle to Dumbledore’s distrust of Sirius (offering to be the Potters’ Secret Keeper instead, buying into Pettigrew’s frame job) and how Dumbledore & Sirius have little rapport, especially compared to Dumbledore & anyone else from Sirius’ generation.
Am I making the ridiculous statement that Dumbledore didn’t like Sirius because he was handsome? …actually, sort of, yes.
Keeping in mind that Sirius and James are pretty confirmed to have gone around the school hexing people, that Grindelwald was kicked out of Durmstrange for much-more-extreme “near fatal” attacks on other students, and that Sirius did in fact set a “near fatal” situation up by telling Snape about the tunnel as a prank…
I think there’s a reasonable argument that Dumbledore looked at a clever, handsome boy, and thought of other clever handsome boys he’d known and how they’d turned out- particularly the one who was briefly part of his own laughing double act - and did not trust Sirius Black. And so offered to be the Potters’ Secret Keeper instead. And bought into Pettigrew’s frame job. And even later (in one of Dumbledore’s many What the Hell, Hero moments) letting that whole Sirius-confined-at-Grimmauld-Place situation build, and critiquing his character ten minutes after he’s dead. Sirius is one of the few characters in the series who Dumbledore never seems to give a fair shake, even while able to analyze him to a T…
But I digress, so back to the handsomeness:
runners-up:
11-year-old Dudley Dursley- looking v. “handsome and grown-up” in his uniform, but since it is Aunt Petunia saying so, and Harry is choking on laughter, HEAPS of salt from the narrative here.
Ron Weasley, assured he is “very handsome” by, of all people, Slughorn. Grain of salt for love-potion circumstances, but giggling sixth-years suggest it is not much of an exaggeration.
Regulus Black is “rather less handsome” than Sirius. While not 100% confirming handsomeness, given how often it comes up regarding Sirius, a remaining degree of reasonable handsomeness is implied.
handsome woman’s club:
Madame Maxime! at least three “handsomes” to her name
other “handsome” things: Fawkes except on Burning Day, silver platters, roaring fires, leather-covered books, tawny owls, a Christmas tree, and the face of the “noble-looking” from a distance but up-close vacant wizard of the Fountain of Magical Brethren, etc
*any other male characters’ handsomeness is either implicit, fanon, or movie-driven assumptions. There’s plenty of strong implicit arguments to be made, though, through the lovely showing-not-telling of attractiveness. But no one else is explicitly “handsome”, unless I missed one, in which case, do tell.
generally, though, if you are handsome in a Harry Potter novel, you are either evil or something terrible is going to happen to you. But handsomely so!
Well it's time for the beginning of their O.W.L exams. They're all super nervous for their first practical exam, but even that isn't enough to stop Draco and Harry being obsessed with each other.
Harry going into his first practical exam ever: who cares about paying attention to the exam? i have my priorities. I need to look over and see what Draco Malfoy is doing.
Draco apparently is equally not normal about Harry because despite being IN THE MIDDLE of his own exam he is apparently listening to Harry and his examiner.
Why are they both like this?! Harry's watching Draco instead of listening to his examiner. Draco is staring right back and gets so distracted he messes up his spell.
They're hopeless.
This picture of Marinette is adorable omg
Ft. 97 of the best Miraculous Ladybug fics (imo) >>>
A Miraculous Square Dance by ChatNoirLuvr
Marinette intends to finally confess her feelings to Adrien, but an Akuma forces it early— while she’s still Ladybug! As exciting as it is to become Adrien’s new celebrity girlfriend, the secrets required of a Ladrian romance make it too unsustainable. Until the heartbreak paves way for a right-old square dance (MariChat!) where they find each other again. At the exact right time.
Tell Me Why You Love Me by linnieluna
Now 22 and working full-time, Marinette and Adrien seem to be getting busier and busier, which means fewer opportunities to keep track of akumas and show up on time. With the idea of using a messaging app to communicate with each other without revealing their identities, their lives immediately grew to be easier... until it wasn't.
Can I Date You(r Character) by midnightstarlightwrites *
When Adrien's character falls in love with Marinette's, they decided to date in-game. What could go wrong?
[Note: this one seems discontinued but I loved it so much]
As Soon As I Belong by crazykotyara
Marinette likes Adrien. Adrien would prefer if she liked Chat Noir. That leads to an absolute mess of a relationship, which includes a weird game of Truth or Dare, identity shenanigans, and Adrien, figuring out some really important stuff.
Knock Knock by DorothyGale123
After an akuma targets Marinette, a certain cat jumps to her rescue! Unfortunately, he fails to knock before jumping into his classmate's room. Chaos ensues. What follows is an awkward apology, way too many coincidences, and some realizations on both sides that the person they used to think of as a friend might be more than meets the eye. Will these dorks finally realize what's been in front of them the entire time? Will they ever stop being so oblivious? And what happens when you throw a scheming Hawk Moth into the mix?
A dozen roses by IlioneThe3rd
When Marinette finds a pink rose on her desk, she suspects that her secret admirer is Chat Noir. After all, who else would leave a rose just inside a 5th floor window? But why would Chat Noir give roses to a girl he barely knows when he’s supposed to be in love with Ladybug?
As the dust settles by Pengirl91
After Ladybug lost everything and yet her partner stood by her, she realized what she had been trying to lie to herself about for months. She is undoubtedly in love with him. The only problem is that she's terrified of what that could lead to and there's a monumental task ahead of them before it might be safe to act on her feelings for him... more than she already has.
lovers who hesitate by momochai
Marinette is Adrien's Secret Santa and she's got this in the bag. Really!
Perfectly Platonic (Unless...) by frostedpuffs
After accidentally revealing their identities in less than ideal circumstances, Adrien and Marinette must navigate their newfound relationship as both partners and friends. Becoming best friends was a quick process, but when romantic feelings begin to bleed into what's supposed to be a platonic connection, their friendship starts to change in more ways than one. Surely it can't be that hard to hide their feelings from their best friend?
once more, with feeling by zimtlein
When an unfortunate incident causes both her and her sworn enemy to detransform in front of each other, Marinette knows she is screwed. Because even though Chat Noir turns out to be her former polite classmate, it doesn’t mean that he stops being an asshole to her. So it’s no wonder he starts toying with her like the manipulative bastard he is. The only solution? Take his Miraculous and be done with him forever. And never forget that he’s no more than her enemy. Never.
[Note: this one was FANTASTIC]
The Closest Thing to Love by jennagrins
When Gabriel tells Adrien it’s time for him to learn about the brand internationally, Adrien knows he can’t leave Paris - or Marinette. The two concoct a plan to allow Adrien to stay and finally achieve his independence from his father. They’ll just get married. The only problem is...they’re not actually dating. But that won’t cause any issues. After all, they’re just friends, right? What could possibly go wrong?
Unraveling by InkyCoffee
She felt the desire to prattle all but tear at her throat, and clamped her mouth and then her eyes shut tight, willing the babble back, waiting for the blow. A love confession gets rejected, leading to a reveal - and for a while there it feels like everything starts unraveling.
seven is my lucky number by MiaBrown
post-reveal pre-relationship roommates. but is it really pre-relationship if they are fake-dating?
Five Times The Love-Square Watched ‘Solitude’ (And One Time They Didn’t) by MiaBrown
According to Adrien, ‘Solitude’ was a very rare and special movie. Marinette wasn’t so sure about the first, but she was indeed certain about the second. This film was extraordinary, life-changingly so.
don't ask questions you don't wanna know by MiaBrown
Chat Noir’s plan of asking out his classmate, only so the girl could turn him down and offer to be ‘just friends’ instead was ridiculous. Too bad there wasn’t a sensible girl who would have rejected him. Ladybug was so sure of this, she dared to bet on it. And when the next day Adrien Agreste asked the same question from Marinette… Well, she wasn’t trying to prove herself wrong.
Ladybee by SailorChibi
Chloé didn't know what to do when Chat Noir and Marinette showed up on her doorstep. Marinette made Chat the guardian so she's forgotten everything; the Miracle Box is locked and no one knows the combination; and Chat is barely holding it together with the revelation that Marinette is both Ladybug and his soulmate. Time for a Bee to do what she does best: hold the hive together.
lonely girl (you are my world) by etherealme
Marinette is fine with her life. She’s fine with not knowing anything about Chat Noir, and she is completely okay with not doing anything about the growing feelings she has for him. But, when they’re sent on a road trip across continents, it gets harder and harder to avoid the lingering question: are Chat Noir’s feelings as unrequited as she’s led him to believe?
you give me thoughts of a prince and palace by Yilena
As the reclusive princess of her kingdom, Marinette's face isn't known to the public. Posing as a commoner, she runs away with her friend to another country for a holiday and accidentally seduces the prince. AU.
[Note: this one had me hooked on royalty AUs]
The Red Thread by Jheqia
When Marinette kisses Cat Noir during an akuma attack, it creates a connection between them that leads to some interesting... problems.
Soulmate Tropes by ggomo_springtime
An akuma makes soulmate tropes a reality.
Careful Stitches by Ashes555
Marinette still didn't know what happened, but whatever it was turned the moment that should have been her greatest victory into something that might haunt her for the rest of her life. Instead of helping her partner defeat Shadow Moth, she got a note. And then he was gone. Marinette thought that life would be perfect, but it never could be when Chat Noir was missing.
Revelations by Mindell
Dreaming of the day when he would finally discover Ladybug's identity had long been one of Adrien's favourite activities. Would she tell him her secret during a conversation? Would she transform in front of him? Would she reveal her identity once her mission was accomplished, when they would give their miraculous back? But never, never had he dreamed of a shy "I am Ladybug" confessed by one of his classmates, in the middle of their classroom and in front of all the other students.
L'Instant Présent by Yilena
A Marinette with no knowledge of being Ladybug manages to be useless fighting crime for her first time, and carelessly reveals her identity to her oblivious partner when they're alone. AU.
Sewing Sentiments by frostedpuffs
Fed up with her miserable job at a fabric store, Marinette decides it's finally time to quit and move on...until she's tasked with training a new employee whose golden hair and gorgeous green eyes have her feeling a certain way. Torn between leaving her job and staying for Adrien's sake, Marinette decides to stick by his side, enjoying her new co-worker's company far more than she had ever expected.But there's something about him she can't quite place—a certain sadness in his eyes that, despite only knowing him for a short time, has Marinette wondering about his past and what exactly he's running from.
One Thing After Another by SKayLanphear
Marinette notices that, sometimes, Adrien acts a little out of the ordinary--like the time he stood in a cardboard box for no reason, or when he actually hissed at Nino. It's only when she starts to notice the similarities between Adrien and a certain feline that she begins to get suspicious. Basically, Adrien acts like a cat when he probably shouldn't.
[Note: this author write some fantastic stuff and this is one of them]
tell me something i don't know by carpisuns
The odds of having a soulmate are about negative one billion (or something like that). But somehow, like they always have, Marinette and Chat Noir find themselves together. They’re ready to finally tell each other everything, but it turns out that even soulmates have to keep secrets, and they can only be together if they vow never to touch.
Pick-Up and Chase by SKayLanphear
After she accidentally trips into Adrien and apologizes about "falling for him," Marinette learns that he's no match for cheesy pick-up lines--whether they were unintended or not. And while she finds it flattering that he turns into a flustered mess with only a few words, Marinette comes to regret making him uncomfortable. That is, until she learns he's Chat Noir. At which point the phrase "just deserts" becomes a permanent fixture in her everyday plans. A story in which Adrien is flustered, Marinette is smooth as glass at dropping lines, and Chat Noir gets the romance he was always asking for--even if he doesn't quite know how to handle it.
Tents and Cuddly Cats by SKayLanphear
[Note: this one isn't showing up anymore for some reason]
Serendipitous Fate by SKayLanphear
Adrien is excited to reveal his true identity, while Marinette is terrified. But Master Fu says they can't afford to be distant any longer. Chat Noir and Ladybug are meant to work in tandem both in and out of uniform, their strength stemming from the bond created between them. Yet, teenagers are sometimes better at dancing blind than running with wide open eyes, even with the steps laid out before them. Steps in the path of an expanding world. Apart, they'll flounder. But together, they might just stand a chance.
Wish Upon a Star-crossed Love by Aepyceros
Wherein a series of encounters lead to gradual realizations and revelations.
Gabriel gets used to... (Adrien having a Girlfriend) by Mystic_Raven20
Gabriel Agreste… The man; the myth, the legend; the grumpy old man who wouldn’t know love if it kicked him hard and straight up the hiney. Gabriel had a number of issues in his life, but the worst one goes by the name Marinette Dupain-Cheng; his son's girlfriend and the younger Agreste’s self claimed ‘love of his life’. In Gabriel’s eyes Marinette has a mission, and that mission is to take everything the Agreste’s have worked hard for. One thing was for certain, he wasn’t going down without a fight; and if his ship did finally sink he was dragging Marinette down with him.
come sleep with me by treasuredgem
Where Ladybug and Chat Noir try taking as many naps as possible because Hawkmoth doesn't sleep either.
Between a Rock and A Hard Place by P_Artsypants
During a class field trip to a natural cavern, Marinette and Adrien get trapped in an elevator…trapped in a cave. Such close proximity means that secrets don’t stay secrets for long… Can the two escape their iron prison, much less their glass cage of emotions? Or will teenage hormones be their undoing?
Where There's Smoke There's... A Smoker by Talik_Sanis
Marinette is smoking! It's a filthy, dangerous habit that could do terrible things to her, leading to truancy and missed homework assignments, and- and who knows what other horrible fates (certainly not Adrien, as he's too sheltered to even guess) for the dear sweet girl too pure for this world! Adrien Agreste has to save his very good friend from her smoking addiction! Basically, Marinette lies about smoking to cover for her detransformation in an alley. Things go south from there. All the things.
Cobblestone Streets by girlsivebeen
Adrien Agreste just wants to go skateboarding in Paris. All he needs is a disguise right?Marinette Dupain-Cheng can likely spot her partner anywhere, whether he's in a banana suit on a scooter, or attempting to successfully skate over the cobblestone streets of Paris with a motorcycle helmet on his head.
See You See Me by SomberSecrets
Chat Noir had found his new favourite past time-- staring at the pictures of Adrien Agreste on Marinette’s wall… walls. There were a lot of them.
To Know by mildswearingat4am
Cat is a little more observant when he talks to a certain plucky classmate in Evillustrator and sees something he was never supposed to see. Friendship, puns, anxiety, romance, and an even more convoluted love square ensue.
basically, I wish that you loved me by sagansjagger
Adrien and Ladybug have made a mistake. They've been caught by Alya making out and now the rest of the world thinks they're dating, despite their objections on social media. Alya, thinking that Chat and Marinette are devastated by their crushes' apparent relationship, tries to set them up with each other. Marinette and Chat, being the savvy duo that they are, mutually decide that they'll fake date in order to get Alya off their collective backs. This, naturally, blows up in their faces...
Following A New Fel(ix)low In Class by DevoTea
Felix starts going to Francois-Dupont. Marinette is not about to let him back into their school without some explanation though. He is a very suspicious individual, maybe she should follow him around some more. You know, just to make sure that he's not up to making someone akumatised or something.
Felinette Soulmate AU by San_fics
Now it made sense why she behaved so protective of Adrien that day, given the fact that his soulmate had a crush on the model. For some reason Felix didn’t like this idea at all. Shouldn’t there be some rule, forbidding your soulmate to fall for a wrong guy, even if he looked just like you?..
Inky Blue by soarbytheocean
Félix had always gone on a pre-determined path, precise and detailed. A person who had always maintained a stolidly calm surface, the waters of his ocean were never turbulent. So, when he collided with the serene forests of Marinette, the havoc that his ocean went through was hard to describe.
Rhythms and Rainstorms by SultannaMajor
They didn't need to speak to communicate. And that's a fact that she always found amazing. They understood each other in a way that no one else can. They danced around her kitchen like they were born to do it. MariCha
Birthday Surprises by brbcommittingason
Adrien has been seeking solace with Marinette, using her as a way to escape from his daily life. Or at least, that's how it started. As the months continued onwards, he didn't just go there for a source of comfort, but also just to be her friend. He was head over heels, he knew that, and maybe that's why it was so easy for Plagg to convince him to wear a hoodie (a generic one that could have been passed off as a regular black one) that she made him. Chat Noir, him. And Plagg might just be the reason his life is a million times better.
My Sweetest Princess by LadyKae
When the unthinkable happens, we're often left picking up the pieces and trying to move on. No one has learned that lesson harder than Marinette, and Adrien wants to be there with her for every step of the way. When his feelings for Marinette grow stronger, Adrien finds himself holding back for her sake. Join our favorite heroes as they navigate the paths of healing and finding love at the end of a long road.
moonlight epiphany by ohlittlebarchie
Sometimes, you are blinded by sunlight so bright that you’re left stumbling in the dark. And then you miss that the best thing you could ever have was right in front of you all along - come nightfall, you forget that the moon reflects the light of the sun. Maybe Adrien Agreste is the sun. And maybe Chat Noir, suddenly, unexpectedly, crept into her heart like a sliver of moonlight.
Breaking Free (Isn't free) by RachelLyseBrook
Papillon has discovered Chat Noir's secret identity. By sheer luck, Adrien manages to escape the mansion and akumatization, Plagg providing him an out while snatching up something precious to Gabriel Agreste. Adrien crashes onto a familiar balcony and begs Marinette for help, almost revealing his identity in the process. Distraught over her partner's predicament, Marinette swears that Chat won't be alone in this. That she will move heaven and earth to keep him safe. But neither of them realize just how difficult Papillon was going to make this for them.
When Bunnyx Brings a Baby by Druwho
Marinette thought she was up to any challenge. She was Ladybug after all! But when Bunnyx arrives with a baby in her arms asking her to babysit, Marinette quickly learns that Akuma battles are easy compared to taking care of a baby. A baby that seems to know her and for some strange reason... Adrien?
The Five Minute Adventures of Snake Noir by Kasienda
After Ladybug admits to Chat Noir that she told someone her identity, she insists that he do the same. He wants it to be her. She insists it has to be anyone else. He suggests they use the snake. She finds this to be a reasonable compromise. After many heartfelt five minute conversations that Ladybug doesn't remember, she decides he should keep the snake. That way he can always confide in her if he needs to. He also realizes it means he can talk to anyone… for five minutes... on repeat.
You, Me & A Little Bit of the Future by joonapeach
Marinette expects some disaster on her first outing alone with Adrien. She just doesn't expect that disaster to be her future self passing off a baby for her to take care of with Adrien.
Infinite Us by Leda (Represent)
Ladybug has five minutes left with Chat Noir, and she isn't ready to give them up.
A Major Test of Strength by nemali
There is only one thing in Paris hated as much as the akumas: Ladybug herself. In an effort to help the Savior of Paris, Adrien winds up on the wrong end of an akuma attack — only to find himself stuck reliving the same day. With enough time, anyone can be a hero, and as he continues dying over and over, he is forced to confront the idea that these loops may be just as much of a blessing as they are a curse.
Breaking Free by UpTooLateArt
Marinette has failed as the Guardian. Shadow Moth stole the miraculous, and now it's down to her and Cat Noir to recover them, before it's too late. Just one problem - Cat Noir's father is their sworn enemy...and he's decided it's high time for some father-son bonding. As Adrien is drawn into his father's world, secrets will finally surface - and our beloved heroes will be faced with the biggest decision of their lives.
A Hundred Thursdays by Midnight Musume (Peas)
Marinette is stuck repeating the same day over and over. Her friends (and especially Chat Noir) help her cope.
Spots and Shades by DearLittleRobin
While trying to prevent a bad future, Marinette walks straight into another one. Adrien can't handle any more secrets, but realizes knowing things comes with a price. Time travel is as weird as everyone thought it would be
Revealed in Time by WhitleyMiranda
Marinette is sent 8 years in the future by an akuma. While there she discovers a grown up Chat Noir and more about her future than she could have ever imagined.
Maintaining a Professional Distance by buggachat
Ladybug and Chat Noir receive a hotel room from the city, which they most certainly will not use. After all, that wouldn't be very professional, would it?
Chasing the C/h/atwalk. by Inkkerfuffle
Paris. The city of lights, love and fashion. Follow the progress of Marinette Dupain Cheng as she enters the extremely competitive world of Reality television for a chance to be the winner of Project Runway: France.
Radio Silence by Eevee
When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love.
do you think i have forgotten about you by augustrose77
Memory Loss. Told in alternating time lines, one leading up to and one dealing with the aftermath of Marinette relinquishing the Miracle Box and the guardianship. Marinette struggles with her life after losing her memory, though there is a persistent voice that calls to her that always seems just out of reach in her memory.
Chat Noir's White French Man Hit List for Feminist Purposes by peachcitt
adrien agreste who is also chat noir absolutely chugs his respect women juice
Not a Monster at All by book_sandwich
Adrien Agreste overhears a conversation he shouldn't, and a revelation sends him falling onto the terrace of the only person he can trust: his good friend (?) Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
How Marinette Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ball by TheChatatonicOne
Hidden from the crowds thronging around the busy fairy portal in Paris's town square, a fae gate sits at the edge of the forest, locked, rusty, and full of ancient magic. Marinette thinks that this abandoned gate must not work anymore... but one day, a fairy disguised as a black cat steps through it.
Dearly Despised, (I love you) by snacc_noir
Marinette could go on about why she hated Adrien Agreste—from his unfunny pranks to his ineffable attractiveness—ever since he had the audacity that day with the umbrella. And yet, here she was fake-dating him while in love with a superhero.
Disrespectfully Yours, Marinette Dupain-Cheng by fettuccine (LFA)
Marinette Dupain-Cheng is top of the class. Straight A's, perfect attendance, and editor-in-chief of her university's premiere fashion magazine. Or... she would be top of the class, if it weren't for her academic rival Adrien Agreste. They've been competing for everything since their freshman year of college. If Marinette gets a 99, he gets a 100. If she gets an internship, he gets a better one. Now in their senior year of college, they're ready to fight it out one more time to win student journalist of the year — and the scholarship that comes with it. But when a semester-long project forces them to team up, everything changes. If they want to remain in consideration for the award, they'll have to figure out how to work together. Because in the cutthroat world of academia — and journalism — failure is not an option.
Lightning and Thunder by The_Rabbit42
While out for an evening run, Chat Noir gets caught in a thunderstorm and struck by lightning. He's fine! He ends up recovering/hanging out with Marinette. What ensues is a night full of conversation and commiseration, arguing and affection.
daydream by a_miiraculer
In which Adrien finds out Ladybug is Marinette, and beats the 'this is fine' dog at his own game.
the wonderful part of the mess that we made by heresie_irisee
They knew. They knew, and there would be no magical reset button for the memories they'd made today. She'd have to see him at school every day, and she'd see the Chat in him, as surely as he'd see the Ladybug in her.
Bakery "Enemies" [COMIC] by buggachat
After the defeat of Gabriel Agreste and the disappearance of the mysterious peacock miraculous user, Marinette is left to try her best as Guardian and pick up the pieces. With the kwamis left in hibernation, no leads on the missing peacock miraculous, and no way to contact her beloved partner, she's left to her wit's end on where to proceed. That is, until the prime suspect of the peacock wielder coincidentally takes up an apprenticeship at her parents' bakery. Adrien Agreste, son of Hawkmoth, has seemingly planted his roots in her home while Marinette was away for an apprenticeship. This could either be a disaster in the making, or the perfect opportunity to retrieve the missing miraculous... either way, it's war. At least, it would be, if the gosh darn villain weren't so sweet!
metamorphosis by peachcitt
Three years after hawkmoth's defeat, marinette is still trying to figure out her version of normal. there's also sleepovers.
[Note: brought me to tears. unrelated but Landing Feet First by Bayside is my unofficial anthem for this fic]
A Royal Thief by meeble
Marinette couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a bad day. Running late and accidentally dropping her father’s freshly baked bread was one thing, but telling off the prince of the kingdom and subsequently being kidnapped by said prince was something else entirely.
Love Doth Ran Smooth by Dpanda_17
When Nino had told Adrien he’d find love, Adrien didn’t expect to find his true love the next day. And for her to greet him the pleasant way she did.
Trolling Alya by SailorChibi
It was just one of those things that didn't have a simple explanation. As surely as the sun rose in the east, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was going to marry Adrien Agreste. That was a fact that Ladybug knew in her heart, and she knew that Chat knew it too. The unspoken acknowledgement surrounded the two of them like a warm, cozy blanket. There was really no need to rush to dating because that next step was always going to be there; they had all the time in the world. And in the meantime, torturing Alya was really fun.
electrify me, i’m dying to burn by Anonymous
Adrien and Marinette are best friends and partners—they can talk about anything. Even the hypothetical situation in which they’re dating.
cause our hearts are locked forever by SailorChibi
Ladybug and Chat Noir are not okay. Years of fighting akumas have taken a serious toll. The only comfort they have is in each other, and, when the pain of separation becomes too much, Marinette figures out a way to circumvent her promise to not tell Chat who she is.
1 step forward, 3 steps back. by agnes_writes
In which Adrien switches targets to Marinette, and everything goes wrong before it goes right.
Seven Seconds by alvares715
Adrien finds a lost video on his phone.
œuf ouch owie by miraculousunflower (ominousunflower)
Chat Noir enlists Rena Rouge's help to create an Aspik illusion. Absolutely nothing goes wrong.
Stray Chat by Pozolegirl
Adrien wants to be friends with Marinette but...it's hard to be friends with Marinette Dupain-Cheng and not have both parties become a little tongue tied around each other. So Chat Noir attempts to make friends with Marinette with the aid of his mask instead. Following problems at home however, Chat Noir suddenly becomes Marinette's roommate! Now they're both keeping secrets...
Always Welcome Here by gay_english_nerd
Adrien is forced on an extremely repressive diet and it makes heroing much harder. Marinette has lots of food and a very kind heart. What will happen when the meetups become regular? Maybe some... Marichat?
heartstrings by taylortot
one of marinette’s rare unlucky days turns into something treacherous. thanks to a certain cat, the real danger passes, but there are other things to be more afraid of. her heart, for example, might be one of them.
The New Guardian Is... Multimouse? by The_Rabbit42
During the events of Miracle Queen, Master Fu passes on the role of guardian to a surprising successor... Multimouse! Marinette is frustrated, Alya is confused, and Chat Noir is oddly pleased. How will this affect Marinette's friendships and partnership on both sides of her identity? How will this affect Adrien's view of the girls in his life? And how long will they keep it together?
keep me in your thoughts by LilaacStars
Love is messy enough by itself, but it's worse when you don't know if you love your classmate, your superhero partner or the boy that has been talking and dreaming inside your mind since the moment you were born.
Sommeil by Bronte
She'd noticed the bags beneath his eyes even with the mask over his skin and had asked occasionally how he was feeling and it was always the same response. ‘I'm fine,’ he'd say, ‘I just didn't sleep much,’ he'd say, ‘I'm just such a party animal,’ he’d say. She'd always let it slide in the past because she's his partner and friend, not his mother, but it’s kind of getting to the point where something has to be done. He yawns too often to be sleeping properly. He smiles too much to be happy.
Worthy Opponent by Soap_Lady
Felix Graham de Vanily is back! Not to cause trouble, at least not if no one crosses him. After discovering the last script his father ever wrote, he decides to honor his father (and make his directorial debut) by producing the movie. It has everything he likes; adventure, well-rounded teenaged characters, complex villains and witty dialog. The only problem is that it's set in Paris and there's only so much CGI can do. So he, his mother, and his group of friends who call themselves the Quantic Kids head to Paris to cast the rest of the characters. Marinette Dupain-Cheng has just finished her first year of lycee and though Lila is still around, her influence over Marinette's friends has waned, partly because they're on different academic tracks and have drifted a bit. She's not worried about that, she's decided to spend her summer as an intern in Graham Film's Wardrobe Department. It'll be valuable experience and with luck, she'll never even see Felix. Too bad she makes a wrong turn on her first day.
Passionfruit by SailorChibi
Marinette and Adrien are soulmates, and have known that since before they got their miraculous. They can’t not know who the other is. The solution? Keep on hiding the fact that they’re soulmates from even Tikki and Plagg, of course!
when you're near by buggachat
When Ladybug and Chat Noir were together, dancing across rooftops and kissing under the moonlit sky, Ladybug loved her boyfriend. But when the masks fell and all that was left was Marinette, she hated her boyfriend. She hated the lonesome afternoons, the third wheeling, the way his name wasn't in her contacts... She knows their identities are secret for a reason, and she tells herself she'd do anything to protect that— but when Marinette hears Chat Noir's voice coming from the boy sitting behind her in a coffee shop, she can't help but wonder if it's really worth not having him in her life.
Don't Let Me Let You Go by SailorChibi
When Marinette's parents find out and forbid her from continuing as Ladybug, Plagg comes up with what he considers to be the obvious answer.
Fireflies by sevendeadlyseas
When Ladybug and Chat Noir face their deadliest akuma, they both lose more than ever could have expected, and nearly fall apart trying to keep it together. Hawkmoth's identity is revealed and everyone's personal lives go to shit.
Slowly but Surely by San_fics
There was something Freudian in this, but Felix had a weak spot for women like his mother — outwardly soft and gentle, but strong and hard on the inside. And it was exactly the impression Ladybug left him with. Felix was smart enough to put two and two together. Maybe he still needed some proves, that would confirm his suspicions for 100%. Like the proves he needed to make sure Gabriel was Shadow Moth. But Felix used to trust his intuition and logic, so at this moment he was almost sure: the Marinette-girl was Ladybug.
a cat, confronted with the unknown, will respond not with fear, but with curiosity by LordKaladin
Chat Noir finally meets the mysterious Guardian his new teammates all talk about.
48 Hours To Make You Love Me by Mystic_Raven20
When two heroes miss the minibus for their winter get away with the gang they have no other choice but to make their way to the resort by themselves. After avoiding their feelings for years, a freak snow storm makes them reconsider more than just whether to carry on driving. Luckily, they find a quaint little bed and breakfast where suddenly they’re thrown into a situation where their feelings can no longer be held back; but, is it too late? The interference of an elderly couple after an eavesdropping accident helps both Adrien and Marinette come to terms with their feelings and their actions. Through movies, hot chocolates and snuggling to keep warm, Marinette wonders if it’s possible to make Adrien love her again, and more so can she do it by the time they need to leave their little sanctuary?
The Ladybugs and The Bees by BullySquadess
AKA the early-fandom Ladynoir puberty fic that spiraled waaaaay out of proportion.
Remember That Time When... by mostlovedgirl
Twenty-two-year-old Marinette Agreste was looking forward to the anniversary trip she would be taking with her husband Adrien that weekend. Those plans are derailed when she wakes up in her old bedroom... and she’s seventeen again.
Build You Up by CoffeeBanana
After the events of Risk and Strike Back, showing up to school and acting like nothing had changed feels wrong. Adrien doesn't want to be there, listening to the fears and criticisms of his classmates. Worrying about Ladybug. Trying not to let his doubts consume him. But it turns out there's someone else who might want to be there even less than him. And maybe the answer to his problems has been sitting behind him in class all along.
Can't Fool Me by CoffeeBanana
Marinette and Adrien both have the same plan: to impersonate their superhero partner for April Fools' Day. But when they both get a little too into character, well...what could possibly go wrong?
You and Me by 11JJ11
Marinette tries to find ways to let Adrien knows how much she cares, even if their relationship must stay a secret.
Forget me not (because I will) by Bluestpaw
Being a guardian is hard. Forgetting to be one is even harder.
How Gabriel Agreste Destroyed Adrien's Life: A 3 a.m. Analysis
From: ‘I enrolled in a school without my father's permission, I ran away from home to attend the first day of school and although I don't want my father to be angry with me, I'm not afraid of a punishment either because I KNOW there won't be one’.
To: ‘My girlfriend is alone with my father, with no one to protect her, completely defenceless. I NEED TO SAVE HER’.
One knows that his father is a good person who, no matter how angry he is, would never hurt him. The other doesn't, it's the opposite, he is no longer sure of anything, he fears for the safety of those he loves and is so terrified that he is about to have a panic attack.
But how did we get from the first to the second?
How Gabriel Agreste's abuse managed to completely change his son in a matter of days
People don't remember this because it happened a long time ago and has not been repeated, but Adrien used to be a NORMAL person, not as perfect as he is now. While he has always been kind and polite, there were also times when he allowed himself to be a bit hostile and not as perfect as we are used to seeing him (as Adrien, not as Chat Noir). Usually that ‘good boy’ facade was only used in front of his father and Nathalie, but in front of his friends he behaved like a normal teenager, even becoming a bit teasing, self-centred and rebellious. "The Bubbler", "Animan", "Kung Food" and "Evillustrator" being the clearest examples of these behaviours, in particular towards Nino, Chloé and Marinette.
In S1 it becomes clear that the only conflict Adrien has with his father is the fact that he does not give him as much freedom as Adrien would like. Apart from this, Adrien has no other problems with him and considers him to be a good father. There are several of Adrien's behaviours that suggest that Gabriel's overprotectiveness towards him was the only thing wrong with him, but that otherwise Gabriel was excellent. It is time for us to look at that.
1. Origins
Adrien literally enrolled in a school without his father's permission and when his father refused to approve Adrien's attendance, he ran away from home and went running to school. When Nathalie tries to convince him to come back Adrien simply says ‘this is what I want’ and turns around to continue up the stairs, not caring if she has anything else to say. He hears that someone needs help and immediately goes to their aid, and as soon as he finishes doing that he turns to Nathalie and the bodyguard with a charming smile expecting to see their proud faces, and when instead he sees that they are still angry he is immediately horrified and gives up.
This tells us a lot about Adrien: he is a spoilt child who has never been punished in his life, and when things get difficult his first reaction is to be adorable or do a good deed to be forgiven. Adrien intended to leave Nathalie talking to herself, and he wasn't worried about the idea of being punished when he got home from school because he knew it wasn't likely to happen. He then helps someone to ingratiate himself with Nathalie and the bodyguard so that they will stop being angry, and when he realises that it didn't work he is surprised. He is used to people forgiving his disobedience just because he is cute. He immediately gives up and asks Nathalie not to tell Gabriel. While he didn't want his father to be angry with him, he also didn't fear punishment because he knew he wouldn't get it.
Later, at the mansion, Adrien realises that Nathalie did tell Gabriel and he feels betrayed, as if he didn't expect her to do that. Basically, he is not used to people disobeying him. Gabriel again forbids Adrien from going to school but it's nothing he hasn't said before: Gabriel reprimands Adrien's behaviour with words, never with punishment, and there comes a point when words are no longer enough and Adrien is no longer afraid of them, hence he becomes ‘rebellious’. The next day Adrien runs away again and, surprise surprise, he is not punished, in fact he is rewarded. Despite having disobeyed his father again, he is rewarded and allowed to go to school, even Nathalie (whom he treated very badly) offers to help him. This reward is without explanation, just because. I'm not saying Adrien deserved to be locked up for life at home, at the end of the day he's just a teenager who wants to socialise with more people, but it's clear he was a spoilt child whose behaviours both good and bad were praised, just like Chloé and Felix, so if you ever wondered why he was such good friends with them, here's your answer.
2. The Bubbler
Here we get confirmation of how Adrien is a good boy only in front of his father and Nathalie, and how he is himself in front of his friends. At the beginning of the episode he together with Nino makes fun of his father because he does not agree to throw him a birthday party. Then, when Nino is akumatized, he at first refuses to be part of the party because he cares about Nino and wants to save him. Even when he realises that all the adults are trapped in bubbles, he never cares about his father, Nathalie or his bodyguard, only about saving Nino. And then he also gives up on this idea after a little chat with Plagg and says: "Okay, you're right. This might be the first day in my life that I actually get to do what I want for once", and Adrien joins the party without any show of consideration for the adults he knows.
Although all these behaviours were forgotten by the fandom, they are important to understand Adrien's character and how he changed due to his father's abuse. This is the normal behaviour of a teenager with a bit of a grudge: he's not a psychopath who wants something bad to happen to his father, he's a kid who knows that in the end he and his superhero partner will fix everything and he allows himself to have fun in the meantime. But it's something the current Adrien would never do, and there's where the difference lies.
3. Volpina & The Collector
This is the last episode in which we see Adrien acting like a normal teenager. He overhears Gabriel talking on the phone and decides to spy on him, then discovers that he has a safe behind his mother's portrait and out of curiosity goes to investigate. Adrien discovers the book and takes it with him, when he is discovered he quickly makes up a lie. RIP pre-lobotomised Adrien, you will always be missed.
This is the key point in the change of behaviour of both Adrien and Gabriel.
Gabriel confronts Adrien and he immediately gives an explanation in a tone of voice intended to generate sympathy:
—I just wanted to know what you were hiding behind that portrait that was so important.
This doesn't work so he resorts to blaming Gabriel himself:
—You.. you never told me about those things.
And this doesn't work either, so he decides to admit what he did but also looks for a way to justify himself:
—I was intending to give it back to you, I swear. But then I lost it.
Gabriel tells Adrien that he no longer trusts him, and what is Adrien's reaction? He just looks jaded and apologises to Gabriel, in an attitude that makes it clear that he is used to apologising to make things right, that he is not genuinely sorry, and also offers to buy him a new copy, confident that this will be enough for Gabriel to forgive him. This confirms the previous point: Adrien is used to getting out of his punishments just because he looks cute or does a good deed, and this became so repetitive that Adrien already knew how to get out of a punishment, and was not afraid of his father but simply tired of scolding that went nowhere. Again, there is no fear of consequences.
Everything changes completely when Gabriel tells him that this book is unique in the world, that there is no other copy. Apologies didn't work and the other form of redemption, buying him a copy, wasn't possible. Then is when Adrien's face changes completely to horror: he has just understood the magnitude of his mistake. His father punishes him by forbidding him to go back to school and Adrien is heartbroken, but does not try to reason with his father (as he had done, and many times, in past episodes). This is the birth of the Adrien we know now: from a normal boy to a submissive puppet. He knows that there is no way to redeem himself and that is why he decides not to fight, he finally realises that his actions have consequences, serious ones, taking away what is most precious to him: his freedom.
From here on we see a completely changed Adrien, from a rebellious teenager to a perfect doll with no thoughts of his own. Before, he pretended to be perfect only in front of his father, Nathalie and his bodyguard. Now he pretends to be perfect in front of everyone, regardless of whether he knows them or not. The trauma can be clearly seen: Adrien adopts this neat behaviour because he is afraid that his freedom will be taken away if his father finds out that he made another mistake. Now Adrien knows that he CAN be punished. He doesn't even allow himself to breathe in peace because of all the stress and fear he carries. And so it is that Adrien becomes a puppet unable to stop pretending even in front of his own friends: we go from an Adrien who was not afraid to react strangely to Marinette's odd behaviour, who was not afraid to tease Nino about his crush and who was not afraid to put Chloé in her place when the situation warranted it, to an Adrien who could not even keep his back bent for fear that his father would consider it inappropriate.
Gabriel Agreste being a shitty father and exploiting his son's weaknesses to profit from them
Despite being strict with Adrien, there were times when Gabriel let him spend time with his friends and have fun with them. In fact, in S1 there are several of these, most of them to be found there (before all the drama).
In ‘Animan’ he is in the zoo helping Nino with his date with Marinette.
In ‘Gamer’ he is playing video games for the school championship at Marinette's house.
In ‘Kung Food’ he comes to Marinette's house to help her with her uncle and even takes them to the hotel and stays for dinner with them, he spends practically the whole day away from home.
In ‘Horrificator’ he spends many hours filming the movie for the school.
In ‘The puppeteer’ he is going somewhere alone and relaxed.
In ‘Timebreaker’ he is present during the race between Alix and Kim.
As you can see, despite being strict, Gabriel sometimes let his son spend time with his friends. When did this change? After the book incident. After forbidding Adrien to attend school, Gabriel noticed how heartbroken he was and realised that school and his friends were not a whim for Adrien, but something he truly cherished. And Gabriel used these feelings to manipulate Adrien. In S1, before the incident, Adrien is more ‘rebellious’ and still has enough freedom to be with his friends. In S2, after the incident, Adrien behaves much better than in S1 and still doesn't have half as much freedom as before, and when he finally gets his father's permission to be with his friends, something happens at the last minute (Heroes Day Part 2, for example). This is because his father has discovered his Achilles' heel and uses it to benefit himself and manipulate Adrien.
The clearest proof of this is in the difference between ‘Horrificator’, where Gabriel let Adrien spend hours in the school filming the movie, and ‘Queen Banana’, where Gabriel let Adrien go for only a few minutes to the filming and right after he finished his part he literally left in a cage hanging from a helicopter. It is clear the pleasure that man developed in making his son miserable.
And we could talk about ‘Chat Blac’ and ‘Ephemeral’, but I won't touch those topics as they are not part of our timeline. I'll just say that they made it clear how far Gabriel is willing to go (literally traumatise Adrien) in order to get what he wants. What I think, is sick.
Adrien's Stockholm Syndrome: normalisation, justification and romanticisation, and how it makes him vulnerable to unhealthy relationships
1. Gabriel
We have already made it clear that Adrien became an uncritical puppet, and as a result he developed a terrible Stockholm syndrome. Adrien normalised all the manipulation, and by accepting it as something usual this caused him to start justifying it as well. Needless to name the episodes, in many of them there is always someone (usually Nino, Marinette or Plagg) who points out his father's problematic behaviour and Adrien immediately tries to justify it with ‘he does it because he loves me’ or ‘he just wants to protect me’. This shows us a big difference from the Adrien of S1 who was aware of his father's behaviour and even made fun of it, the current Adrien would never do that, on the contrary, he seems to live to justify Gabriel's actions. That's how serious the brainwashing is.
With Gabriel's behaviours now normalised and justified, they in turn begin to be romanticised. Despite being a shitty person, there are moments when Gabriel treats Adrien well: like when he hugs him (something Adrien is not used to), his worried words to Chat Noir about losing Adrien, or when he watches his mother's movie with him. These are all details that if they weren't accompanied by manipulation, anyone could call ‘cute’. And this makes Adrien unaware of the manipulation at first: his own denial and the kind details his father had for him confused his brain. Adrien did not think that his father could be so kind to him if he was a bad person, and that is why Adrien refused to consider him as such. This is a method of self-defence against dangerous situations, the feelings developed by this are not only romantic but any kind of feelings that are enough to make the victim feel safe in dangerous environments.
2. Kagami and Marinette
Let's start with Adrigami. Adrien didn't show a strong interest in Kagami until the chapter ‘Oni-Chan’ where he even rejects Ladybug's fist to make sure Kagami is okay, but what led to this? The romanticisation of obsession and control.
Kagami is simply Adrien's friend, but when she sees a photo of him with another girl, she gets so jealous that she is akumatized and starts chasing this other girl to get her away from Adrien. This is behaviour that is bad as a girlfriend, but even worse as a friend. Adrien doesn't take this seriously and even spends the whole fight making jokes instead of worrying that one of her friends is a jealous girl who is willing to kill for him even if they don't have any kind of commitment. Then, when he sees that Kagami still has the rose he gave her, his behaviour immediately changes and you could say that this is when he starts to feel a real attraction to her, even rejecting Ladybug's fist, whom he had long been in love with.
Here we see how dangerous the romanticisation of problematic behaviour is: Adrien is willing to let go of all the chaos Kagami caused and all her toxic behaviour just because she showed that she really ‘loved him’. And he reciprocates her feelings because he finds it cute that someone is in love with him enough to go crazy. The romanticisation of Gabriel's actions eventually led Adrien to romanticise other people's actions, even going so far as to feel honoured by all the questionable actions these people committed under the justification of loving him.
Something quite similar happens with Adrinette. In S5 Adrien mentions that he started to accept his feelings for Marinette from what happened in ‘The Puppeteer 2’, and there's no way this isn't weird. He had feelings for Marinette long before that, but it was that event that led him to accept them. Marinette literally assaults a ‘statue’ just because it looks like Adrien, starts fantasizing about a life together, steals one of his hair and many other weird things, and what's Adrien's response? To say that he fell in love. He literally saw how far Marinette was capable of going because of her obsession with him, and as much as that behaviour was justified with ‘it was a joke’, instead of caring, what he does is fall in love with her... because of her obsessive and bizarre behaviour towards him.
It is honestly quite disappointing to see how Gabriel's manipulation damaged Adrien to the point of leaving him craving only unhealthy relationships because that was his perception of love.
Both victim and perpetrator
Adrien developed a split personality and a taste for taking advantage of people when he is in situations of power. Gabriel turned Adrien into a victim and a perpetrator, the role depending on the situation. When Adrien is the one at a disadvantage, he displays submissive and manageable behaviour. When he has all the power, he has no problem using it selfishly and taking advantage of others. This was taught by Gabriel, from prudence to ruthlessness, are things Adrien learned from him. And in a way that's how Adrien differs from Chat Noir: the power they possess.
Adrien is always at a disadvantage: his life is in the public eye, everything he does is always monitored by his father or his fans, and if he makes a mistake it is very easy for his father to find out and punish him. This is why Adrien, always powerless, forces himself to act submissively. He does not possess the power in such situations, so he can only act as he is expected to act.
As Chat Noir things are quite different, he always has the power. Chat Noir is a superhero, he watches over Paris but no one watches over him, he has freedom, destructive power, a city that depends on him and a partner who needs him to defeat the supervillains. He has the power. And he uses this power to his advantage.
A clear example of this is his tendency to threaten. Adrien has several times been willing to give up his miraculous and even verbally threaten (in a passive-aggressive way) Ladybug just because it bothers him that she has secrets. All of S2 was Adrien threatening to give up his miraculous if Ladybug didn't tell him her secrets, and this behaviour wasn't like ‘we can't keep hiding things from each other anymore, this isn't healthy for me and if we're not going to be honest it's best to just give up’, no, this behaviour was like ‘if you don't tell me what you're hiding, I'll give this up and you see if you can do it all by yourself or if you find me a replacement’. I understand that he was tired of the situation, but manipulation is never justifiable behaviour. Evidence of this is found in episodes such as ‘Syren’, where Adrien even threatens Plagg with give up his Miraculous if he doesn't tell him what Ladybug is hiding.
Another example is ‘Glaciator’, where he invites Ladybug to a dinner and she makes it clear that she already has plans and is unlikely to go. And yet Adrien is self-illusioned, and when his fantasies are shattered by something Ladybug had already warned him would happen, he simply accuses her of mocking him, throws a tantrum, refuses to help with the akuma, and when Ladybug comes up with a good plan to defeat the villain he guilts her by saying: ‘Sorry, Ladybug, it's not cool to play with people's feelings’ when Ladybug never played with his feelings and in fact realised these only minutes ago.
There are many other episodes like these, too many to list. I guess the most notorious ones are ‘NY Special’ (where he has no problem being unfaithful to Kagami) and ‘Lies’ (where he also has no problem being unfaithful, lying to her, trying to provoke akumatizations and so on). His problematic behaviours are not only as Chat Noir, but also as Adrien when he finds himself in relationships where he has the power. In his courtship with Kagami he knows that she is completely in love with him and uses this to his advantage and does truly horrible things like the ones mentioned above without regard for her feelings because he knows or believes that she won't leave him. Something similar happens with his friendship with Chloé, he knows how much Chloé appreciated him and so every time she committed a bad deed he threatened to end their friendship. It's not wrong to want your friend to stop being a shitty person, and it's okay to let him/her know that if he/she continues this stupid behaviour you'll have no choice but to walk away, but the problem with this is that we go from Adrien's genuine concern for Chloé to empty threats just because, in the end, Chloé wouldn't change her behaviour and he wouldn't leave either.
Conclusions
This is not as well written as I would like it to be. I procrastinated for weeks and when I finally decided to write it I no longer had the series so fresh in my memory. I am a teenager with no professional knowledge of psychology who wrote this at 3 a.m. while I was not so sober.
This post is not salt against Adrien/Chat Noir, in all of ‘Miraculous’ there are only two or three characters I hate and none of those are Adrien, so this post is not hate towards him. While I did describe some of his behaviour in a not so nice way, that was not a personal opinion but an analysis. Like when you go to a psychologist and he doesn't give you his personal opinion but a diagnosis, the main difference being that I am not a professional nor do I claim to be one. Anyways, this is a direct attack on Gabriel Agreste for being a shitty person.
As you may have noticed, most of this analysis is based on S1 to S3. While I did mention some episodes from S4 and S5 they were not as relevant, this is because the first 3 seasons are the ones I've seen the most and ergo the ones I remember the most, maybe later (I don't think so) I'll do a part two on S4 and S5.
Finally: my personal opinion on Adrien. He is an amazing character whose development and build goes unnoticed by the fandom, this is probably because it wasn't done on purpose (if this character build was planned it wouldn't be half as good as it is, the writers aren't that talented). Adrien is just a boy, a victim of an abusive home that ingrained several of his father's behaviours within him and he has no ‘true personality’ as this depends on the situation he finds himself in. He acts this way as a method of survival and although it is not right, it is a psychological response and it is not as if he can help it. I'm really happy that the poor boy is free from his abusive father and I hope that in S6 he can be happy and get therapy.
I just reread the Fiendfyre sequence and based on a close reading Draco's motivations and actions are a lot more complex and sympathetic than I remembered. Not to mention, once again, here there be drarry.
First, the context:
After the incident at Malfoy Manor, we know from Harry's psychic connection to Voldemort and from the Carrows' overheard discussion that Voldemort's wrath was exceptionally terrible. The Malfoy family became virtual prisoners in their own homes for months and were subjected to especially brutal (even by Voldemort's standards) torture that was also likely quite protracted. Lucius has visible marks on him months later - which, given what we know about magic in that world, really speaks to the level of what has been going on. While he probably got the worst of it, it's certain that none of his family members escaped unscathed. After their other failings they have at this point probably permanently fallen out of favor and have nothing but a (likely short) life of misery to look forward to.
Draco bears a lot of responsibility for this state of affairs since it was he who chose not to identify Harry. This likely adds to his sense of conflict as his conscience tells him one thing and everything he has ever been taught tells him something else. He presumably feels responsible for the suffering his family (we know from book 6 that he does genuinely care about them) has to endure.
Not to mention that he himself is suffering along with them. It would be unsurprising therefore if he felt tempted to "rectify" his earlier moment of what he probably perceived as weakness and made a last ditch attempt to save his parents' (and his own) lives and prestige. While Harry has been taught that love and mercy are noble and valuable impulses, Draco has not. In his world love and mercy are called weakness.
Quite possibly as he suffered and faced death alongside his family, part of him must have felt ashamed of the impulses that led to his choices when Harry was a prisoner at the Manor. Everything he has been taught tells him that Voldemort's victory is inevitable and that his moment of shameful weakness has accomplished nothing except to fail his own family and condemn them (and himself) to a likely short life filled with suffering.
At most what we see in the Room of Requirement is a replay of what we saw on the Astronomy Tower - where Draco is deeply conflicted and when confronted with the reality of violence in support of Voldemort cannot go through with it even under tremendous pressure and even though his failure to carry out these acts of violence will inflict danger and suffering on himself and his loved ones.
But, is that even what actually happens? In my opinion, the answer is "no."
The scene in question:
If we actually look at the text it's not even clear that's what's going on at all. Draco's motives are ambiguous at best here. The scene starts when Harry is stretching out his hand to take the diadem. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle come up behind him and he is completely unaware of them. Draco then announces their presence, alerting Harry that he is being watched. He could've very easy simply stunned Harry or attempted to put the Imperius Curse on him (or killed him) while his back was turned. But he didn't do any of those things. Instead he talks, thereby ruining the element of surprise.
And that's not typical of Draco at all when he actually wants to attack Harry. He's never beaten Harry in a face-to-face confrontation. (In fact, the last time he tried - in 6th year - he almost ended up dead.) The two times he has managed to incapacitate Harry - when he petrified him on the train in 6th year and when he hid and caught Harry for Umbridge with a tripping jinx in 5th year - he did so by using the element of surprise to his advantage.
Given that Draco knows that Harry is a very formidable opponent (AND that Harry's friends are nearby) if he truly simply wanted to capture or kill him, announcing his presence is the last thing he would ever do. Then he says "That's my wand you're holding." He still doesn't cast any spells - not even to try to disarm Harry. He also doesn't say he wants to hand him over to Voldemort. He doesn't even tell Harry to drop his own wand, attempt to take him prisoner, or even threaten him.
It is Crabbe, not Draco who says "We're gonna be rewarded...We decided to bring you to 'im." Draco doesn't say anything about his own intentions other than that he wants his wand back - and we certainly know that even in 6th year he didn't trust Crabbe and Goyle, much less now, and thus is unlikely to speak openly in front of them.
At this point Ron comes to investigate and Crabbe tries to use magic to cause a mountain of debris to fall on Ron and crush him. Harry counters the spell and Draco then grabs Crabbe's arm when he tries to repeat the spell. He gives as his justification the need to avoid the diadem being crushed but since we know he doesn't trust Crabbe it's likely this isn't truthful. Especially since Voldemort has not said anything about wanting the diadem (and even if it wasn't a Horcrux it likely wouldn't be damaged in any case).
Crabbe points out this very thing and Draco argues with him at which point Crabbe says "Who cares what you think? I don't take your orders no more, Draco. You an' your dad are finished." So arguably he was not even including Draco in the "We" he imagined would be rewarded. Crabbe then tries to use Crucio on Harry.
Draco then again intervenes and tries to stop him.
"STOP" Malfoy shouted at Crabbe, his voice echoing through the enormous room. "The Dark Lord wants him alive--"
He doesn't even just say it. He shouts. We rarely see Draco shout. He is someone who generally keeps his deeper emotions hidden - it's why he's so naturally gifted at Occlumency to the point that he is powerful enough at a young age to lie to both Snape and Voldemort.
What he says here doesn't really even make sense because Goyle isn't even trying to kill Harry; he's just trying to hurt him. However Draco is so distressed by this that he actually starts yelling, something we NEVER see him do at ANY other point in the book. "The Dark Lord wants him alive" is also exactly what Snape says to Bellatrix as they flee in book 6, and we know that Snape's real intent was to protect Harry with a believable excuse. It's the only thing Draco could reasonably say in that moment as a justification.
Crabbe (rather sensibly) points out that 1) he didn't even try to kill Harry and 2) Voldemort ultimately wants Harry dead so it probably doesn't matter that much. This makes perfect sense. And yet Draco is inordinately concerned with preventing harm to Harry & Co rather than with taking any action to capture or even disarm any of them.
Clearly he did not expect to lose control of Crabbe and Goyle like this and as a result is now losing control of the situation (and himself). (Unlike Harry, Draco is more of a planner and is not as good at reacting in the moment.) Also the possibility that Harry could be killed seems to drive him nearly to the point of hysteria - rather like how Ron reacted to Hermione being in mortal peril at the Manor. This is not just a general aversion to killing. This is something more. He finds the idea of Harry dying truly unbearable. (I don't need my ships to be canon; this one just happens to be.)
At this point they start fighting and Draco loses Narcissa's wand. Wandless, he STILL tries to intervene. Crabbe and Goyle are both aiming their wands at Harry and Draco once again starts yelling - "Don't kill him! DON'T KILL HIM!" and is obviously in significant distress and is not at all happy with what is going on.
After that the Fiendfyre gets loose and the rest of the scene goes down without much dialogue.
At NO POINT does Draco 1) actually say he wants to hand Harry to Voldemort OR 2) attempt to attack Harry or Ron or Hermione at all OR 3) use his Dark Mark to call Voldemort OR 4) tell anyone he's seen Harry after they get out of the Room of Requirement - even in a later scene when he's been cornered by a Death Eater who is considering killing him he doesn't reveal this information even though that probably would've proven his loyalty or at the very least distracted the Death Eater.
Conclusions about Draco's motivations:
So, where does that leave us? What went down there and what was Draco trying to do?
We really have 3 options.
Option 1: Draco tried to hand Harry over to Voldemort in order to save himself and his family, got cold feet and couldn't really go through with it, and then lost control of the situation due to Crabbe and Goyle's changing loyalties.
Verdict: Possible but unlikely given the remarkably bad job he does of it and how inconsistent his approach is with his usual MO. Even if we assume his heart wasn't in it you'd think he'd at least have got as far as disarming Harry before announcing his presence. Especially since Harry almost killed him last time they fought (and Draco probably doesn't know Harry didn't know what the Sectum Sempra curse would do.)
And if his heart WAS in it then then this makes even less sense since he not only didn't attack Harry while his back was turned but also didn't call Voldemort or even inform anyone that he'd seen Harry.
Option 2: Draco wanted to get himself captured in a way that looked convincing so that he could take the chance Dumbledore offered in 6th year, only it went quite badly wrong.
Verdict: This would be an interesting possibility but I think it's also unlikely as it's simply too risky. He doesn't know Harry was there on the astronomy tower or that Harry would make the same offer. His family would also likely be murdered if Voldemort realized this had happened.
Option 3: Draco wanted to cut a deal in order to improve his family's situation without actually handing Harry over - perhaps he hoped for some kind of exchange where he could get his wand back and bring Voldemort the diadem as some kind of consolation prize - but overestimated his control over his cronies and lost control of the situation.
Verdict: I actually think this works best given his behavior during the scene. He initiates a conversation because he wants information about what and where the diadem is (and what value it would have to Voldemort) and because he wants to make some offer along the lines of 'give me my wand and the diadem and we'll let you go.' This could get him what he wants and help his family without actually harming anyone.
Also it hedges his bets a bit because if Harry wins he will owe Draco. The problem of course is that Crabbe and Goyle aren't happy to just take orders anymore and have their own goals. At that point, instead of caving and going along with what Crabbe and Goyle want to do instead, Draco actually tries to intervene, albeit in a way that doesn't actually expose him as questioning Voldemort.
Draco made his choice at the Manor. If he wanted to hand Harry over he would have. But he couldn't. He cares about him too much. But he also feels tremendous guilt and fear over the price he and his family are still paying for that decision. This is his attempt to try to fix things - to try to find a middle ground between the conflicting imperatives that are tearing him apart. The reality though, as he shortly discovers, is that there is no middle ground. And when he sees that, once again he chooses Harry.