Best Sherlolly Slow Burn Fanfics
The best slow burn Sherlolly (Molly Hooper/Sherlock Holmes) fanfiction on AO3, curated by popularity. Readers love the anticipation, the meaningful character development, and the eventual payoff of a well-earned romance.
Top Sherlolly Slow Burn Fic Recs
2 slow burn Sherlolly fics matched, followed by other top-rated Sherlolly stories.
our nights are more beautiful than your days
Slow Burnby Science_Whyzard
The breakup of Molly and Tom happened off screen. Curious how it all went down?
Heterochromia Iridis
Slow Burnby janinech
Just another ordinary day collecting body parts from the morgue... At least that’s what it should have been when Molly left work early for once in over a month. She’d expected he would have left her alone and gone back to his routine, but a call from a pleading father led her back to 221B. Sherlock
When I'm gone...
by Hjoetra
Post "The final problem"."To her, it was not an easy game, Sherlock, it was deadly serious to Molly Hooper and you know it all too well, she did not deserve that, our Molly."Sometimes we have to go through hell to understand what it means to love.
Between the Waters
by kickasslibrarian
Set directly after Sherlock's 'fall' from the roof at Barts. Molly's work isn't finished; Sherlock still needs her help. But how will they keep everyone else from finding out the truth?Angst, suspense, possibly some naughtiness!I'll be posting the next few chapters very shortly!
Shelter
by amyutz
Molly turned toward him, “So what do we do? Go straight to Mycroft? Tell him what you’ve seen?” Sherlock's tone sharpened, “No. Not yet. If his channels are watched, if they’re listening, we’d be dead before he could act. Until I understand who’s pulling strings, we vanish entirely.” He added, “This
My life with Molly
by Rozalinne
Molly is Sherlock’s housekeeper. When John moves in with the detective, he quickly notices that there is something unusual between them. Both deny being in love, but little by little, they begin to fall for one another. Let’s discover together how they first met
Not Forgiven
by The_Evil_Writer_221B
This is a series of one-shots or short stories where John Watson will not be forgiven by Sherlock. Mostly Holmes brothers-centric, focuses on their relationship. If you do not want to see John in negative light then do not open this.You can leave in prompts if you wish!! I am open for suggestions.
Dearest Sherlock, Love Molly XXX
by therinian
Girls are turning up dead around London. After a disastrous Christmas Party, Molly goes missing. She's forced to take part in the crimes. Sherlock has riddles to solve, and while their friends believe Molly's innocent, Sherlock, for some reason, does not. Expect MANY chapters.WARNING: Violence in ma
Demon
by thedragonaunt
When Sherlock and Molly decided to try to have a relationship, nobody said it would be easy but did it have to be so hard? Sequel to Unfinished Business (Pt 3 of Life After Death). *WARNING: Contains scenes that some people may find upsetting.*
The Liars of the Game
by DestinysRequiem
After the disaster at Musgrave Hall, Sherlock has returned to London. Despite the sentiment Eurus ripped out of him, the consulting Detective is determined to return to business as usual.But someone is working from the shadows to bring old mistakes back to haunt him and those he dares to care about.
Capable of Such a Thing
by FeralTrashWizard
✶✶✶Sherlock chooses the restaurant for entirely practical reasons, but it doesn't mean Molly finds that unromantic. -challenge word: tender
To win your heart.
by danndrea
This story takes place in the time of the regency.
If I Only Could
by MizJoely
A companion tale to MizJoely's "The Fire In Which We Burn", where we see what happens on the other side of the mirror.
Breakfast muffin
by RoughTweedAction (Donya)
Marriage changes people by making them ten times more annoyingly in love.
Get Fucked, Sherlock
by gotnerd
A missing scene from A Scandal in Belgravia, where Sherlock surprises Molly at Barts. It does not go as he planned.
Worse Than Bored
by jdub_1007
PART 1: "You look sad when you think he can't see." Sherlock writes a letter to Mary after her death about his depression.
Unrequited: A Side Character's Love
by IcyMoonKnight (icymoonnight)
The kitchen felt smaller than usual, the air heavy with the things they hadn’t said since the phone call.
Little Boy Blue
by CancelTheMoon
WARNING DUGS USE AND CHARATER DEATH WARNING CHILD ABUSE Lestrade i hope that you're reading this i desperately hope that you we're the one that found me...its selfish...and you don't deserve to see me like this...but your the only one that i trust to see me me at my most valuable the only one tha
Face the Consequences
by elsiecarson
Molly is more than frustrated with Sherlock's lack of ability to follow the rules in the morgue and she decides to punish him. It surprises him when she decides to spank him.
El secreto de Sherlock Holmes
by Chica_Plutonio
Sherlock Holmes estaba ocultando algo. [Publicado originalmente en fanfiction . net]
Find More Sherlolly Slow Burn Stories on AO3
Browse the full AO3 archive for slow burn Sherlolly fanfiction, sorted by kudos. Then read offline with Fanfict Reader.
Why Slow Burn Sherlolly Fanfiction Works So Well
Molly Hooper/Sherlock Holmes — The brilliant but emotionally distant detective Sherlock Holmes and the kind-hearted pathologist Molly Hooper who sees his humanity.
Slow Burn — A romance that develops gradually over time, with tension building across chapters or the entire story.
Fans love Molly's ability to ground Sherlock and the potential for him to learn genuine emotion through her unwavering support. Readers love the anticipation, the meaningful character development, and the eventual payoff of a well-earned romance. That's why slow burn Sherlolly fanfiction is one of the most consistently popular combinations on AO3.
More Sherlolly Tropes
Sherlolly · Alternate Universe (AU)
Stories set in a different universe or setting than canon, from coffee shops to space operas.
Read alternate-universe →
Sherlolly · Angst with a Happy Ending
One of AO3's most trusted tags: the story will hurt — sometimes brutally — but it promises in advance that the characters come out the other side. The contract lets writers go dark and readers follow without bracing for devastation.
Read angst-with-a-happy-ending →
Slow Burn in Other Ships
Love slow burn? Explore the same trope in other popular pairings:
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