Harkula

"This man belongs to me!"

- Dracula threatening the Weird Sisters - Bram Stoker

Harkula is the slash ship between Jonathan Harker and Count Dracula from the Dracula fandom.

Dracula - Bram Stoker
The story begins with four journal entries Jonathan wrote while on his way to Castle Dracula, Transylvania for a business trip. The first journal entry marked as third of May has him summarize his way there, even noting that Dracula gave him advice at which hotel Jonathan should stay, having given a letter to the lady working there, the letter addressing Jonathan as "my friend" and wishing him an enjoyable stay in his beautiful land.

On the fourth of May, Jonathan found out that Dracula told his landlord to secure the best place on the coach for him, but evaded Jonathans questions for details. Jonathan notes how suspicious it is that the landlord and his wife are suddenly frightened, only acting even more like they don't know anything about Count Dracula when they had clearly received letters from the Count. Later on, the old lady was panicking over the thought of Jonathan leaving this night, the night of St. George's Day. She practically begged for him to wait for at least a day before making that trip, but Jonathan only thanked her, telling her that it was a business trip that could not be delayed. The old lady dried her eyes and offered Jonathan a cross she wore around her neck, Jonathan was somewhat confused, but knew it was rude to refuse such an offer from a poor old lady, so he allowed for her to hang it around his neck. Terrified of the meaning of all of this, Jonathan writes his goodbye to Mina into the journal, if it reaches her before he does.

On the fifth of May, Jonathan notes that the locales seem to use strange words, meaning various infernal creatures when referring to him and makes a note to ask the Count about them. When Jonathan got started on his journey, the crowd surrounding his inn all made strange gestures, crosses and pointing at him, which they explained meant a guard against the "evil eye" when Jonathan asked about it. After a particularly strange carriage ride, which caused Jonathan to interrupt his journaling due to falling asleep, he finally arrives at Castle Dracula. Dracula opens the door to greet Jonathan, who notes his white moustache and entirely black clothing, with no color in his face either. Dracula welcomes Jonathan in excellent English, telling him to "enter freely and of [his] own will!", which Jonathan notes froze the Count in place until he finally stepped forward in the blink of an eye and gripped Jonathan's hand so tightly that he winced, not helped by Dracula's hands being cold to the touch like the hands of a corpse. Jonathan at first wasn't sure if he was talking to the Count Dracula, to which the Count bowed and urged him to get inside the castle to escape the chilly night. Dracula then grabbed Jonathan's luggage, insisting that Jonathan is his guest, so Dracula shall tend to him as his staff is currently unavailable. The Count leads Jonathan into his room, which Jonathan notes is very well lighted and warmed by the fire of a chimney, then the Count tells him that everything he needs to refresh himself is here and tells him that his supper is prepared for him once he leaves the bedroom. Jonathan's fears evaporated as he noted how kindly the Count was treating him, with the fear gone, Jonathan finally realized that he was starving so he made a quick refreshment and went to "the other room" as the Count called it. As soon as Jonathan enters the room, the supper was already on the table, warm with Dracula there to tell him to enjoy it, sadly he can't join him as he has dined already. Jonathan then gives the Count the sealed letter he recieved at the inn, to which the Count apologized to him for the trouble Jonathan had coming to his castle. The Count then took of the cover of Jonathan's supper, which Jonathan notes was an excellent roast chicken, which he scarfed down with cheese, salad and two glasses of Tokay on the side. The Count was by his side and asked him questions about his journey. By Dracula's insistence, Jonathan took a cigar he offered him and sat by the fire, which he used as an opportunity to examine the Count more closely: regarding him as an extraordinary man with stark features and strangely sharp canines. As the dawn began breaking in, Dracula told Jonathan to sleep as late as he wished, leading him back to his bedroom.

On the seventh of May, Jonathan wakes up to find that Dracula had prepared a breakfast for him. Once Jonathan had finished eating, he did not like the idea of exploring the castle without Dracula's permission, so he looked for something to read. He found some sort of library filled with a wide variety of English books, Dracula finds him there and was already expecting Jonathan to be interested in those. He calls these books his "friends" and tells Jonathan that he had learned English through them, which amazed Jonathan as the Count's English was practically perfect. He trusts Jonathan to stay with him, so that Dracula could correct his errors through talking to him. Jonathan agrees, to which Dracula replies that he is allowed to go everywhere in the castle, except where the doors are locked. They then discuss the differences between Britain and Transylvania, their customs and their history. Changing the subject, Dracula wants to talk about the house Jonathan had secured for him in London, the reason why Jonathan's here in the first place. When Jonathan went to his bedroom to grab the papers, he heard strange rattlings and came back to his dirty dishes being gone from the table, with Dracula reading a random English book innocently. Clearing the books from the table, they discussed the matters, which interested Dracula verily. Eventually, Jonathan settled on an estate at Purfleet, which Dracula eagerly signed. Jonathan than gave him a summary of the place, which satisfied Dracula. They continued to discuss this well into the night. Until the rooster's crow, Dracula apologized for having Jonathan stay up late yet again, leaving him to go back to his bedroom and go to sleep.

On the eigth of May, Jonathan finally notices just how strange Castle Dracula really is, to the point where he wishes that it was safe to go out or that he had never made this trip. He admits that it would've been easier on him if he had anyone else to talk to, but there's only the Count, which Jonathan began to suspect is not a living soul at all. He had been given clues about it this morning when he went to shave himself, but didn't see the Count's reflection in the mirror despite feeling his hand on his shoulder and hearing his voice very clearly. This experience startled him to the point where Jonathan accidently cut himself with his razor. Noticing blood trickling down Jonathan's chin, the Count grabbed Jonathan by the throat, only to touch the crucifix he was wearing by accident and turning docile almost immediately. The Count warned him that he should be wary of how he cut himself in this country and tossed Jonathan's shaving glass out of the window. Just like every morning at Castle Dracula, breakfast was prepared for Jonathan, but the realization that he had never seen Dracula eat or drink started to freak him out. As Jonathan continued exploring the castle, he realized why the doors are all locked: He is a prisoner at the castle. Jonathan came to the realization that he should never make his ideas known to the Count. When he heard the Count return through the great door, he spotted him making the beds, confirming his suspicion that there were no servants at the castle whatsoever. This caused him to realize that Dracula had been near him through his journey, it was he who had drawn the coach that brought him to the castle in the first place. He silently thanked the nice old lady for giving him the crucifix, as it was his only comfort at the moment and made plans to find out as much about Count Dracula as he could. When Jonathan asked about Transylvanian history, Dracula spoke about it as if he had been through it himself, which Dracula later justified by saying that he took great pride in his house. He then goes on and on about Transylvanian history until the morning's crow interrupts him yet again.

On the twelfth of May, they continue to discuss, this time focusing on solicitors Dracula wants to employ when he's settling in England. Jonathan could not refuse as he remembered that he was a prisoner here. Dracula then urged him to only speak of business in his letters, which made Jonathan realize that Dracula would be able to read them when they are sent, thus fearing that they may never reach his loved ones. He nonetheless silently planned to write letters to Mina in shorthand, hoping the Count wouldn't be able to read them. After sneaking his private letters into those of the Count, the Count warns him to watch where he sleeps. Jonathan heeds those words, hanging the crucifix over his bed. As he looked out of his bedroom window to take a breath of fresh air, he saw the Count climbing out of his window face-down like a lizard. Jonathan began questioning whether the count is even human and was utterly terrified of the sight.

On the fifteenth of May, Jonathan saw the Count doing his lizard climb again and noticed that disappeared into some kind of hole in the wall. When the Count left the castle, Jonathan took this opportunity to explore more of it than the Count previously allowed him to.

On the sixteenth of May, Jonathan finally ignores the warnings of the Count and manages to enter one of the forbidden rooms. When he woke up in it, he was greeted by the sight of three lovely young-looking women, two had dark hair and resembled the Count in the shape of their noses and piercing almost red eyes contrasted by the moon. The third one was "as fair as can be", with long, golden hair and pale sapphire eyes. But when the fair one made advances towards him, looking very hungry, Jonathan could feel the Count's presence near him. When Jonathan dared open his eyes, he saw the Count grab the woman by the neck, his eyes blazing red. He then tossed her aside and using the same gesture Jonathan saw him use when he controlled the wolves, the Count chastised the women for coming near Jonathan, outright telling them that this man belongs to him and warns them not to meddle with him. The fair woman then just laughs, telling the Count that he never loves, but the Count retorts that he can love, promising them that they can kiss Jonathan all they want once the Count is "done with him". Jonathan pretended to be asleep for the majority of this, but he noticed they all disappeared from one moment to the next. Horrified, he fell unconscious. Jonathan notes that he woke up in his own room, believing that the Count must have carried him there. He also notes that the Count must've done his laundry and not noticed his journal, as he was still able to write in it.

On the eighteenth of May, Jonathan checks the room where the scene took place, saying he has to see it at daylight. He notes that the room had been fastened from the inside, convincing him that it wasn't a dream.

On the nineteenth of May, the Count asks for Jonathan to write three letters, all three clearly intended to be send out on different dates to convince Jonathan's loved ones that everything is fine. Jonathan realizes how dire of a situation he is in, but chooses to comply out of fear of the Count's wrath shall he not. Dracula gives the date of the third letter as June 29, thus Jonathan figures that the Count intends to keep him alive for at least that long.

On the twenty-eighth of May, Jonathan hatches a plan to send letters home using a group of Szgany who currently reside at Castle Dracula. He was not counting on them pocketing the money and betraying him by handing them to Dracula anyway, who approaches Jonathan about them, but his letter to Mina was not marked and written in shorthand, so the Count wasn't able to read it and burned it. The Count still promised to send the other letter intended for Jonathan's business partner in England, but then locks Jonathan's door on the way out. He later returns and sees that Jonathan is tired, happily telling him to go to sleep.

On the thirty-first of May, Jonathan wakes up to find out that all of his spare paper had disappeared. Getting an idea, he tried to check his clothing, but finds most of that gone as well.

On the twenty-fourth of June, after another failed escape attempt, Jonathan once again sees Dracula climb out of the window, only now he's wearing the suit that he stole out of Jonathan's wardrobe. Jonathan figures that he's further trying to evade suspicion by pretending to be Jonathan so that the locales will think that he can leave the castle now and probably frame him for whatever crime he's committing for good measure.

On the twenty-fifth of June, Jonathan notes that one of Dracula's post-dated letters had been sent, fearing the worst could happen should the third one arrive in London. He also notes how strange it is that he hadn't seen Dracula in daylight at all. He makes plans to try and enter Dracula's bedroom during day, no longer fearing death. He later risks the climb and finds the bedroom almost completely empty, but a staircase to a tunnel leading to darker secrets. In what appears to be the castle's basement, he found a row of boxes containing coffins. In the third of these was none other than Count Dracula himself, eyes wide open but unresponsive. Further examining him has him notice the look of hatred in Dracula's eyes, fearing the idea of waking him up so much that he ran right back into his own bedroom.

On the twenty-ninth of June, Jonathan notes that this was the day written on the third letter. Seeing the Count climb down wearing Jonathan's clothes yet again made him wish that he could just shoot him and get rid of him for good, but then he feared that no man-made weapon could kill him. The last time he saw him do that, the Weird Sisters appeared in the moonlight, so Jonathan took no risks and went into the library to distract himself before going to sleep. The Count found him there and told him that tomorrow, he ordered a carriage to take him home, but hopes that he will eventually come back. Doubting the Count's sincerity, he question why he couldn't leave today, a question which the Count quickly evades. Jonathan tells him that he would even walk home to get away from here. The Count reminds him of his baggage in a way that Jonathan knows is just trying to trick him again, but then admits that it would be cruel to make Jonathan wait for another hour if he doesn't want to stay, to the point where even Jonathan is almost convinced of his sincerity. Taking Jonathan to surprisingly unlocked door, he opens it to reveal a pack of wolves snarling their teeth at him and Jonathan fears the worst. He tells the Count to shut the door again, convinced that he will wait until morning. But when Jonathan returns to his bedroom, he hears the Count whispering that they shall wait until morning, hearing the trio of women laugh once more in their soulless manner.

On the thirtieth of June, Jonathan is fully convinced that whatever happens, this will be the last thing he will ever write in this journal. When morning arrives, he is surprised to find all the doors unlocked, except the entrance of the castle. Driven to desperation, Jonathan tries to sneak back into the Count's bedroom, steal the key and finally escape his clutches for good. Even if he dies, he would prefer that over being stuck in the castle forever. Trying to search the Count's body for the key, he is startled by the Count appearing younger than the last time he had seen him. He notices blood around his lips and draws his conclusions. Though it repulsed him to touch the Count, he had to find the key, to no avail. Noticing how the Count seems to be smiling in his sleep, Jonathan can't believe that he helped such a monster try and establish and empire in London. Overcome with a desire to kill the beast, Jonathan stopped when he saw the Count's eyes had moved towards him. Hearing the song of the Szgany and Slovaks the Count employed, he initially panics, but then figures that there must be another way of entry. Before putting his plans of escape in action, he thinks of grabbing a bit of the gold the Count had lying around in his bedroom.

Fanon
Harkula had always been the most popular ship for the book. It took until the release of Dracula Daily for the ship to get mainstream attention, with many being amazed at how homoerotic Dracula's interactions with Jonathan are through the modern lens. Many even question why adaptations went for DracMina when the potential of a gay vampire romance was right there.

Some have expressed a wish that Harkula would go down the same path as Hollstein, with an adaptation being released that changes the context of Dracula's interest in Jonathan to be more wholesome and "fluffy", with some referring to the as "the Carmillafication of Dracula". Oftentimes, Harkula is shipped alongside LuMina, with some even going further and having all three of Lucy's suitors date each other to drive the "Everyone is happy" sentiment home.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION