"...Harry!"

Harry grimaced and wiggled further under his blankets.

"There you are. Up you get!"

Hands jerked the pillow out from under his head. Harry startled awake, blinking blearily into the light just in time to see his pillow come smacking back onto his face. Harry spluttered, grasping after the pillow before it could be pulled away and hit him again. Not fast enough, unfortunately.

The pillow smacked into his face again, along with an obnoxious giggle.

Harry grabbed the pillow and threw it blindly in the sound of the giggle, "Ginny!"

Ginny effortlessly snatched the pillow out of the air with a grin Harry could make out even without his glasses.

"What the fuck?!" Harry said, flailing blindly for his glasses with one hand, the other hand held up for pillow defence.

"Mum sent me to make sure you weren't dead," Ginny said.

"What?" Harry said, his brain still groggy and thrumming with an undercurrent of a headache.

"It's sunday? You said you'd be coming to dinner this week," Ginny said.

Harry fumbled his glasses on and scrubbed a hand through his hair. There was no one in the bed beside him. "Was there- Did you see anyone when you came in?"

"No?" Ginny raised an eyebrow with a growing grin, "Were you with someone? Did you get laid?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"How long has it been? Holy shit!" Ginny laughed, looking around the room for evidence of another person.

"Shut up, Gin," Harry said.

"I'm so proud of you!" Ginny crowed.

"You're not my mum," Harry said, "And he's left already, so it's not exactly the best outcome."

"It's the middle of the afternoon, of course-" Ginny stopped abruptly, "He? As in, he?"

"Yeah?" Harry said.

Ginny blinked, "Since when are you into blokes?!"

"Since I found one I like?" Harry said with a shrug.

"Uuuuughhhhh!" Ginny groaned in frustration.

Harry laughed at her expression, "What?"

"I should have known! You are like the stereotype of the disaster Bi-"

"I am?" Harry said.

"Imagine all the obnoxious jokes we could have made! All the blokes I could have introduced you to-"

"You have terrible taste," Harry said.

"All the- the fuck I do!" Ginny broke off, "I have excellent taste."

Harry made a face.

"What that's supposed to mean?" Ginny glared at him.

"I'm not saying they aren't attractive, but even you have to admit that everyone you date is a bit odd," Harry said.

"That includes you," Ginny said.

"Yeah?" Harry said, "I am somewhat self-aware."

Ginny snorted and put her hands on her hips, "Are you going to get up anytime soon?"

"Not without pants, I'm not," Harry said.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," Ginny said.

Harry made a face, "Erm, no. That's was then, this is now, and now that's a bit weird, alright?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "I have six older brothers and have been in so many quidditch locker rooms, you would not believe the number of dicks I have seen."

Harry didn't move.

Ginny sighed, "Fine... Five minutes and you better be ready." She held up her hand to helpfully illustrate the concept of five before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

Harry fished out a fresh pair of pants and socks and then just put on the same clothes from last night, figuring he'd only worn them for a few hours, and he already knew they looked nice.

He managed to slip past Ginny, who was very obviously snooping around the rest of his flat, into the bathroom. Harry almost felt a little off-balance that the mirror didn't wink at him or give him hair advice as he did his best to refresh his curls.

As he was about to leave when he noticed a small vial on the edge of the sink. Harry recognised the pale lavender potion as a general headache, pain relief potion and all-around favourite hangover remedy. The potion label had been scribbled over in coloured pencil with a sloppy doodle of Harry's frowny face, green dots for eyes and a scribble of black hair that could have just as easily been a hedgehog.

Harry saw his own stupid smile in the mirror and stuck his tongue out at his reflection.

"Are you done yet?!" Ginny called.

"Obviously not. Is Hermione at the Burrow?" Harry asked through the door. He drank the potion, shivering as the ache in his head was replaced by a cool rush. Rather than tossing the empty vial, he put it on the shelf beside his toothbrush so his own scribbled face looked back at him.

"Everyone is there but you!" Ginny shouted back.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Right, right."

If Hermione was there, he could talk to her about the department. He was sure they could work something out between the two of them.

"Can you summon my wand? I didn't see it laying around," Harry said as he left the bathroom.

Ginny was staring at him, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Ginny?"

Ginny's mouth snapped shut, "Keep him."

"What?" Harry asked.

Ginny waved a hand at Harry, "If this bloke is responsible for making you look like this? You need to keep him."

"Gee, thanks, Gin," Harry said sarcastically.

"It's not my fault you look like you get dressed with your eyes closed half the time," Ginny said.

Harry sighed, "My wand?"

"Is it a wizard?" Ginny asked.

"I'll just have a look around then, shall I?" Harry said, shaking his head and going back into his room.

"Is it someone I know?" Ginny asked.

Harry looked under the bed.

"Is it? Merlin, who?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't say anything," Harry said. He shook out his duvet, and his wand flicked across the room, hitting the wall and then rolling to a stop, under his bed, "fuck."

"You insinuated," Ginny said.

"With what? I still didn't say anything," Harry said, dropping to his hands and knees to grope after his wand, "this... would be a lot easier... if you helped," he muttered.

Ginny snorted, "Not likely. I helped plenty already by coming to fetch you."

"You probably volunteered just so you could bother me," Harry said, finding his wand, a dust bunny clinging to his knuckles.

Ginny laughed, "You know me too well."

"It's almost like we're friends," Harry said, dusting himself as he stood up, "I'll meet you at the Burrow then?"

Ginny grabbed his arm, "Not until you tell me more!"

"I'll just side-along you then," Harry said with a grin, clamping a hand on Ginny's hand before she could escape and apparated them both.

Ginny nearly fell into a hedge when they landed, swearing up a storm, "Fucking fuck you and your fucking shitty side-along's. If I sick up, I'm doing it on your shoes."

Harry laughed.

George, Angelina, Bill and Fleur were talking in the shade of the house, just across the way. Harry gave them a wave.

"Language, Ginny dear!" George's voice called in a chiding falsetto, "Mum doesn't like us swearing."

Ginny rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "What's the point of being an adult if I can't even swear?"

"Thanks for fetching me. I've got to talk to Hermione-" Harry said.

"Oh, no you don't," Ginny said, grabbing hold of him again, "Now, I've got to know."

Harry tried to pull away, but Ginny's grip was like iron. "Quidditch chasers," he sighed.

Ginny grinned, "One of the best in the league. Come on, is it a muggle?"

"No," Harry said and then grinned, holding in a laugh. He stepped in close to Ginny and whispered in her ear, "It's Draco Malfoy."

Ginny blinked, and let go.

Harry's grin grew as he took a few steps back.

"What? No way." Ginny said.

Harry raised his eyebrows, "It's the truth."

"If that was the truth, there's no way you would have told me, that's- that's just, no way," Ginny shook her head.

"Oh, I only told you because no one will believe you," Harry said.

Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"Anyone you told would just think you're taking the piss," Harry said with a shrug and an insufferable grin.

Ginny crossed her arms over her chest, "Now I believe it. He's obviously rubbed off on you."

"In more ways that one," Harry said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Ewww! Eww!" Ginny squeezed her eyes shut and shuddered. "I do not want that image in my head. George!"

"What?!" George yelled back.

"I need you to obliviate me!" Ginny yelled, running across the garden.

"Fair enough!" George said, starting to take out his wand.

Angelina gently grabbed his wrist and pushed George's hand back into his pocket.

"I wouldn't have actually done it," George said.

"Uhuh, sure," Angelina said, raising an eyebrow.

Ginny reached the group and settled for tackling George in a flying hug that sent them both sprawling onto the ground.

Harry laughed and headed inside the Burrow, weaving around people and trying not to get sucked into conversations as he looked for Hermione.

"Harry, you made it, I'm so glad" Andromeda said, her voice smooth as soft butter, "Molly has just about finished dinner. Arthur and I are setting the table, so could you run upstairs and fetch down the children? They're having a nap in one of the bedrooms."

"I-" the protest died in Harry's throat as Andromeda immediately turned away and went back to the table without waiting for an answer. "...will do that, then."

Harry headed upstairs, peeking into the various rooms as he went until he found them. He expected two children but found three. Ron lying between Victoire and Teddy, all snuggled up together like a pile of puppies.

"It's time to eat," Harry said, gently shaking their shoulders until Teddy and Victoire began to huff and sigh and rub their faces.

Ron slept on like a hibernating bear.

"Ron," Harry raised his voice. "Rooooon," Harry shook his shoulder a little harder, eliciting a tiny snore and nothing else. Harry rolled his eyes and resorted to emergency measures, pulling off one of Ron's socks and lightly tickling his foot.

Ron bolted upright with a startled squeak, pulling his knees up to his chin in an automatic defensive measure.

"Time to eat," Harry said.

Ron narrowed his eyes.

"It was emergency measures," Harry said.

"Was not," Ron said, his voice rough and grumpy.

"Would you rather miss dinner?" Harry said.

Teddy slid off the bed and ran over to Harry, who scooped him up in a hug.

"Hey there, Ted, you get bigger every time I see you," Harry said.

"Watchur, Harry!" Teddy said, excited and slipping over the word as he hugged Harry around the neck.

"Wotcher, indeed," Harry said.

"Like my mum!" Teddy said.

"Yup, just like your mum."

"Emergency measures are only for being late to class or training or something," Ron said, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I always thought it was more in case of getting in trouble. And making Molly shout counts in my book," Harry said.

"Been shouted at by Mum most of my life. I'd rather have the extra ten minutes sleep," Ron said. He yawned hugely, "Emergency measures are only for emergencies, alright?"

"I don't know, sounds a bit inconvenient for me, mate," Harry said.

"Don't actually care about your convenience, mate," Ron said.

"Hermione doesn't know about emergency measures, does she?" Harry said.

Ron's eyes widened, "You wouldn't dare."

"Might," Harry suggested with a grin.

"What are you talking about?" Victoire asked softly.

"Fine, fine. You win. For now," Ron said, swinging off the bed and picking Victoire up before she could ask more, "It's nothin', Victoire. Let's get downstairs. Mum's excited so many people made it today, so dinner will be epic."

They all clambered down the stairs as Molly levitated dinner out to the table with anyone trying to help her being shooed away. Before he could spot Hermione, Harry was pulled to sit next to Teddy and Andy. He did his best to just spend time with his godson, listening to his exuberant stories.

As soon as people finished eating and started to leave the table, Harry excused himself and headed toward the sitting area. He could see Hermione's poof of curly hair over the back of the couch if he could just get over there-

"Harry, dear, won't you take some food home with you?" Molly called.

"Erm," Harry stumbled to a halt, "Yeah, sure. Thank you."

"You're always far too thin." Molly said and gave him a quick hug.

"I'm not that-"

"I'll pack in some meat pasties for your lunch as well," Molly said.

"That's-"

"And how about some extra pudding as well?" Molly suggested.

"Thanks, Molly, I appreciate it, but I really have got to find Hermione," Harry said.

Molly frowned at him, "You'll come by next week, won't you? Early enough to actually catch up with everyone."

"I'll do my best, promise," Harry said, backing away and turning right into George, who was laughing so hard his whole face had gone red.

"Harry! You won't believe what Ginny just told me," George said, clapping a hand on his shoulder and pinning Harry in place, "She said-" he snorted and broke into giggles again, "She said you were dating Malfoy!"

"I don't really have a thing for older men," Harry said flatly.

George wheezed, laughing so hard no sound came out, holding onto Harry to keep himself upright. "No- Not that one- fucking hell, mate," he dissolved into another fit of laughter, "The younger- The ferret Malfoy."

"Ah, you mean Draco," Harry said, "Well, I'm sure I don't know where she got such an idea."

"Yes you do! You told me!" Ginny exploded as she came up behind George, her face also red but probably not because she found it funny.

"Told you what?" Harry said innocently.

"That you're dating Malfoy-"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Draco Malfoy!" Ginny said.

"I'm... not dating Draco," Harry said, which was technically true. It was something they'd have to talk about. He rather liked the idea of it.

"You-!" Ginny started.

George slung an arm around her neck, "Give it a break, Ginny."

"I need to find Hermione. You two have fun," Harry said, giving Ginny an 'I told you so' smirk before he stepped away.

"You're dead to me!" Ginny shouted.

To which Harry laughed.

George just dragged her across the room, "Come on and tell it to Angelina, she'll crack up."

"It's not a joke, you arsehat," Ginny said.

"Ginny! Language," Molly scolded from the kitchen.

"Sorry, Mum," Ginny said in a beleaguered and entirely disingenuous tone.

Harry made it about two steps when Percy intercepted him.

"Harry, I wanted to talk to you-" Percy started.

"I'm a bit busy, Percy," Harry said, trying to step around him.

"Just a moment," Percy said, stepping with him and staying entirely in the way, "Since you also work in the Ministry, have you noticed the state and quality of the ink and quills lately?"

Harry was briefly distracted from his escape attempts by the unexpectedness of the question, "What? Quills?"

"It seems to me the quality has been extremely poor as of late, and there are new order restrictions on how many office supplies each department can use," Percy went on.

"I really couldn't care less about the quills, Percy," Harry said. "Start carrying a fountain pen like I do, problem solved."

"That's not the point! It will directly impact the efficiency of every department to be hampered in such a fundamental way!"

Harry shrugged helplessly, "I'm just an Auror. You need to talk to someone that can actually do something, like the Minister." He clasped Percy's shoulder, sort of in encouragement and acknowledgement, but mostly to steer Percy out of his way.

"Which is why I was talking to you," Percy muttered under his breath.

Harry ducked his head, practically sprinting the last few steps and finally, finally dropping onto the cushions next to Ron with a sigh of utter relief.

Ron was asleep again, snoring softly against Hermione's shoulder.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione said.

Behind them, Teddy let out an ear-piercing shriek as Victoire chased after him from one end to the house to the other before Andy coaxed them out into the garden to run off their energy.

Harry rather suspected that Ron could sleep through a stampede of erumpents.

"You were really late today. Everything okay?" Hermione said.

"I just overslept. Ginny pelted me with a pillow until I got up," Harry said.

"That sounds like Ginny." Hermione said with a faint smile. "I would have come to pick you up when we left, but Ron-" she nodded to him, drooling a bit onto her sleeve, "well, you see. I said we ought to stay home today, but he wanted to see everyone."

"Is it the big case the Auror's have all been working on?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded, "Ron says they'll be done soon."

"Speaking of work, I wanted to talk to you about the Liar's Department-"

"Harry." Hermione sighed, "The last thing I want to think about right now is that stupid department."

"I- Yeah, but it's important. If the department is gone, then Draco will be out of a job," Harry said.

"I'm not going to fire him," Hermione said. "I have a meeting with the Obliviators on monday to sort everything out."

Harry's brow furrowed, "Tomorrow? I thought you'd have talked to them already."

"I have been trying. They're always out of the office," Hermione said, "Apparently they only work 'on call' to be able to cover all the muggle exposures and only come into the office once a week for meetings and to finish up any paperwork."

"Then tomorrow-"

"I have a meeting scheduled with them," Hermione said, "and will have Malfoy transferred into the Obliviators. I can't see why he couldn't continue doing the same work he is now."

Harry frowned, "But what if they're biased against him and-"

"Harry." Hermione interrupted him, "I know you're friends with Malfoy now, and I'm going to do what I can, but..."

"What?" Harry asked.

"He's still Malfoy," Hermione said, "I'm doing my best to be neutral towards him. But I- I don't like him."

"He's changed," Harry said.

Hermione's mouth pursed, "I'm sure he has. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine you would be friends with him."

"But?"

Hermione sighed, "...It's hard to explain."

"Try? Please?" Harry asked, "I really want to understand this. I want to help."

Hermione smiled ruefully, "Of course you do. Fine..." She shook her head, fluffing out her curls and slumping down deeper into the couch cushions. Ron snorted and slipped down with her, almost falling off her shoulder. "I grew up muggle without any friends and everyone in my classes hating me for being a know-it-all. Then I find out I have magic and I'm a witch, and no one knows about all that, except-"

Harry winced.

"Except I was a muggleborn. And suddenly, there were all these people hating me for being a know-it-all and muggleborn, only one of which I had any control over whatsoever. Mostly from Malfoy, the stuck up prig," Hermione said, "And he was always making fun of my looks, I know I shouldn't care, but it's hard not to. When you're a teenage girl, your looks feel like a lot of who you are."

Harry couldn't argue against any of that.

"I'd love to say I've moved on and gotten over all that but, it hurt, you know? It hurt a lot." Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I'll try my best to get along with him because I know it's important to you, and you're one of my best friends."

"Just one?" Harry said.

"I'm dating the other one," Hermione said with a smile at Ron resting on her shoulder, "and you can't have him."

Harry laughed, "Not my type anyway."

Ron frowned in his sleep as if he could hear them. Then he sneezed, blinked in a bleary approximation of being awake, yawned and let his head fall down onto Hermione's lap, pulling his feet up onto Harry's lap. Even curled up and using them both as pillows, he barely fit onto the couch.

"I suppose I could share, but just the feet. They're always freezing," Hermione said. She stared at Ron's feet for a second longer and frowned, "Why does he only have one sock on?"

"I don't know, maybe one of the kids pulled it off?" Harry shrugged and changed the subject, "If it helps any, Draco's freed all his house-elves. I know freeing house-elves is one of the things you've been working on in your spare time, not that you have much to speak of."

Hermione blinked, apparently not following.

"Like, Asbestos, the house-elf you met-" There was a crash behind them, and Harry glanced over his shoulder but relaxed once he heard Molly's voice shouting after the sound. "Asbestos is Draco's secretary, or personal assistant? Draco pays all the elves, and they get room and board." He conveniently left out the part where at least part of why Draco freed the house-elves was to spite his father.

Hermione opened her mouth, hesitated, closed it and looked over at Harry, utterly lost.

"I- uh, I even met Asbestos' wife? Err, chosen one? And they have a kid, they're named Dobby." Harry grinned to himself, remembering the little elf, "They're a real sweetheart, a little younger than Teddy. I'm hoping Andy would be alright if they played together sometimes."

Hermione blinked. She once again tried to speak, but words just utterly failed her. She did a remarkable impression of a confused goldfish.

"And I found out that house-elves pick their own names and change them whenever they like, and their genders as well, and yeah, it's really cool." Harry said, "Asbestos has a... a kind of personality, but I sort of like her."

"And Asbestos thinks Potter-man is only slightly shit," Asbestos said as she walked around the couch munching on a meat pasty. She was wearing an obnoxiously bright pink sweatshirt with black block letters reading 'LEAVE ME ALONE'. The shirt was so big it almost brushed the ground. Asbestos had rolled the sleeves halfway up just to get her hands out.

"Harry, dear, this... lady says she's a friend of yours?" Molly said over Harry's shoulder.

"Co-worker," Asbestos corrected, sounding annoyed.

"Yeah..." Harry said slowly, "Yeah, I know her."

"You ought to introduce new people to me properly if you're going to invite them over," Molly said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"I would- will. This is... a bit of a surprise. I didn't know she'd be coming," Harry said, looking at Asbestos pointedly.

Asbestos did not care in the slightest. "Recipe?" she asked Molly, holding up the pasty.

"I shall get you a copy. You'll have to tell me how they turn out when your partner makes them," Molly said.

"Thanks much," Asbestos' said as Molly went back to the kitchen. She took another bite of meat pie, looking from Harry to Hermione, "Yes?"

"How-? Why are you-?" Harry said.

"You said Asbestos' name, Asbestos came," Asbestos said with a grin that suggested she knew exactly how much of a shit she was being.

Harry frowned at her, "You work for Draco, not me."

"Co-workers," Asbestos repeated.

"I don't think that counts," Harry said.

"Does," Asbestos said, gesturing to herself as if to say, 'I'm here, aren't I?'.

"And you don't even come all the time when Draco calls you," Harry said.

"Asbestos didn't want to interrupt. Both of you are very stupid and need all the help you can get." Asbestos hopped onto the couch, sitting in the hollow between Ron's knees and his elbows, looking like a little queen on a throne made of a sleeping giant.

Hermione laughed.

"She calls everyone stupid," Harry said.

Asbestos looked at him flatly and slowly shook her head.

"Well, um, I'm glad to meet you properly, Ms Asbestos," Hermione said.

Asbestos frowned at her, "Just Asbestos."

"Okay. I was just trying to be polite-"

"Don't bother," Asbestos said and took a big bite of pasty.

Hermione blinked. She took a deep breath and tried again, "Well, rather than working for Draco Malfoy, have you ever considered working for the Ministry proper?"

Asbestos let out a bark of a laugh as well as a good many crumbs.

"I mean, wouldn't it be preferable to working for you former oppressor?" Hermione asked.

"Mr Draco was just a stupid child," Asbestos said, "Elder Malfoy was the head of family keeping us."

"A job at the Ministry would let you get away from Lucius Malfoy, as well as the manor," Hermione said.

Asbestos popped the last bite of the pasty in her mouth and clapped her hands, cleaning them and herself instantly of crumbs. "Listen. Asbestos is only going to say this once, got it?"

Asbestos stared at Hermione until she nodded.

Asbestos rolled her eyes like she was dealing with a particularly slow child. She said, picking her words more carefully than she normally did, "Asbestos has talked with assistants and other workers at the Ministry, and Mr Draco pays twice as much. Asbestos has seen the shithole storage room the Ministry elves live in and the cafeteria leftovers they eat. Manor elves eat same as the family. Manor elves stay in rooms in the house; big, nice, plush rooms, beds so soft they are like pudding. You cannot afford Asbestos."

"Oh," Hermione said faintly.

"And Mr Draco likes us to speak our mind. He likes Asbestos as she is, rude and mouthy and mean." Asbestos nodded to herself in satisfaction, "So your offer is shit."

"Yeah. It is. Compared to most jobs, that's...." Hermione sighed, "I'm envious, really. If it wasn't Draco Malfoy, I'd be properly jealous."

"As you should be," Asbestos said, "Also Asbestos wouldn't give it to you anyway. It is a good good job. And as a house-elf, Asbestos knows a good job, because I have done so many many many shit ones."

"Here you are, my dear," Molly said from behind them, a little recipe card floating over their heads and into Asbestos' hands.

"Thanks," Asbestos said, hopping back onto her feet, "Thanks for inviting Asbestos."

"I didn't," Harry said.

Asbestos raised her eyebrows, "Be more careful then."

"Before you go," Harry said quickly, "How is Draco? Like this morning-"

"Stupid," Asbestos said shortly, "Like always." she snapped her fingers and disappeared.

"She certainly has... some sort of personality," Hermione said.

"Yep," Harry said, "It grows on you."

"I think I'm going to take Ron home, so he can get some proper rest before tomorrow," Hermione said.

Harry nodded, barely resisting the urge to tickle the bottom of Ron's unsocked foot as Hermione coaxed him awake. Ron only woke up enough to be pulled to his feet and steered over to the kitchen to say goodbye to Molly before they left.

Before Harry could think too much about tomorrow or the worst possible outcome, the children came rushing back inside to get him to play with them.