"Does anyone know why there's a chair in the lift?"

"Oh, that's mine! Sorry!" Hermione said, running across the foyer.

The auror at the lift gave Hermione a confused look and levitated the blue velvet armchair out onto the black stone floor.

"Yours?" Ron asked as he and Harry followed her.

"I conjured it," Hermione said, sounding embarrassed, "I was in a rush and a bit frazzled-"

"Nice. I kind of like it," Ron said, running his hand over the back of it.

"You want to keep it?" Hermione said doubtfully.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

Hermione frowned at the chair, "It's not really our style."

"Do we have a style?" Ron asked, sitting down in the chair and looking up at Hermione with a grin.

"Conjured things always disappear, don't they?" Harry said.

"Usually, but when I conjure in a rush, they tend to stick around," Hermione said. "You know the horrible pea green pot Molly keeps in the centre of the mantelpiece at the Burrow?"

"The one she keeps floo-powder in?" Harry said, recalling the ugly lumpy pot that was always above the fireplace

"Yeah," Hermione sighed.

"Wait- Really? That's conjured?" Harry asked.

"It was just after the war. Molly was still grieving, I'd just started dating Ron officially, and I forgot about a gift for Molly's birthday until we were just leaving for the party. I panicked," Hermione said. She laughed a bit, "I keep expecting it to be gone the next time we visit, but it's always there."

"That's... a strong conjuration," Harry said.

"Mum loves that pot," Ron said with a grin that was full of shite.

"Merlin, it's so ugly," Hermione wrinkled her nose.

Harry grinned, "Unfortunately, it's a gift from her youngest son's girlfriend that she gave her right after the war when she was still grieving. Molly practically has to keep it."

Hermione laughed, "Oh- Oh no!"

"Now we have to look at an ugly conjured pot for all eternity," Ron said.

"Oh shut up, it's not that funny. I have no idea what I'm going to do when it disappears," Hermione said.

Ron did not stop grinning, "I think it's pretty funny."

Harry cleared his throat, "So... erm, to get the Wizengamont seat, you have to be a department head. Does that mean you have to keep being the department head of The Liar's Department?"

Hermione blinked and then looked at Ron.

Ron shrugged, "I dunno."

Hermione chewed on her lip, thinking.

Harry watched Hermione's brow furrow and unfurrow. After a tense minute, Hermione let out a sigh.

"Is that a yes?" Harry said.

Hermione glared at him.

"Sorry," Harry said.

"Even if I don't have to, it wouldn't look good to take the position and then dissolve the department," Hermione said, "So you win, Harry. I hope you're happy; I'll have to work with Malfoy now."

"He really isn't that bad," Harry said.

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, he does like to annoy people on purpose, but if you know that's what he's trying to do, it's pretty funny," Harry said.

Hermione shook her head, "That doesn't make it better. I'm probably going to have to hire someone just to mind him, aren't I?"

Harry pointed at himself.

"You're going back to be an auror, Harry," Hermione said.

"I'll transfer," Harry said. "properly, not just for a week."

Hermione shook her head in confusion, "You can't be serious."

"I am, I mean, I just thought of it but-"

"Have you lost your mind, mate?" Ron said in dismay, sitting forward in the chair.

Harry shook his head, "No... No. I like working in the Liar's Department."

"What about the auror's?" Ron said.

"It's alright. It can be great sometimes," Harry shrugged, "but I don't think I'll miss it all that much."

"What about the training? The promotion, all that hard work?" Ron said.

"I can always transfer back," Harry said.

Ron and Hermione looked at one another.

"Well, I could, couldn't I?" Harry said, "It not like they're going to say no. It would look bad."

Ron let out a weak wheeze of a laugh.

"I am Harry Potter; it has to be good for something," Harry said.

"Um," Hermione blinked, "Yes...? I... suppose so."

"You're barmy, mate," Ron said.

"And I don't want to be Head Auror," Harry said.

"W-w-who said you you were going to be Head Auror?" Hermione said, nearly tripping over her tongue.

"Shunter said they have plans for me to be the youngest Head Auror in history. Kingsley and Robards and some of Wizengamont are behind it. Can you imagine? A Head Auror who's only twenty-six? That's-" Harry shook his head- "that's barmy. I wouldn't trust myself with a house plant, much less a whole Ministry Department. I mean, would you want me in charge of the Aurors?"

"No," Hermione said without hesitation, "Absolutely not."

Ron laughed and then tried to hide it in a cough, "That's brutal, Mione."

"You could've at least pretended to think about it for a second," Harry said.

"Harry, I love you dearly, but-"

"But?" Harry said.

"-but, you're hotheaded. You act without thinking, you follow your gut which-

"Which works!"

"-sometimes works," Hermione said, "And you can't always control your temper."

"And it would be a bit weird to have you as my boss," Ron said.

"A twenty-six-year-old in charge of all the UK's wizarding law-enforcement? That's just... irresponsible. Only an idiot would even consider something so foolish," Hermione said

"You could have stopped at 'No'," Harry said, "And here I didn't want to do it because it would be too much work."

"Stressful and boring at the same time, the worst kind of job there is," Ron said.

"Exactly," Harry said.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, "Are you sure, Harry? You should probably think about this before making such a big decision."

"I don't go back to work until tomorrow," Harry said.

"Longer than that," Hermione said.

"I'm not going to change my mind," Harry said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"If Hermione says you should think on it, you probably should," Ron said.

"I will, until tomorrow," Harry said.

"Harry."

"Hermione," Harry said right back.

"Oh, and he's stubborn," Ron said, holding up a finger, "Can't forget that. It's usually a good thing in the auror's, though."

Hermione sighed again.

"The longer I wait, the longer you have to work with Draco alone," Harry said.

"I'm not a child. I'm perfectly capable of working with Malfoy in a professional capacity," Hermione said.

"Yeah, but do you want to?" Harry asked.

Hermione threw up her hands, "I give up. Do whatever you want."

Harry grinned, took a step toward the lifts, then turned back, "You can do the witness statement without me, right?"

"What? Where you going?" Ron asked.

"To tell Draco about the Liars Department," Harry said.

Ron looked at Hermione in confusion.

"They're friends," Hermione said.

"They are?" Ron said.

"Mhmm," Hermione nodded.

"Since when?" Ron asked, looking alarmed.

Hermione shrugged.

"Oh..." Ron said, "So.... I don't have to be his friend, do I?"

"No?" Harry said.

"Alright. That's fine? ...a bit weird..." Ron said. He looked at Hermione in confusion, "They only worked together for a week, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"He's funny!" Harry said, "And it's not exactly like we're strangers."

"Yeah, you used to hate each other's guts," Ron said.

"We got over it," Harry said.

Ron frowned.

"He needs more friends," Hermione said.

"That's true," Ron said.

"Not you too!" Harry said.

"You haven't made any new friends since we left school. I wouldn't have picked Malfoy but," Ron shrugged, "you do you."

The lift opened, and pair of confused looking clerks walked around them, heading to the conference rooms.

Hermione shook her head fondly, "I can give the witness statement, so you can tell Malfoy he's keeping his job."

"Great. Thanks!" Harry stepped to the lift and then turned back around, "Oh, I can just call Asbestos."

"Here," Asbestos said, appearing right behind Harry and making them all jump. She was wearing a frilliest baby-blue easter dress, absolutely drenched in lace and ribbons, and entirely at odds with her dour expression. "What you want?"

"The Liar's Department is staying! Where is Draco? I want to tell him- everything," Harry said.

Asbestos cracked the barest hint of a smile, "Good. Mr Draco is just called to a job. Asbestos will take you there."

Hermione groaned, "Oh no."

"Don't worry about the overtime," Harry said.

"I can't-"

"Consider it volunteer work," Harry said.

"Harry-"

"He's stupid rich, Hermione; he won't even notice," Harry said. "And if he does, you can blame it on me."

"I will," Hermione said.

Harry rolled his eyes.

Asbestos cleared her throat in annoyance.

"Alright, so-" Harry turned around and then turned back, "One last thing-"

"What is it?" Hermione said in exasperation.

Ron laughed.

"What's The Liar's Department's policy on dating co-workers?" Harry asked.

Hermione's brow furrowed. She nervously looked down at Asbestos, "...the ...elf?"

"Merlin, no," Harry said.

"Eww," Asbestos said, "Asbestos is married. And is insulted."

"Sorry," Hermione said, looking a bit lost. "Well... if I hire more people for the department, I suppose it's fine as long as you keep things professional during work hours."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "I was talking about Draco."

"If he starts dating someone, then the same would apply to him," Hermione said.

Harry gave her a confused look, "No... if I- "he slowly pointed to himself, "start dating Draco."

"Why would you do that?" Hermione asked.

"Because I like him?" Harry said.

Ron let out a long pained groan, slumping down in the chair, "Oh no... it's sixth year all over again."

"No. I don't think he's up to something this time," Harry said, annoyed.

"...this is worse," Ron breathed.

Hermione frowned, "I don't know where this infatuation came from, but you should respect Malfoy's wishes and not impose any feelings onto-"

"We're going on our second date tonight," Harry interrupted. "I very much asked him, and he said yes so, no imposition took place."

"...it's mutual..." Ron whispered, pressing his hands over his face, "...they're going to be insufferable...."

Hermione managed a blink and rubbed her eyes, "...okay. That's fine. I'm ...I'm just feeling a touch overwhelmed now."

"We'll try to keep things professional during work," Harry said.

Asbestos snorted in amusement.

"....Hermione... Hermione, hold me," Ron said weakly, holding out his arms.

Hermione collapsed into his arms, and they languished together like a Victorian couple dying from consumption.

" A lot has happened today. So much," Hermione said, her voice muffled by Ron's shoulder.

"We'll be alright. We made it through the war, we can make it through this," Ron said.

"Really? Really?" Harry said with a laugh, shaking his head, "Well, have fun being ridiculous, I guess."

Asbestos grabbed a handful of Harry's robes and apparated them out of the Ministry.

Harry fell out a row of shrubbery and stumbled onto a paved walkway in the middle of the park. When he spun around to yell at Asbestos, she wasn't there and probably hadn't even apparated with him, just dropping him in a bush near the scene.

Harry looked around, picking a leaf out of his mouth and ignoring confused looks from the people on the path. It didn't take him long to spot the problem. Through the trees, Harry could see a wall of bright bubblegum pink.

He jogged down the path, dodging around people and bursting through the trees into a large square. Or at least, Harry assumed there was a square and presumably a fountain as well underneath the mass of pink bubbles. The hill of small delicate soapy bubbles was at least ten feet high and slowly growing, pressing up as it spread out from the centre. There were plenty of people gathered around to watch, cellphones held up to record the event. A handful of small kids played with the bubbles, scooping them up in their hands and throwing them into the air. Gobs of bubbles sat delicately upon beds of flowers and the tops of trees. There were a couple Junior Aurors around the edge of the square, trying to keep people at a distance.

Draco was with them, talking avidly with Kalya and Junior.

"-I really don't think-"

"-we received a report of magic-"

"even if magic made it, it's completely harmless-"

Harry caught Draco by the sleeve, "Hey."

Draco jumped and scowled, "Auror Potter. I think your watch must be broken, or your head."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Hi, Harry. It's nice to see you earlier than I thought I would."

"Isn't that what I just said?" Draco said with an edge of sarcasm.

Harry huffed a laugh, "I came because I was talking to Hermione and we-"

"No. I told you I didn't want to hear it," Draco snapped.

"Listen-"

"For fuck's sake, Potter," Draco said, looking utterly livid. He pulled his arm free and stormed off, right into the wall of bubbles and quickly disappearing in a haze of pink.

"Wait-" Harry went to follow but was stopped by Kalya.

"Harry Potter, sir!" Kalya said in an urgent whisper, "You're still wearing your robes! You could get in a lot of trouble."

Harry looked down at his Auror robes in annoyance. He plucked his fountain pen from the pocket and undid the clasps, letting it fall into a puddle of crimson cloth on the ground.

"Oh," Junior said, looking at Harry's black suit with a rising flush in his cheeks.

"Nevermind, then," Kalya said.

Harry pulled the jacket of the suit open just wide enough to slide the pen into the inside pocket, "Anything else?"

"No," Kalya said.

Junior frantically shook his head, his face continuing to redden.

Harry followed Draco into the haze of bubbles.

Once inside, he cast a bubble-head charm over himself to keep his glasses clear and unsoaped.

He swept one hand through the bubbles with every step forward, the sound of water growing louder as he approached the fountain at the centre.

"Draco?" Harry called.

He heard the sigh and turned towards it and walked right into Draco.

"I was trying to get away from you," Draco said bitterly, waving a hand irritably in front of his face to try and clear the bubbles.

"I noticed," Harry said, "You didn't let me finish, you prick."

"And I told you, I don't want any more of your wishful thinking," Draco said.

"And if you'd let me finish, I'd have told you it was real and to listen to me for a bloody second," Harry said, "This isn't maybe, Draco, this is going to happen."

"What... what's going to happen?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"The Liar's Department is going to stay," Harry said.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"And Hermione will be in charge of it," Harry said.

"...Better than most," Draco said, "At least she'll be fair. I think? Wouldn't she?"

"Of course," Harry said.

"Don't 'of course' me. She was rather cold to me the last time we talked," Draco said. A blob of pink bubbles drifted down onto his nose, and he tried to blow it off which only half worked, leaving a little spot of pink.

"Yeah, well, she'd just found out you were working for her; it was a bit of shock," Harry said.

"Does this mean Sir Syrup is no longer involved?" Draco asked.

"Oh, right. He was arrested for embezzlement," Harry said.

"I- Pardon?"

"And money laundering."

Draco blinked, his head tilting to one side like a confused puppy.

"And destruction of Ministry property," Harry said, "There was another one, but I can't remember what it was."

"You- you're full of shite, you have to be," Draco said

"Nope," Harry reached up, shaking off his hand and wiping the bubbles off the end of Draco's nose, "I was there when the Auror's took him into custody. Ron helped; he's going to get a promotion."

"I shall send him a fruit basket," Draco said, sounding dazed.

Harry laughed. "Perfect, he'll hate it. Do you want me to cast a bubble-head charm for you?" he asked.

"At this point, it's a bit of lost cause," Draco said, even as he stepped closer to take advantage of the space in the bubbles made by Harry's own charm.

"And I'm going to transfer," Harry said, feeling unexpectedly nervous.

"You don't-" Draco hesitated, "Surely you don't mean-"

"To the Liar's Department," Harry said.

Draco's lips parted with a shaky indrawn breath, "Why?"

"Because I want to," Harry said.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment, "You had better not say it's because of me."

"I'd have thought you'd like that," Harry said.

"No."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"If this doesn't work-" Draco pointed between the two of them, "-and it's very likely not to. I don't want you to- to blame me for this."

"I won't," Harry said.

Draco frowned.

"I promise. And it's not just because of you. I'm also kind of bored of Auror work and all the paperwork and protocol." Harry said. He bit his bottom lip for a second then went on, "I told Shunter I don't want to be Head Auror. I think it should be her, but I feel like no one actually cares about what I want. So, even if it's only for a year or two, I like the idea of- of-"

"Telling them to fuck themselves?" Draco suggested.

"Yeah. But politely. In case I want to go back to being an Auror," Harry said.

The corner of Draco's mouth turned up, "Well, that's no fun."

"I'd much rather do it the fun way but-"

"But being an adult is ever so boring," Draco said.

Harry grinned. "You know, even if this-" he pointed between the two of them, "-doesn't work, and I think it will, I'd still like us to be friends."

"Unlikely," Draco said.

"You're such a pessimist," Harry said.

Draco blew a breath out, spraying bubbles over Harry's bubble-head charm

Harry rolled his eyes as the bubbles slowly slid down so he could see Draco again, "You said that you preferred to live in the present rather than some future that may or may not be, yeah? So, this is the present, isn't it? The Liar's Department is going to stay, and I'm going to stay, and we get along, so we're already friends, aren't we?"

Draco smiled ruefully, a tiny pink bubble clinging to his eyelashes, "I never should have dared you to prove it, making your future a reality."

"I didn't really have anything to do with the Liar's Department. That was all you and Hermione and Ron," Harry said.

"As if," Draco scoffed, "Without you sticking your nose in where it didn't belong, the department wouldn't have lasted a day."

"That almost sounded like a compliment," Harry said with a grin.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"But, I do have to ask, well..." Harry took a deep breath, "Do you want me to?"

"To what?"

"To transfer into the Department? Like if you'd rather not work together..." Harry said.

"As this last week has shown, I can't really work on my own without some knuckle-brained auror refusing to listen to me," Draco said.

"Yeah, but that's not the same thing as wanting to work together. Hermione could always hire someone else to deal with the shitty wizards," Harry said.

Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Fine. Yes. I want you to stay. Why must you make things so difficult?"

"Things tend to be a bit difficult when it comes to us," Harry said.

Draco waved his arm through the bubbles, temporarily making a slightly larger space around them, "In general, I find your tendency to try and be the hero extremely obnoxious."

"I hadn't noticed," Harry said sarcastically.

"However," Draco said with a glare, "I've never been at the centre of such heroics-"

"And Hermione, I did it for her too," Harry said.

"Would you shut up, I'm trying to have a moment here," Draco said.

"Go on, then."

"As I was saying," Draco said, nervously combing his hand through his hair.

Harry bit down on a laugh.

"Since you went to all this trouble for me, the least I can do is reward you," Draco said.

Harry waggled his eyebrows cheekily.

"Not like that, you prick," Draco said irritably. "Mother was right; I have ruined you."

Harry laughed.

Draco sighed in exasperation and stepped right up against Harry, popping his charm, so a curtain of foam came down to rest on their heads. He cupped Harry's face in his hands, bubbles smearing across his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss.

Harry pushed his glasses on top of his head, gripping Draco's wrists and leaning in to deepen the kiss. Draco slipped one hand down to cup the back of Harry's neck as they parted, pressing their foreheads together.

"thank you," Draco whispered, so faint Harry almost didn't hear it, and he was certain Draco would never admit to ever having said it.

Harry grinned, happy to stay close, even as the bubbles began to envelop them. "...So, what are the aurors going to do about all this mess?"

"Nothing? It's bubbles. Muggles do this too, you know," Draco said.

"Even though there's magic in it?" Harry said.

Draco pulled back slightly so he could glare down his nose at Harry, "What magic?"

"It's turned your hair pink."

"What?!" Draco's hand went up to his hair, currently a pretty shade of bubblegum pink all the way to the roots.

"And your suit," Harry said, "I think it only affects white things." He looked down at himself, glad he was wearing mostly black and a maroon dress shirt, none of which had changed colours.

Draco looked down at himself, frantically trying to wipe the bubbles off his jacket, which was already thoroughly pinked, "And you've just been standing here watching it happen?!"

"I mean, you were already half pink when I found you. I figured you'd rather be fully pink rather than blotchy pink."

"I'd rather not be pink at all!" Draco said.

"It suits you," Harry said.

"Everything suits me," Draco grumbled, "And you haven't even got your glasses on."

"I saw before someone messed up my charm," Harry said.

"It was in the way," Draco said.

Harry grinned, "Yeah, it was," and kissed him again.