Harry Potter and all related copyright do not belong to me. Story is compliant through most of the epilogue, meaning I have changed only some names, ages, and numbers of children. There will be slash.

The companion piece to this fic is up: Five Times Ron Drank On The Job (.net/s/7602512/1/Five_Times_Ron_Drank_On_The_Job)

It is a small, Harry/Ron friendship piece in a similar vein to this one, each event occuring at roughly or near the same time. The way it's going, the last chapter will effectively act as a sequel.

Needless to say it will be H/D

If you think you would enjoy it, please take a look!

Groaning with exasperation, Harry plunked down behind his oak desk. He reached to the back of the bottom right hand drawer, pulling out his carefully stashed bottle of Ogden's Finest.

"It couldn't have been that bad," Ron commented dryly, leaning back in the plaid and polka-dotted armchair he had transfigured from one of Harry's more atrocious office warming gifts.

"It's a death sentence." The freckle-faced auror rolled his eyes at his friend's melodrama.

"So what if Kingsley decided your new position was coming with a new partner? You should be celebrating the fact that you're Head Auror now, instead of griping about how you won't be able to make my life hell during those 24/7 stakeouts anymore," Ron ended with a laugh, ignoring the dirty look shot to him from behind the heavy desk.

"You haven't heard the whole story yet," Harry moaned. He shifted forward a bit, letting his head rest in his hands.

"He's saddling me with a trainee. Figures since I'm "Head Auror" I can "have patience with someone less experienced" and "teach them the ropes" and all that jazz." Ron let out a low whistle.

"Putting you on babysitting duty then? Nice."

"That's not the worst part."

"Oh yeah?" Ron scooted the chair a little closer, eager to hear the goings on of the department. Harry had to repress a chuckle at how excited his friend became at the prospect of gossip; Ron was worse than most of the women that worked in the ministry.

"Yeah. Turns out the reason I get him is because none of the Deputy Aurors want him. So far everyone he's been partnered with has stormed into Kingsley's office demanding someone else." Harry poured out a shot for himself, and knocked it back in one smooth motion. He offered some to Ron, but the ginger declined.

"Did Kingsley say why?"

"Supposedly, this guy's good. Really good. And he knows it. If he and the Deputy Auror he's assigned to disagree, he sticks to his position and refuses to change it. Most of the time he's right."

"Hmn," Ron pondered, leaning back into his chair. "Isn't that a good thing? I think I'd want to be partnered with someone like that."

"Yeah. The problem is, the fully trained aurors aren't real big on having trainee's tell them where to stick it. And according to Kingsley, that's pretty much what this guy does. Loudly. And Publically. Often." Ron snorted as Harry poured himself another glass.

"Sounds like you two ought to get on just fantastic, eh?" Harry groaned as he let his head slip to his desk.

"That's not the worst part."

Harry was just about to continue when the door to his office slammed open unceremoniously.

"Potter, you ruddy, inconsiderate sloth, get your ass up and out from behind your blasted desk this instant. Kingsley wants to see us immediately, and," the familiar looking blonde intruder paused as he shot a glance at the bottle of firewhisky sitting on the Head Auror's desk.

"Your dumb luck better hold out, because if the Minister catches that alcohol on your breath it's going to be both our necks, and if I get fired because of your stupidity you can guarantee the next five years of your life are going to be pure misery." Spinning on his heel, the intruder, now identifiable to Ron as none other than Draco Malfoy, made to storm from the room. Catching sight of the youngest Weasley boy, he paused in his step, issued a curt nod, and was on his way.

As Ron watched the blast from their past stride down the hallway, he turned Harry in confusion.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

Harry downed his second shot.

"That was the worst part."