A/N: Yes, I know. I've been bad to put this one on hold while I worked on my mid-terms and my other story. If I put up this chapter, will you forgive me? Maybe? Possibly? Why is it all I hear is a silent void? That's not very comforting, you know!

Disclaimer: Again, not mine.

Chapter 21

Seamus grinned and whistled as he strolled down the street of office buildings, swinging the keys to his apartment on his finger, a habit he'd picked up from Brian. He frowned briefly at the thought of the man before wiping him from his mind. He needed to focus, and on Harry, not some…guy. Seamus shook his head and paused across the street from Harry's building.

His friend had sounded rushed on the phone when Seamus had called two days earlier. Apparently, he'd taken too many days off in the past few weeks and Madame Bones was now riding his case. Even accumulated sick days and personal days were not meant to be blown in one go and the intimidating witch had chosen today to remind Harry that he was, in fact, an auror and an employee of the Ministry of Magic.

Quite simply, there was no way Harry could meet Seamus for any amount of time. Seamus shrugged. There was some kind of muggle saying- if Mahmat couldn't go to the mountain, the mountain would come to him. Personally, Seamus thought the saying was a little strange for muggles. First off, who was Mahmat and secondly, mountains moving sounded an awful lot like magic, but it had been one of Dean's favorite sayings, so Seamus made sure never to criticize it out loud.

Seamus shrugged and continued whistling as he walked across the street and into the building, smiling a bit as the cool, damp air from outside changed to the cool dry air of the inside. He waved to the receptionist as he stepped into the elevator. It was going to be a good day, he could tell. He slipped a hand into his pocket, fingering the notebook he'd found lying on his end table.

It never ceased to amaze him just how easily Harry Potter fell into a trap. It made him wonder, as he stepped off the elevator and ignored people bustling busily around as he walked down the narrow hall to Harry's office, how had the man survived Voldemort?

Harry sighed as yet another secretary passed through his office to drop yet another stack of files on his desk, leaving Harry with the burden and a look of pity. It had been a non-stop line since he'd come back on Monday. Was it possible that work had gotten this far behind on the few days he'd been out? Harry thought it more likely that Madame Bones was punishing him for taking off so suddenly so often.

Someone else walked through the door and stopped by his desk. Harry cringed at the anticipated 'thunk' of thick folders dropping to the hardwood of his desk and opened his eyes when it never came.

Seamus was standing on the other side, looking in amazement at the three tottering stacks on Harry's desk. "I think, mate, that she might be just a tad bit miffed," the red-head stated.

Harry nodded miserably as he reached for one of the folders. The rest of the stack teetered dangerously and Seamus only just caught it in time to prevent a mess from falling across the desk. Harry sent him a thankful look as he flipped the folder open. "You might be right," he confirmed. "It's been like this for the past few days. Lucky for me, she's only angry for a few days at a time. It's just a matter of waiting it out."

Another secretary walked into the office and, finding no empty room on the desk, dropped a heavy stack of files to the floor. Nodding, she brushed off her hands and left the room, leaving Seamus to stare after her in awe. "Are they all like that?" he whispered.

Harry shook his head. "No. Some of them feel sorry for me." He shrugged and turned back to the file.

Seamus watched him work for a moment, then dropped to sit in the chair across from Harry. He knew from experience that Harry would face him in his own time, when he wasn't quite as busy. Seamus also knew that Harry would be busy for what looked like the next millennium.

"So, Harry," Seamus said, injecting his voice with all the enthusiasm of a schoolgirl talking about her first crush, "what's Draco like in the sack?" He held back a laugh as he heard a choking sound from behind the mountains of folders, then watched with wide eyes as the folders, and the man behind them, fell to the floor.

Seamus waited for the avalanche to end before standing and peering over the desk at the man sitting bemused among the pile, watching as paper slid and mixed with more paper from the folders. Seamus smiled brightly. "That good, huh?"

Harry looked up, his green eyes narrowing to a glare before he looked back and surveyed the mess he'd made trying to stand. He'd fallen, of course, tripping over his chair leg and bringing down every bloody folder on the desk. Harry shoved a hand through his hair, knocking bits of paper aside. "Bugger."

Seamus couldn't help it. He smiled a little, still trying to restrain himself, then he grinned and laughed. His laughter rang down the halls though most of the people there ignored the sound. They were far too professional to admit the laughter made any one of them smile.

Two secretaries walked into the room and ignored the mess behind the desk. They saw only that the area on the desk was cleared and dropped their respective piles before spinning on their heels and striding from the room. Seamus just laughed harder.

There was no way he could do it today. He would wait, and let Harry have his few days more of Malfoy before Seamus kicked his plan in gear. From the look on Harry's face as he shoved and pushed his way out of the pile, the former Gryffindor would need what comfort the other man could provide.

A/N: Yes, yes. I know. It's not much but I just couldn't do it yet! I'm a sap, I admit, but I won't drag it out too much longer, I promise. Here're my shout-outs! Thanks to AngelikRebel, azamystic, AleMeansWings, Missy Padfoot, fifespice, rekahneko, Hyper Hippie, Fuelled by Slash, potatoe-head4, Peaceful Angel, vilon, and LadyDragonWolfKnight for all the reviews!