Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters or concepts affliated with it. However I do own Hell's Help Rum, and Phoenix Paul's.

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Rum Don't Wash the Tears Away

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It was thought that after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort he led a happy life and lived to the end of his days, but that was not true. For what was thought to have been swallowed by history was instead covered.

It was here that Harry sat, Phoenix Paul's Bar & Grill, in the lobby of a shabby flats in Diagon Alley. This was where he could be found now, in a corner table hidden by shadows cast by the dingy pub. Reclining in his chair, he silently sipped his Hell's Help, and so far his time here had been nothing but Hell, but the alcohol was washing some away now… there it goes…

Harry did not pay attention to the beautiful young men and women that stood on the stage; it was karaoke night.

Sitting in this bar, he divided his life into two parts; OP and AP. Of Padma and After Padma. So far, AP wasn't very good. It had only lasted a week so far, and he didn't like one bit of it. He had spent at least half that week either here or in his flat, and the rest sleeping. If one looked closely, not that one would get a chance to, one could see tear tracks that completely covered most of his face.

Most of them had been there for the week; he had not washed his face since he had seen Padma Patil in bed nude with Michael Corner in his flat. Nor since he had cast a rather painful charm on Corner that could and would hinder his ability to have children.

Nor since Padma had slapped his face, transferring the engagement ring he had given her from her finger to in his mouth.

He had nearly choked.

As he did now, on the rum.

Harry only vaguely saw an auburn-haired woman that looked familiar take the stage.

The announcer said "And here's a… Ginevra Weasley with 'Rum Don't Wash the Tears Away.', one of her own compositions. It says here it was written for Harry Potter, if he's here…"

Her beautiful alto voice filled the pub, bringing back 2-year-old memories of her being betrayed by Dean Thomas with Lavender.

'So, she's gone through the same as me, to a lesser extent.' Harry thought, through his drunken stupor, as Ginny began to sing.

"When you looked at her first, it might have been enough to even put down your cup. But now you put it up all the way… To block the visions of her, what could have been, and what she had to say…"

Harry looked up more; this was definitely her. Her voice sounded so… detached, completely lost in the words, not knowing anything but the next line.

"Now from one who's been through just the same things as you, don't think about her more today… She's too far gone, on his side not yours, and she's there to stay…"

Harry leaned forward, something he hadn't done in a week. She looked at him briefly, her eyes widening, then looked away smiling.

"Now from one who's been through just the same things as you, don't think about her more today… I can tell you one thing, and it's from the heart true… Rum don't wash the tears away."

There seemed to be no danger in stepping out of the shadows a bit, the shadows that reminded Harry of Padma's shadowy hair…

"When you looked at her last, you tried to kick his ass, but she ended up getting mean… She was too damn fast, now the flag's at half mast, in memory of what could've been…"

Harry pushed his chair forward, and caught eye contact with Ginny again. She looked at him warily, as she could see the haunted look in his eyes. She kept singing, but a little bit quieter.

"As she laid there you knew, before she knew of you, covered in a satin sheen… You saw him too, looking better than you, all smug and dark and lean…"

Harry began to walk towards the stage, drinking in every word of how well she understood him. And how did Ginny know his sheets were satin?

"Don't you think for a bit, that he didn't deserve that hit, because he was just more than you… but when you flicked that switch, when the room was lit, she didn't want you to… isn't that what matters?"

Harry gave up and sat down at the stage, looking up at her. Her smile and the smile in her voice filled the room.

"Now from one who's been through just the same things as you, don't think about her more today… I can tell you one thing, and it's from the heart true… Rum don't wash the tears away."

Harry stopped thinking of Padma as he looked up at the adoration in her eyes, and she grinned at the recognition in his.

It sank into Harry that the song was written for him, and she had done all this for him, only because they were friends, albeit they did not keep in touch that often.

Harry forever stopped thinking of Padma as he leaped up onto the stage and kissed her full on the lips.

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