AN: this story came to me listening to my 80s playlist. Music is by Duran Duran. Thank you guys for writing such an amazing song. Songwriters: John Taylor / Nick Rhodes / Simon Le Bon / Warren Cuccurullo.

Came in from a rainy Thursday on the avenue

Thought I heard you talking softly

I turned on the lights, the TV, and the radio

Still I can't escape the ghost of you

What has happened to it all?

Crazy, some'd say

Where is the life that I recognize?

Gone away

How ironic that was the exact song that was playing on Harry's iPod on a rainy Thursday when he had just got soaked because he went out for a beer with his cousin Dudley in Muggle London so he couldn't apparate out of the rain.

The cousins had made up a couple of years after the war, and the former bully had decided he wanted to know everything about being a wizard. He even confessed to Harry that he hoped his children, whenever they came along, would have magic in them. So the cousins grabbed a few drinks at least once a month. That had turned out to be a good idea in general; Dudley was hungry for stories and Harry had someone to let it all out with. At least when it was about the war and other minutiae of daily life at the ministry. And last month Dudley had given Harry an iPod for his birthday, already loaded with songs that Harry remembered hearing on the radio growing up. Many of them he remembered humming while doing chores and he remembered getting so enthralled by them that he would forget where he was. So he really liked the gift, except that there were a few songs that reminded him too much of his current reality: he was lonely.

After the war, Harry had devoted his body and soul into two things: Auror training and Ginny Weasley. Auror training because he was good at it and because he wanted to keep the wizarding world safe. And Ginny because he loved her very much. And she loved him too, passionately. But after Ginny finished Hogwarts, reality hit them. Harry wanted to get married and have children as soon as possible. Ginny wanted a career. She was an outstanding quidditch player and by graduation, she already had an offer from the Harpies. She loved Harry, but she didn't want to become Molly: she didn't want a house full of children, not yet. She wanted to travel, to succeed, to be someone more than the shadow of the Chosen One.

Passion or coincidence

Once prompted you to say

"Pride will tear us both apart"

And just as the song said, pride had torn them apart. Truthfully, it was his fault: he was sure that if he gave her a little push into the domestic life she would let go and surrender to it. And they would be deliriously happy. So one night after making love he tried to distract her, hoping that she would forget the contraceptive charm. After a few minutes of playfulness, she reached for her wand and he tried to hide it. That's when all hell broke loose. She saw right through his intentions and instead of getting angry or yelling at him, she broke into sobs.

"I am sorry, Harry. I am so sorry. But I can't give you what you want. I don't want to have children right now. I would be miserable. And I can't do that to you."

Well now pride's gone out the window

Cross the rooftops

Runaway

Left me in the vacuum of my heart

What is happening to me?

Crazy, some'd say

Where is my friend when I need you most?

Gone away

That had been over a year ago. They were happy for a while, for one year when she was still at Hogwarts and then stayed together for two more after that. And while he felt more and more settled and wanted to have deeper roots, she wanted wings, more with each passing day, with each victory on the pitch, with each tournament won. She was a star on her own right now. And Harry was happy for her, he really was. They were friends, at least they were trying to be.

But I won't cry for yesterday

There's an ordinary world

Somehow I have to find

And as I try to make my way

To the ordinary world

I will learn to survive

That night, when Harry got to 12 Grimmauld Place he flopped on the bed with his clothes still on and fell asleep, grateful that the alcohol was not letting him think too much.

Papers in the roadside

Tell of suffering and greed

Fear today, forgot tomorrow

Ooh, here besides the news

Of holy war and holy need

Ours is just a little sorrowed talk

The song was playing again on his iPod when he picked up a copy of the Prophet before going into work. It really was as if the song was a reflection of his life. His was just a small sorrow next to the needs of all those who were still affected by the aftermath of the war. Gryffindor that he was, he refused to accept that he had a right to his pain and his sadness.

After a bland day at work, he took the lift back to the lobby and walked inside distracted, looking at the iPod playlist, searching for the song. It was becoming an obsession. So in his absorbed state, he didn't notice that someone else was already in and he walked right into her.

"Ooof!" was the sound the woman made and then the scene seemed to happen in slow motion. She wabbled on her stilettos and began to fall. Harry, whose seeker reflexes had doubled after auror training, put one arm under her back and the other hand behind her neck, and for a few seconds, they were both suspended as in halfway going for a movie kiss. She lifted her eyes to see who the man was while saying

"Thank you...Potter?"

"Parkinson?"

"Please don't let me fall!" she said, a hint of anguish in her voice

"What?" he asked, confused by the moment, as he helped her stand up. She still had her hands on his shoulders and he still had one hand on the small of her back and one on the nape of her neck.

"I mean, if I were you I would let me fall flat on my arse, you know, after everything I did to you," she said, slowly sliding her hands down his chest while trying to take a step back, when suddenly the lift halted roughly and this time they both ended up falling, but he had half a second to say

"Arresto momentum"

That gave him enough time to not fall flat on top of her, instead, she landed softly while he hovered on top of her for a second before planting his hands and knees on the floor around her. They looked at each other, both still feeling shaken and confused when a voice said

"The Ministry Maintenance Department offers you apologies for this inconvenience. Please do not try to fix or move the lift, as it is a complex magical object and it must be repaired only by the Ministry Maintenance Personnel. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Harry looked down again and his mind went to remember that it had been a very long time since he had looked at a woman from this vantage point. And it was undeniable that this particular woman was beautiful. She looked so different. She seemed...softer. There was no scowling, no frowning, just a soft, open expression on her face, and he moved his gaze between her dark eyes and her plump lips a couple of times before she said

"Hum, Potter?"

"Oh, yes, please, let me help you," he said sitting up and helping her sit up.

"Thank you," she said, and she sat side saddled on the floor next to him. They will be there for a while, so no point in standing up. Then she tried again: "Potter, I just want to say, I'm sorry. For everything. I have no excuses, I just…"

But he had lifted a finger and touch it to her lips.

"No need. We were children. And it's over now. We have moved on. Or at least, we try to move on."

She looked down at the finger on her lips and then at him, so he realized what he had done and quickly pull it off, then tried to fix the awkward moment.

"So, what brings you to the Ministry today?"

She smiled

"Business Permit. I came back from New York a few months ago. I went there for fashion design school, but then I saw a concept that I thought was wonderful: some companies there sell items of clothing or shoes and for each item sold they donate one to people in need. And we have a lot of children in need here, the orphans of the war. So I opened a design studio where I make mostly high-end children's clothing and for each outfit sold I make and donate another one to the orphanage. I plan to keep providing the children with everyday clothes until they are out of Hogwarts."

"Wow," said Harry, looking really impressed, "that is amazing."

She blushed and lowered her gaze

"I just want to make up a bit for the mistakes of my past. And I do love children."

"You do?" Said Harry, now feeling quite curious.

"Yeah, I do. All the time when we were at Hogwarts I thought I was going to marry Draco right out of school and have three children right away," she said, laughing "even after we broke up fifth year I kept thinking it would happen. Well, that all went to hell with the war, and of course neither of us is married, although we are still best friends. That is partly why I left for New York because I realized I needed a new plan. So for now, I will take care of some of the needs of other children as much as I can until I get to have my own. Hopefully, someday it will happen."

Wow. Harry was stunned. This woman had nothing to do with pug face Parkinson, the nasty girl that had exchange insults and hexes with him and his friends all through school. But then again, lots of changes had happened after the war. Draco Malfoy was actually one of his quidditch buddies now, and they were becoming quite close, although they both denied it when asked. They called a 'friendly rivalry,' but the truth was they were plain friends. At that moment the voice from the lift spoke again

"Thank you for your patience. You will now be taken to your destination. Have a good night."

Harry stood up and offered Pansy his hand, which she took with another sweet smile. He decided this had been a nice moment and there was no need for it to end.

"Are you hungry?"

She laughed

"Yes. I would love to have dinner, if that is what you are asking, Potter."

"Harry."

She nodded, smiling wide

"Harry."