Disclaimer: The year is 1899. A young aspiring writer journey's to the allure of Paris, a true Bohemian paradise, where he hopes to become a famous writer. Once there he seizes the opportunity of a life-time at the possibility of writing a play for Paris' most exotic nightclub, The Moulin Rouge. Once he enters the owners inner circle he meets the exotic and alluring Ginerva, a fiery courtesan and star of the Moulin Rouge. In order to win the owner, Arthur Weasley, over he must take advantage of Ginerva's passionate advances. However another man is promised to her bed. The Duke and his influential heir are in town and looking for suitable investments when Arthur suggests they invest in Ginerva, the star of the show and aspiring actress. To do so, Draco [the heir] must woo her. But what happens when he finds her in the arms of another man? What happens if it is not Ginerva he feels jealous about? What happens when people fall in love with someone they're not supposed to? A twisted web of love, lies and deception. Welcome, to the Moulin Rouge.
NOTE: To construct this story I am using the help of the transcript from the movie 'Moulin Rouge'. Sadly, I do not own it nor do I own the characters of Harry Potter. The majority of the dialogue to begin with is recognizable from the movie [mainly the first one or two chapter] however in later chapters my own dialogue will be in there as well.
Moulin Rouge
Finale!
Hundreds of eyes stared up at them through the glare of the stage lights. Harry was almost completely blind as the hushed murmurs caught his attention. He felt Draco's hot wrists quaking against his grip. His head was thrumming with a burning hot pressure. He could hear his own breathing gushing out heavily, as well as Draco's wet sobs and Ginerva's bristling presence only stopped by the eyes watching them. His palms were sweaty from where he was gripping the blonde mans wrists.
The silence was thick and heavy.
After a long, tense pause, Arthur stepped forward in his brightly coloured robes and address the silently confused audience, "Hahaha!" he cried out with a wide, forced smile on his painted lips, "I am not fooled! Though he has shaved of his beard, and dons a disguise, my eyes do not lie!" he eyed the crowd, praying that they were hanging on to his every word, "For it is he, the same Penniless Sitar Player!"
A rippling, "Ohhh…" ran from the audience's mouths, their interest piqued once again, their minds anxiously awaiting the outcome of this new development in the plot.
"Driven mad by jealousy!" Arthur exclaimed, his thick finger pointing up to where Harry stood grasping Draco's shaking arms, the blonde man utterly distraught and the redhead woman fuming behind them, her fists clenched tightly.
From the rafters, Colin had a full view of the entire stage and a little behind it too. He could see Crabbe edging away down the narrow galley towards the musicians area; he was looking for another angle to shoot Harry from. Panic fluttered in his heart, his footing slipping a little as he leaned over, muttering to himself, "Oh, God…No!"
Regaining some semblance of composure, Harry dragged the blonde man down the stage a bit, and let him drop back to the floor, where he coughed a few times, cuffing at his eyes and trying to make himself feel less pathetic as Harry turned to face Arthur on the stage, his eyes dark and accusing through the bright lights.
His words were addressed to the 'Maharajah', but he was actually looking past Arthur to the Duke who was sitting erect and fuming in the first few rows. "This man is yours now. Let him succumb to your will!" He reached into his pockets and draws out the thick wad of money and tosses it down so that it scatters, like rain, over Draco's soaked features. "I've paid my whore!" he snarls, spit flecking his lips. He turned his dull green gaze to Draco as he hastily brushed the money off of his shoulders, his fingers shaking. Harry knelt down slightly and dragged Draco's chin up so that they were face-to-face, "I owe you nothing. And you're nothing to me, now." He let Draco's chin drop and straightened up. He had to hold back a sob of his own as he said, "Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love." Feeling everything inside him fight against his decision, he forced himself to walk to the end of the stage and slowly descend the steps.
Crabbe watched the exchange with an odd interest. According to Lucius the Potter boy was obsessed with his son -so why was he walking away so publicly? Colin watched through his obscured vision as Harry walked down the steps slowly. His own heart ached. It was like his whole world has been destroyed. Everyone on the stage knew how real it was; they were all under orders not to break character but even Pansy found herself wanting to run after the Potter boy and drag him back to Draco's side. They watch, frozen, as Christian stopped at the third row of seats to stare down at Lucius. For a moment before walking down the aisle, Harry and Lucius glare into one another's eyes. Harry allowed his lip to curl in disgust before he turns and continued on down the aisle.
As he watched the young man walk away, Colin slapped a hand to his forehead, "I can't remember my line…"
Arthur clears his throat loudly and walked over to Draco in order to keep the show going. "This Sitar Player doesn't love you! See, he flees the kingdom! His rejection shall save you from shame!" he proclaims, drawing all eyes back to the stage. In a softer tone, he pressed his mouths to Draco's ear and mumbled, "Draco, it's for the best. You know it is. The show must go on."
Harry had begun to feel numb once again as he walked down the aisle. The closer he got to the main entrance the more assured Crabbe became that he would not have to shoot the kid in the back. Feeling a little better with this turn of events, the heavy set man pockets his gun into his dinner jacket.
"And now, my bride, it is time for you to raise your voice to the heavens and say your wedding vows!" Arthur reached out a hand for Ginerva so that he now held one of hers and one of Draco's hand. Ginerva shot Draco a harsh glare over her father's shoulder but there was a small smug look dawning on her face as Harry retreated even further. Draco let out a shuddering sob before shaking his fringe out of his red eyes and composed himself for the show -and his wedding. If nothing else was clear to him at the moment, he knew that he had lost Harry. And nothing would stop his heart from hurting for the rest of his life.
Colin watched as Harry snatched off Blaise's coat and tosses it into a pile at the back of the hall. And then it dawns on him. All the words that Harry had ever said crashed into his mind as if out of nowhere. "I've got it! I've got it! Harry—" another scream was ripped out of his mouth as the rafters were switched underneath him. He lost his footing and felt himself falling through the air, his arms only just managing to grab onto the platform. Sweat poured down his face as he yelled out, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return!"
As his voice echoed out across the hall, something inside Draco's mind seemed to click together. The actors on stage and the audience glance around, searching for the mysterious person screaming out the beautiful love quote that Harry had woven tirelessly through the entire play.
Down the end of the hall, Harry had paused as his own words hit his ears.
Draco let his hand go limp and slide out of Arthur's hand. Ginerva shot him a look of confusion, her once flushed skin draining of all its colour as he turned away from both her and Arthur. "Never knew ... I could ... Feel ... Like this ..." His heart started to thud dully in his ears as he watched Harry -his face crumbling behind his dark hair -slowly resume walking to the end of the hall, drawing ever closer to the entrance. It is nothing but a tortured game for Harry's poor heart. He had set Draco free ... why must he continue to hurt him now that he is walking away? "Like I've never seen the sky ... Before." Draco drew in a soft breath, his hands trembling and his eyes feeling hot with fresh tears, "Want to vanish inside your kiss!"
Harry stopped, his hand on the doorknob of the doors leading out into the main lobby. His heart was frozen, a lump had risen in his throat. The words sounded so real -the voice so honest and open and purely beautiful. But it wasn't real. He knew that! Draco had made his decision.
Draco bit down on his bottom lip, his fingers sweating as he clenched them into fists, "Every day I'm loving you more and more," he takes a few cautious steps to the front of the stage, carefully avoiding the red flush creeping up his fathers neck, "Listen to my heart ... Can you hear it sing?"
Gripping the doorknob tightly in his sweating hands, Harry slowly turned to look back at the stage. His heart stops when he sees Draco at the front of the stage, tears gleaming in the stage lights. It was real! The life seemed to float back into his eyes. His fingers slowly loosen and then fall away from the doorknob.
Draco wanted to smile through the bright lights. It was too soon. He couldn't blow it -not now. "Come back to me ... And forgive everything!" A sudden gasp takes him by surprise, nearly forcing a fit of coughing. Lucius smirks smiles, having no idea that his son was singing to Harry. As far as he was concerned, the little Potter boy had left. Harry watched the young blonde man, tearful with happiness. Draco struggled to keep the orchestra with him as he rubbed a hand over his chest, the air supply feeling stunted. He drew in short, shallow breaths, a sickly flush running over his brow, "Seasons ... May change ... Winter to Spring ... I love you," he caught Harry's gaze, a watery smile tweaking his lips, "Until the end ... Of ... Time."
Harry took a deep breath. It was make or break. Now or never. But he had to try. They had to try. " Co-o-ome what m-a-a-ay," The audience turned in their seats, drawn by the sound of a new voice, to him at the other end of the theater, in surprise. Lucius' face contorts with rage at the sight of the scruffy-haired writer as he edged his way back down the aisle toward the stage, toward his son.
Draco gave a warm, wet smile, tearful in the same way as Harry's.
"COME WHAT MAY ... COME WHAT MAY ..." the words pour out of his mouth as he hurried on between the rows of chairs and on-lookers, his eyes only trained on Draco who hurried down to the very edge of the stage. "I WILL LOVE YOU ... UNTIL MY DYING DAY!"
They both finally reach one other, their hands sliding up the sleeves of the other's shirt. In the third row Lucius' lips are pursed tightly and his fingers are pale from where they are clutched tightly around his silver snake-topped cane.
The two young men put their arms around each other and press their feverish foreheads together. The tips of the noses touch, sending the familiar sensations of sparks running through their skin. Draco's fingers trembled as he held onto Harry's shoulders. He could not believe that Harry -his Harry -was back here in his arms, in front of all of those people sitting beyond the glare of the stage lights.
Lucius signaled to Crabbe, who reluctantly took the handgun out of his jacket, cocked it, and aimed at Harry's dark mass of hair.
"Harry!" Colin called out as he attempted to scramble back up onto the rafter platform, "He's got a gun!" The platform broke from its ropes, forcing Colin to slip down the rope and swing out onto the stage, knocking the gun out Crabbe's hand by pure luck. The gun skidded out into the middle of stage, forcing a few of the actresses adorned in princess costumes to scream shrilly and scatter away from the gun. Colin choked on the dust clouds rising up as he forced himself up from the stage, his grazed wrists stinging, and stumbling weakly as he turned to face Harry and Draco, "They're trying to kill you!"
The audience laughed at Colin, the continuous turn of events seeming to please them.
"Shut up!" Arthur snapped, his face sweating as he looked down to see that Lucius was fuming, thick veins throbbing underneath his pure white skin.
"Look! Look, he's got a gun!" Colin pointed over to the gun that was gleaming like a black rock in the center of the stage, a large semi-circle still surrounding it.
"Guards, seize them!" Arthur called out, desperately trying to restore order.
"Vive le vie Boheme!" Dumbledore cried out, flicking some switches and initiating a series of of flashes and fireworks that have lined the stage. Everyone started to run around crazily. Hermione stormed across the stage and started kicking Crabbe around in the head, her heels denting in his fleshy cheeks a few times. He managed to get the gun. However, at that moment, Blaise opened the prop palace doors at that moment, knocking the gun out of Crabbe's hand again.
Blaise clapped his hands, looking refreshed, as though he'd had a good rest. He eyed everyone on the stage and assumed command in a few simple words, "No problem! Go back to work!"
At his command, the young dancers on stage began to dance again with Flitwick striking up the orchestra once again.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY ... THE SHOW IS ENDING OUR WAY
Arthur puffed out his chest in pride, not daring to acknowledge the aghast expression on Ginerva's face as she stood, rejected, in a flawless bejeweled white dress. He knocked Warner over and hurried up to the front of the stage.
SO STAND YOUR GROUND ... FOR FREEDOM, BEAUTY, TRUTH, AND LOVE
Lucius tried to point to Crabbe where the gun was on the stage. Crabbe nodded his head to show that he understood and tried to get himself up to retrieve the weapon.
"One day I'll fly a-w-a-y!" Draco sang out into Harry's ear, clutching the younger man to his side, his heart doing somersaults in his chest.
Harry clutched the lithe man tighter, "My gift is my song!"
THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ... NO YOU WON'T FOOL THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION
Partially hidden behind a tambourine, Crabbe tried to reach for his gun. His fingers just about tickle the trigger of the gun when -from high up in the rafters -Pansy released a large sack of sand used to weight down the curtains. The heavy canvas sack falls down to through the air, and landed on Crabbe's head, sending the gun flying out of his hand and back across the furthest part of the stage and disappearing over the edge.
Lucius looked up at his son, singing happily on the stage, openly declaring his love for the idiotic little boy who wrote the play. He grinds his teeth together and stands up, those nearest to him turning to look at him with confused expressions. Why would he leave? The play was so amazing! Just as he weaves out of the row of seats, Lucius strides down the thick red carpet underfoot and hears a heavy 'clud' on the carpet-covered wood behind him. He turned slowly, his narrowed grey eyes carefully regarding the cocked gun lying there before him.
He ducked down to pick up the gun only to have a slender hand reach for it before he does. He glanced up to see Ginerva's heavily disgusted face looking back at him. "Get out of the way!" he spat at her, the veins throbbing in his neck.
She sneered up at him, "That brat has ruined my life! He's not getting away with it!" she spat back.
Lucius snatched the gun from underneath her limp hands, "You won't know what you're doing you stupid girl! He straightened up and made sure the gun was properly cocked. "Go and wait in the coach outside!"
"Why should I go! This is my night!" she hissed out, sneering up as both Draco and Harry were lifted up on the shoulders of chorus members, confetti and flower petals streaming down from the secluded rafters overhead.
"Eighty percent of the royalties are going into my name! I have cut Draco off save for a small sum to help him live for a few months! Now get outside unless you want to go out and start whoring yourself this minute!" He turned with the gun gripped in his hand as Ginerva hurried away up the aisle, tripping over her dress. He hurried toward the stage, his composure melting away, pointing the gun at Harry. "It'll end my way, Potter! My way! My way! My way!"
Arthur appeared out of the flurry of bright costumes and punched Lucius in the face before he got to the stage. Lucius stumbled backward, the gun sent flying from his hand and out of a nearby window, the glass showering down to the carpet. Embarrassment swelled within him as hot blood dribbled out of his nose and dotted his lapels. He sat up dejectedly as the curtain fell over the hoards of confetti. The audience gave a standing ovation, applauding wildly. The entire cast was ecstatic, especially Draco who had an excited Harry cradled against his chest.
Their stage manager hurried around them, shooing Molly away as she carried a tray with glasses of water on it. "Stand by for curtain call! Dancers, positions please!"
Harry held onto Draco's hand tightly, pulling the blonde man closer and getting ready for the curtain call. The thick red curtains parted once again to the applauding audience. Their faces were ecstatic as they cheered. Cast members went forward in lines and bowed down. Draco grinned brightly as he tugged Harry closer to his chest and hurried forward to bow down as the cheers grew louder.
No one saw the gun poking out from a small gap in the scenery off to the side except for Draco who had turned to smile back at the other cast members.
His heart stopped as his father's eyes gleamed through the darkness.
He looked at his father's gaze. It was trained -along with the gun -on Harry.
Harry looked up at him and his smile faded at Draco's pale features. He was about to turn to catch Lucius when Draco shoved him heavily to the side. Harry collapsed backwards onto the stage, his collision with the stage almost blocking out the sound of the gun shot. When he looked back up through the glare of the lights, he watched as Draco's knees buckled underneath him and the blonde man dropped to the floor.
"Draco!" he cried out, hurrying over and catching Draco's stunned body in his arms before he fell to the floorboards.
Lucius looked between the gun in his numb hand and his son on the stage, choking heavily on the wound in his chest. He dropped the gun into the shadows, kicked it away before hurrying away from the stage.
Back on the stage Draco coughed violently, his body shaking in spasms in Harry's arms. Colin, Arthur, and other cast members notice what had happened, their smiles replaced with dread as the blood spot on Draco's satin waistcoat grows bigger and brighter, the blood gleaming underneath the stage lights. Harry eased the coughing and wheezing Draco onto his back, while he kneels over him, his hands hovering uselessly over the bloody wound. "What…darling…darling, hold on okay?" Draco's breathing became raspy and violently shallow, "Oh my God!" Harry ran a hand over his mouth before screaming out over his shoulder, "Somebody get some help!"
"Hold the curtain! Fetch the doctor!" Arthur urged the stage manager. He hurried down the wooden staircase in search of the doctor.
"I'm sorry, Harry ..." Draco rasped, his weak hands fumbling with Harry's wrists. Molly looked on sadly. Colin covered his ears so as not to hear Draco's choking breaths.
Harry pressed a finger to Draco's pale lips, "Shhh…shhh…it's all right. Save your energy. The doctor will be here soon, I promise!"
The cast watch on silently, their hearts feeling heavy as they watch the gleaming head of the young heir bob up and down as he choked on the wound in his chest. "I'm so sorry…" Draco rasped his head pressed up against Harry's chest, the beating of his heart drumming in Draco's ear.
Harry shook his head roughly, "N-No, you'll be all right. You'll be all right!"
Draco began to tremble in Harry's grip. "Cold…I'm cold…cold… Hold me."
Harry tightened his hold on the blonde man, looking so afraid at how pale and sweaty he'd started to look. The trembling began to grow more violent. Harry forced a weak smile, tears threatening his red eyes once again, "I love you."
Draco smiled weakly, his lips trembling open so he could whisper, "You've got to go on, Harry."
Harry's voice broke, sounding almost hopeful as he spoke. "Can't go on without you, though. That's why you're going to get better, Draco. The doctor is coming!"
"You've got so much to give…" he reached up to touch Harry's face, trying to hold back his own tears, "Tell our story, Harry."
Harry shook his head as the tears started to drip down from his thick black lashes, "No…"
Draco's shuddering whispers sent chills running through Harry's body. "Yes… Promise me. Promise me…" Harry have a weak nod. Draco smiled weakly, "That way, I'll…I'll always be with you."
The doctor hurried through from the staircase. Harry pressed a lingering kiss on Draco's forehead, the sweat slicking his lips as he pulled away and was shoved aside by the doctor. The stage manager holds his arms behind his back as he tried to scramble back to the blonde's side. His vision is blurred by hot tears as the Doctor blocked his view of the man he loved. He kicked and screamed as the stage manager and Molly took him away from the stage in order to calm him down. He had no intention of calming down. He just wanted to be by Draco's side.
The Duke leaves the theater to his private coach parked outside. The snow had started to fall and cover the pavements in soft, crisp snow. Ginerva was waiting for him in the coach wrapped in a white fur shawl that had been a pre-wedding gift. She watched him with red eyes as he walked numbly to the door, and climbed inside the coach. She looked at him, silently asking what the matter was and where her fiance was. He didn't look at her, he merely barked an order at the coach driver. The coach lurched and soon the Moulin Rouge was out of sight behind them.
All of their friends at the Moulin Rouge had their own reactions: Arthur looked away and removed his heavy satin turban, Hermione and Pansy stare on their cheeks wet with streaming tears, and Colin was cringing heavily as silent tears ran down his blotchy cheeks. The only sounds that could be heard were the distant screams of Harry calling out for the young heir.
A while later Colin, feeling hollow and numb, carried a fresh bottle of absinthe to the top of the windmill. He fumbled with the latch and pushed the small window open. The brisk chill from the snowy night bought his skin out in goosepimples. He barely felt the cold as he uncorked the bottle and took a heavy swig.
THERE WAS A BOY ... A VERY STRANGE, ENCHANTED BOY
A/N: Happy New Year to you all! One last chapter left of this wonderful story!