-1Oliver Wood sits on a plastic Christmas tree, drumming on a plastic pickle tub. His wand is tucked behind his ear while he concentrates on the rhythm.
A homeless man says, looking at Oliver, "Christmas bells are ringing. Christmas bells are ringing. Christmas bells are ringing. Somewhere else! Not here." The homeless man then leaves, looking for a place to sleep.
Oliver continues drumming, a little shaken by the man's words. He gets a good beat up, until he's interrupted by a moan coming from an alleyway nearby. He starts drumming again as Harry limps out of the alleyway, looking like a mess.
"You okay honey?" Oliver asks, looking concerned.
"I'm afraid so…." Harry replies sadly.
"They get any money?" Oliver inquires.
"No. Had none to get! But they took my coat," Harry says. "Well they missed a sleeve! Thanks," he continues sarcastically.
"Hell. It's Christmas Eve! How could they do this. I'm Oliver. Some call me Angel," Oliver said in a comforting tone.
"Angel..? Indeed. An angel of the first degree. Friends call me Harry, Harry Potter. Nice tree….." Harry said, comforted.
"Let's get a band-aid for your knee. I'll change, there's a Life Support meeting at nine-thirty. Yes, this body provides a comfortable home for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome," Oliver said, picking up his things and walking over to Harry.
"As does mine," Harry replied. He took one of Oliver's things to help him carry it all.
"We'll get along fine then. Get you a coat, have a bite. Make a night, I'm flush," Oliver said smiling happily.
"But, my friends are waiting….." Harry said, blushing slightly.
"You're cute when you blush. The more the merrier, ho ho ho! And I do not take no for an answer," Oliver said smiling. Oliver and Harry walked away, chatting and smiling.
Draco sat on the couch picking out notes on his guitar, while Ron walked around the loft, picking up some things, and getting ready.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked.
"Lavender calls….." Ron said, his ears turning red.
Draco smirked, making a sound like a whip. "You're such a sucker!"
"I don't suppose you'd like to see her show in the lot tonight?" Ron asked. Seeing Draco shrug, he adds, "Or come to dinner?"
"Zoom in on my empty wallet," Draco said sarcastically.
"Touche. Take your AZT. Close up on Roger," he says into the camera. "His girlfriend Parvati left a note saying 'We've got AIDS' before slitting her wrists in the bathroom," he finishes. "I'll check up on you later. Change your mind. You have to get out of the house," he said, looking at Draco.
"I'm writing one great song before I…" said Draco, trailing off.
"One song glory. One song before I go, glory. One song to leave behind. Find one song, one last refrain. Glory, from the pretty boy front man who wasted opportunity! One song, he had the world at his feet. Glory, in the eyes of a young girl, a young girl. Find glory beyond the cheap colored lights. One song, before the sun sets. Glory, on another empty life. Time flies, time dies! Glory, one blaze of glory. One blaze of glory, glory. Find, glory in a song that rings true. Truth like a blazing fire, an eternal flame. Find, one song, a song about love, Glory, from the soul of a young man, a young man, Find, the one song before the virus takes hold. Glory, like a sunset. One song, to redeem this empty life. Time flies, And then - no need to endure anymore - time dies!" he said, while playing his guitar.
There was a knock at the door, and Draco, reluctantly got up to answer it, while muttering, "The door…"
He opened the door, not looking, and saying "What'd you forget?" as he thought it was Ron coming to get something.
"Got a light?" a girl said, entering. It was Ginny Weasley.
"I know you, you're - you're shivering!" Draco said to the girl, slightly recognizing her.
"It's nothing, they turned off my heat. And I'm just a little weak on my feet. Would you light my candle? What are you staring at?" Ginny said.
"Nothing. Your hair in the moonlight. You look familiar," he says, lighting her candle. Seeing her stumble as she walks out, he adds, "Can you make it?"
"Just haven't eaten much today. At least the room stopped spinning. Anyway. What?" Ginny says, seeing him staring again.
"Nothing. Your smile reminded me of…." Draco replied.
"I always remind people of….. Who is she?" Ginny asked.
"She died. Her name was Parvati," he said sadly.
Ginny discreetly blew out her candle. "It's out again. Sorry about your friend. Would you light my candle?"
Draco lights the candle, and they linger awkwardly. "Well," he begins.
"Yeah," Mimi said. Then, "Ow!" as the wax burned her fingers.
"Oh the wax. It's," Draco said.
"Dripping. I like it between my," Ginny finished.
"Fingers. I figured. Oh well, goodnight," he says, showing her to the door. Draco headed back toward his guitar intending to write more, when there was a second knock. "It blew out again?" he asks when opening it, thinking it was Ginny.
"No, I think that I dropped my stash," Ginny said, looking worried.
"I know I've seen you out and about, when I used to go out. Your candle's out," Draco said, watching her look around.
"I'm illin', I had it when I walked in the door, It was pure! Is it on the floor?" she said, getting down to look.
"The floor?" Draco said, looking surprised. He stares at her searching.
"They say I have the best ass below 14th street. Is it true?" Ginny asks, seeing him staring.
"What?" Draco said, looking surprised.
"You're staring again," she said knowingly.
"Oh no. I mean you do - have a nice - I mean - you look familiar," he said, settling on a topic.
"Like your dead girlfriend?" she says.
"Only when you smile. But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else…." he said looking thoughtful.
"Do you go to the Catscratch Club? That's where I work, I dance - help me look!" Ginny tells him.
"Yes! They used to tie you up," Draco said, looking slightly triumphant.
"It's a living," Ginny said resignedly, discreetly blowing out the candle again.
"I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs," he said, smirking.
"We could light the candle. Oh won't you light the candle?" Ginny asked seductively.
Draco lit the candle again, saying, "Why don't you forget that stuff? You look like you're sixteen."
"I'm nineteen, but I'm old for my age. I'm just born to be bad!" Ginny said.
"I once was born to be bad. I used to shiver like that," Draco said knowingly.
"I have no heat, I told you!" Ginny interrupted indignantly.
"I used to sweat," Draco continued.
"I got a cold…." Ginny interrupted again.
"I used to be a junkie," he continued again, smirking.
"Now and then I like to….. ," Ginny said hesitantly.
"Uh huh," Draco said knowingly.
"Feel good," she finished.
"Here it, um…." Draco said, obviously not finishing his previous sentence. He bent down and scooped up a small object, Ginny's stash.
"What's that?" Ginny asked, looking curious.
"It's a candy bar wrapper," Draco said. He hid the stash in his back pocket.
"We could light the candle…." Ginny suggested.
Draco discreetly blew out the candle, but not discreetly enough, as Ginny had seen him.
"What'd you do with my candle?" she asked.
"The was my last match," Draco lied.
"Our eyes will adjust, thank God for the moon," she reassured him.
"Maybe it's not the moon at all. I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street," Draco said pessimistically.
"Bah humbug…. Bah humbug," Ginny joked. She placed her hand underneath his, pretending to do it by accident.
"Cold hands," he observed.
"Yours too…. Big. Like my father's," Ginny said.
"I'm Draco," he offered.
"They call me, they call me Ginny…." she said seductively, moving closer.
The two came very close to a kiss, but Ginny reached into Draco's back pocket to grab her stash. She waved it in his face, then walked out the door, swaying her hips.