Live Like We're Dying

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary hadn't brought her guitar to the student lounge. She wanted to meet new people. Sure, the guitar helped, but some people didn't want to interrupt. She wasn't sure if she should sing either, or if people would be afraid to interrupt. She decided that it was why people walked over to her in the first place. She started singing "Live Like We're Dying" by Kris Allen.

"Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up. We're hiding behind skin that's too tough. How come we don't say 'I love you' enough? 'Til it's too late, it's not too late. Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come and we could make a feast from these crumbs. And we're all staring down the barrel of a gun. So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done? Yeah, we gotta start looking at the hands of the time we've been given. If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking, if every second counts on a clock that's ticking, gotta live like we're dying. We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away. We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we're dying. And if your plane fell out of the skies, who would you call with your last goodbye? Should be so careful who we let fall out our lives. So when we long for absolution, there'll no one on the line, yeah. Yeah, we gotta start looking at the hands of the time we've been given. If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking, if every second counts on a clock that's ticking, gotta live like we're dying. We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away. We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we're dying. Like we're dying, oh, like we're dying.. We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away. We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we're dying. You never know a good thing till it's gone, you never see a crash till it's head on. Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong? You never know a good thing till it's gone. Yeah, we gotta start looking at the hands of the time we've been given. If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking, if every second counts on a clock that's ticking, gotta live like we're dying. We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away. We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we're dying. Like we're dying, oh, like we're dying.. We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or to throw it all away.
We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say, gotta live like we're dying.." She finished the song and took a funny bow, giggling.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth was curled up in the student lounge reading a very thick book she'd gotten out from the library only that day. When she heard singing she closed the book with a snap. She enjoyed singing, and if she met someone else who did then she'd probably have another friend soon. Looking around, she saw a Hufflepuff singing. Elspeth smiled, she liked most Hufflepuffs. She accompanied the girl under her breath, not wanting to interrupt, if the girl wanted to sing by herself. When the song had finished, she picked up her book and walked over to the girl. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked, setlling herself on the couch next to her anyway. "You're a really good singer," she complimented.

((ooc: Sorry, it's really lame. ))

 

[Hillary Crespo]

((It's fine, mine's lame too.))

Hillary smiled at the girl who asked if she could sit there. "Don't mind at all," she said. She blushed a little at the compliment. She was used to people saying that, but it still made her blush. "Thanks," she said. She realized she hadn't introduced herself. "I'm Hillary Crespo," she said, putting out her hand for the girl to shake. "Nice to meet you."

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

"I'm Elspeth," she said by way of introduction. "I really like that song. Nice to meet you Hillary." she said, shaking the proffered hand and laughing. "Do you sing a lot? I do, but not usually in the middle of the student lounge." Though, she thought wryly, I wouldn't have put it past Ells... "Do you play any musical instruments?" She asked.

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary shook hands with the girl. "Yeah, it's a good song," she said. She giggled a little. "Well, I was kind of just hoping to meet people. I mean, usually people like my singing and come up to me. That's how I meet a lot of people." She nodded when the girl asked if she played any instruments. "I play the acoustic guitar. Do you play any instruments?"

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth nodded when Hillary asked if she played a musical instrument. "The piano. I haven't practised since I came to Hogwarts, though." She hadn't done a lot of things since she began Hogwarts. "So I'm probably no good any more. You can't carry it around like an acoustic guitar." she joked. "How long have you been learning?"

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary giggled a little at the joke. "Portable piano... it would be very hard to make!" she said. She thought about the question. "Well, I was using one of those little toy guitar things when I was about five years old, but I started learning how to play the real guitar when I was about eight years old. Of course, it was hard for me at first, and I'm in fact still learning things about the guitar."

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

"My mum taught me the piano. I've been learning since I was old enough to reach the keys. After a while, she stopped teaching me and I got a tutor." Elspeth sighed. She didn't like thinking about her childhood. At first it was because she had always been lonely and unhappy, but now it was because it made her think about the mother she would never speak to again. "Yeah, it was hard at first. What else do you like doing?"

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary shifted uncomfortably, keeping her smile. It seemed like the conversation was making Elspeth uncomfortable. She was glad that she changed the subject. "Well, I like to play guitar and sing as you already know," she said. "I also like to read books. But I only like good books. It's no fun when the books are boring. And uh, I guess that's it. What about you?"

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth grinned widely. "You're kidding! I guess I'm a Ravenclaw, so of course I like reading," She motioned to the book she had been reading before Hillary had started singing. "Um, about me... I was brought up by my Mum, she taught me to speak loads of languages, play the piano, and was really overprotective." Elspeth paused, then continued, "Then last year she died, and now I'm living with my aunt in England."

 

[Hillary Crespo]

((Sorry, didn't notice the reply because I wasn't on this account much... was trying to do lessons and stuff on other accounts.))

Hillary smiled until Elspeth mentioned her mother died. Her smile faded. It would seem odd if she was smiling after she heard someone had died. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. She realized it was quite awkward when somebody mentioned someone dying. What was she supposed to say? She hadn't really met anyone who had someone close to them that had died... Or at least none that she could remember.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth saw Hillary's smile slide slowly off her face. "It's all right, I'm used to it now." She wished she hadn't mentioned it now. Whenever anyone heard, the conversation became awkward and then no one knew what to say. She sought around for a change of subject, so that the Hufflepuff would feel more at ease. "Can you play Quidditch?" the girl asked, knowing that it was exceedingly transparent what she was trying to do.

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary nodded, slowly. Then her cheery mood came back as the girl mentioned Quidditch. "I loved flying a broom in my first year... I haven't gone back to it, though. I know the rules of Quidditch, but haven't played an actual game. So I'm not sure if I'm very good. What about you?"

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth relaxed as Hillary smiled again. "I'm not great at flying... I tried once or twice when I was a kid, but for getting places I like side-along-apparation. I just always feel like I'm going to fall off or overbalance." she laughed. "I can't wait to pass my apparation test. Then I'll be able to get anywhere really fast!"

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary nodded. "Yeah, apparation will be cool," she said, thinking of what it would feel like to apparate. "It would be really fast. I hope I don't get dizzy, though. From just appearing in another place." She wasn't sure how she would feel while apparating. She had a while until she found out, though.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth smiled. "My family takes me everywhere by side-along apparation. I can't ride a broom well, so a trip from New Zealand to England?" she rolled her eyes at the thought. "Most people hate the feeling, but I like it. I don't think you'd get dizzy, more confused. I always see something and think, when did that get there? And wasn't I inside before? before I remember."

 

[Hillary Crespo]

Hillary nodded. "My family and I used muggle transportation for the move, and we did for other stuff, before we moved," she said. "I would probably be confused like that. But I would get over it quickly. Most likely. I mean, because I haven't done it I don't know. But I'm not the smartest person. But awesomeness makes up for it." Hillary smiled, making sure it was obvious it was a joke. She didn't want Elspeth to think she was conceited or anything.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth laughed at Hillary's joke. "Awesomeness would help with apparation. Where do you live? When you're not at Hogwarts, I mean? Maybe we could meet over the holidays." Elspeth hoped the Hufflepuff would accept. Elspeth had grown used to there always being a few other Hogwarts students near her, having spent her last holidays at the Halfway house.