This is a celebratory oneshot for me re-entering the GA fandom after two years. *cheer*

It's slightly AU, as *slight spoiler* Mikan isn't able to attend the Cultural Festival during her third elementary year. But oh well, Mikan and co. are all twelve here.

I'm sorry it kind of drags on a bit, but I wasn't sure how to end it. *sweatdrop*

Disclaimer~

Dance With Me

"Ehhhhh? Misaki-sensei's going to dance with Serina-sensei?" Anna and Nonoko chorused in despair.

Hotaru sighed in mild irritation at their antics, flipping boredly through various photos she'd accumulated of Ruka mid-alice and smiling inwardly as she reminded herself of each and every embarrassing shot.

Mikan, meanwhile, tried her best to console her friends. "I'm sure he'll realise that he made a huge mistake and that actually he isn't fit for Serina-sensei at all."

"Really? Do you really think so?"

Mikan nodded encouragingly to the two girls, who giggled with excitement at the prospect.

As the twins lost themselves in their love-love fantasy worlds with Misaki-sensei, Mikan sighed, turning away and leaning her elbows on the back of her chair. Hotaru cast a concerned glance in her direction from the adjacent seat, following her best friend's melancholic gaze towards the shimmering bonfire.

Hotaru had noticed that Mikan hadn't been herself recently. Her smiles were less frequent, her laughter less joyous and her movements less vigorous. Something had been plaguing Mikan's mind ever since the Cultural Festival was first mentioned a few weeks ago. Hotaru had inquired briefly about what was on Mikan's mind, but surprisingly Mikan had shrugged her off with a bright grin that Hotaru had of course seen through immediately. Despite her sharp intuition, Hotaru was somehow unable to decode those complicated facial expressions by herself, and this was what annoyed her most of all. Hotaru had always been able to read her best friend like a book, even on those rare occasions when Mikan denied something was wrong. But her two years at Alice Academy had toughened Mikan up a little, and she'd been forced to hone her skill at keeping secrets, which frustrated Hotaru to no end.

"Ah," Anna began, snapping Hotaru as well as Mikan out of their reveries. Uncharacteristically, her smile was almost a knowing smirk as she continued, unnerving both girls and sending a chilling shiver down Mikan's spine. "That reminds me, Mikan-chan..."

"... Who are you dancing the last dance with this year?" Nonoko eagerly finished.

Hotaru set down her forgotten blackmail pictures in favour of the more interesting subject at hand.

"U-um... I haven't r-really thought about it..." Mikan stammered unconvincingly.

"Seriously?" Nonoko replied incredulously. "You must have thought about it at least once - after all, it's your last chance before we enter middle school."

Hotaru narrowed her eyes at the faint rosy blush appearing on Mikan's face.

"Don't you have someone you like?" Anna asked.

Mikan slowly shook her head, her gaze fixed on her hands fiddling with the croissant on her plate.

"But everyone likes someone - even just a little."

"Yeah," Anna continued, "even Hotaru-chan likes someone, and she's as cold as a blizzard."

Mikan's head snapped up at this, a mixed look of awe and shock on her round face. "Whaaaaat? Hotaru, why haven't I heard about this?"

Hotaru glared daggers at Anna, leaving her cowering into her seat with fear, before turning her attention to Mikan. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to have to deal with this," she muttered brusquely, gesturing to the dangerous sparkle in the three other girls' eyes.

"Who is it?"

"Does he know you like him?"

"Does he like you back?"

"Are you going to dance together for the last dance?"

BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA

"Shut up. Your idiocy might be contagious."

Anna and Nonoko rubbed their wounded heads sheepishly. Mikan was about to retort, but her reply was interrupted by a loud statement by Mochu.

"Hey, where's Natsume-san?"

Kitsuneme replied, "Yeah, I haven't seen him all evening."

The girls all exchanged glances as their attention turned to eavesdropping.

"He's nearby," Kokoro Yome stated, his dumb grin ever unwavering. "I can hear his thoughts."

"Eh?" Mochu replied instinctively. "What's he thinking?"

"His thoughts are all over the place, but I don't think he's in a very good mood."

Yuu piped up. "Why is he hiding? And why so near to us?"

Kitsuneme shrugged. "It's Natsume. He's so mysterious even Koko can't tell what he's thinking."

The boys broke out in raucous laughter, and Anna and Nonoko exchanged excited looks.

"What are you two grinning about?" Hotaru asked disinterestedly.

"We're just wondering who Natsume-kun's going to dance with," the girls giggled in sync.

Hotaru rolled her eyes and prepped her baka gun 2.0, but Mikan quickly restrained her.

Before the fight could become more violent, a loud voice echoed around the plaza. "Okay everyone, it's the moment you've all been waiting for - the last dance is about to begin!" There was a loud cheer from the students. "Just five more minutes to find your partner!"

The harsh voice was replaced by soft, romantic music that seeped through the loudspeakers. The couples that had already been waiting began to make their way to the bonfire, and some high school couples were already slow dancing together towards the centre.

Hotaru suddenly stood up, her chair making a harsh screech as it was pushed across the concrete. She left the table without a word, despite the girls's shocked calls to her.

"Maybe she's going to find the person she likes?" Nonoko suggested.

Her theory was proven correct (as always) when Hotaru was seen leading Ruka to the dancefloor, and - was that a smile?

Anna and Nonoko fangirled in their seats. "It's Ruka-kun? Aww, they look so good together!"

"Don't they just, Mikan?"

The question was met with silence.

Anna looked over at Mikan's seat expectantly, but it was empty.

Nonoko and Anna looked at each other, their confused faces mirroring each other.

"Sumire-chan, did you see which direction Mikan left in?"

The passing girl shook her head, an eyebrow raised, before continuing on towards a group of high school hotties, an evil glint in her eye.

"Eh..."

"I knew I'd find you here."

Natsume choked on his lemonade, looking behind him from his hiding place behind a nearby tree. "Mikan."

She moved round the tree until they were facing each other, though Natsume didn't stand to greet her.

There was an awkward silence before Mikan asked quietly, "Why are you here?"

Natsume shrugged. "I don't see the point of the whole 'last dance' thing. All it means for me is a huge load of trouble."

Mikan chuckled, remembering how he was assaulted last year by middle-school girls.

"Don't laugh," Natsume growled irritably, looking away. "It's not funny."

Mikan's laughter quieted down, though her grin remained plastered to her rose-tinted face.

Natsume looked back at the girl to find her hand extended to him. He blinked in surprise.

"Dance with me."

Natsume appeared to think about it for a moment, before grabbing the edge of Mikan's dress and lifting it, an infuriatingly nonchalant expression on his face.

"Natsume!" Mikan shrieked, her face exploding in beet red as she slapped his hand away and took a precautionary step back. "I'm trying to be nice!"

To her amazement, Natsume smiled.

Not a frown, or even a teasing smirk - a genuine smile.

Mikan's face was wiped of all anger in that instant, and if possible her features turned an even darker shade of crimson.

Natsume slowly stood, bracing himself against the aged tree as he brushed himself off. He glanced to his left to see Mikan still frozen in place, her eyes wide and her hands trembling a little. The smile returned as he offered her his gloved hand and mimicked her earlier words. "Dance with me."

Mikan's face screwed up in annoyance. She took the proffered hand, and as he led her out into the clearing, she mumbled, "I hate you."

Natsume didn't reply, but Mikan heard a quiet chuckle from beside her, again dusting her face in pink.

As they neared the bonfire, Mikan heard the expected mutters of Natsume's fangirls (and fanboys) and Sumire's cries of sorrow from the burger bar.

Natsume drew her close - they'd missed half the song, but that didn't matter anymore. As they slowly spun together, Mikan caught sight of her class over Natsume's shoulder, and blushed at the confusion and shock on their faces. She shifted uncomfortably in Natsume's arms.

"What?" he mutttered.

"It's nothing, just - the... the class. They're, um, staring at us..."

Natsume took Mikan's hand in his and as he spun her, he took the opportunity to spare a glance towards their classmates. For sure, their expressions were priceless.

"I'm not surprised. Usually people who spend their time telling each other how much they hate each other don't end up dating."

"I suppose you're right," Mikan giggled, bumping their noses together.

A camera flash interrupted them, and both turned to face Ruka's partner.

Natsume's expression mirrored Mikan's as they stared at their best friends, speechless.

"This will sell for big money..." Hotaru whispered to herself, despite the weak protests from Ruka.

Ruka shot Natsume a helpless expression, to which he sighed. He unconsciously drew Mikan closer to him as he mumbled, "At least it'll stop idiots like Shadow from hitting on my Mikan."

Mikan wanted to protest Tsubasa's innocence, but somehow her words got lost in the warmth of Natsume's shoulder.