Chapter Six

AN: Hey!!! I'm sooooo happy that I got more reiveiws. Well as promised, I got out this chapter in a short amount of time. Hope you guys like it!! And thanks again to......Saranha De Angelo, maytoaugust, GomenTillTheEnd, queen34, and WestAnimeBrigade!!! Thanks a ton you guys!! Big hugs to you! Enjoy the chapter and as always the more reviews the earlier I try to update!

Disclaimer: If I owned Vampire Knight, I would be out making the next volume, instead of writing here on fan fiction.

High School Dance!

Yuuki straightened her long white dress. and ran her hands through her short brown hair. She studied herself in front of the mirror for a long time, wanting to look just perfect.

The doorbell rang suddenly, startling her out of her concentration. "I'll get it!" she yelled, opening the door to her room. She picked up her dress so as not to trip on it and went tearing down the stairs.

"Hi Zero," she greeted, opening the front door to let him in.

"Hi," he said lamely.

"You look really good!" she said, hoping to raise his spirits a bit. He was wearing a neatly ironed black suit and his silvery-white hair was flowing in an elegant sort of way over his face.

But he wasn't listening. His eyes were widened and he was looking at her from head to toe. She was really pretty!

"Zero?" she asked, mystified.

"Let's go," he said, turning around in a sudden move to leave.

Yuuki didn't move from the doorway. "Do I look weird?" she asked hesitantly.

"No," he said firmly and started walking. Yuuki smiled, hurried to his side and they walked on in silence.

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AN: This part is from Zero's POV, just not in first-person

Zero eyed the ballroom, tentively. Most of the couples were already on the dance floor.

The room was dimly lit. There were red tablecloths and white curtains that added a sort of romantic atmosphere to the night.

He strode over to the bartender, trying not to notice Yuuki's depressed face. She was sitting at a chair staring moanfully at the dance floor.

"One water please." He wasn't in the mood of getting drunk now on beer or wine. Besides, he didn't drink much anyway.

He looked back at Yuuki. Tanaka Jun from Class 2-1 was talking to Yuuki. Zero eyed the two with narrowed eyes. Jun slowly bowed in a ceremonious fashion and offered her hand. Zero felt anger rush inside of him. Yuuki looked around fearfully and then hesitantly took his hand.

They started walking towards the dance floor. Yuuki's face was still a bit frightened.

Zero zoomed across the room towards them. How dare she?

"Sir? Don't you want your water?" the bartender called after him, raising the cup in his hand.

Zero ignored him. His legs carried him toward Yuuki, where he angrily ripped her hands out of Jun's.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her angrily.

"I- I'm sorry" she stuttered in a scared voice. "I thought you didn't want to dance. I looked around but I didn't see you. So I agreed to dance with Jun for a little while. His girlfriend ditched him for some other guy." she looked down. "I'm sorry." Jun was slowly edging away out of fear that Zero would do something horrible to him. But Zero didn't pay him the slightest attention.

He was glaring at Yuuki with angry eyes. "You're my partner. Or have you forgotten? I came here because you had no one to go with." Jun raised his eyes at this but said nothing.

Zero loosened his grip on her hand slightly and pulled her onto the dance floor, leaving Jun staring in shock.

Yuuki's hand was so warm and comforting. They danced to the slow beat of the music and Zero felt his head spinning. When was the last time he had done this? When had he had he last danced with a girl? Probably Junior High, when all the girl fawned over him. But he was never serious by those dances.

Yuuki smiled softly through the whole dance. "I'm glad you came with me." she said.

Zero raised his eyebrows. "You are? Didn't you want someone fun and popular?"

Yuuki shook her head, still smiling. "Like I told you the other night. It would be worth everything in the world just to see you smile at me genuinely."

Zero was silent. What was she talking about? Why was he so important to her? And why had he gone to stop her from dancing with Jun? It shouldn't really matter to him. But she just kept saying that... To see you smile.

As the song was coming to an end, Zero noticed a tall brown-haired boy, making his way toward them.

"Hello Yuuki" Ryu grinned, causing Zero to grit his teeth.

"Hi, Ryu" she looked uncomfortable for some reason.

"So.... Kiryuu..." Ryu turned to him in a obviously jealous manner. "You got Yuuki to come with you, huh?!"

Zero stayed silent like he had taught himself to do when people said things like that to him.

"What makes you think you deserve her?!" he raised his voice dangerously."Tell me! she rejected two really popular guys -if I may say so myself- just for you! How'd you get the nerve to ask Cross Yuuki, the cutest and sweetest girl in the class?"

Yuuki turned crimson at his words. "Ryu..." she said, trying to stop him. Zero remained silent which only added fuel to his anger.

"You idiot!" he screamed. "Who do you think you are?" Ryu lunged his fist at Zero's face who smoothly moved his face and dodged the punch. It was only then he realized he was still holding Yuuki's hand.

Ryu didn't give up. He raised his fist again in an attempt to knock Zero unconscious.

"NO! RYU!!!" Zero felt Yuuki quickly release his hand from between her fingers and she quickly went in front of him and blocked him in a protective manner. She fell down on the floor, unconsciously, from the severity of the punch that landed on her face. Ryu gasped. Zero drew a sharp breath and gave Ryu a look that would've killed twice with one blow. He then bent down besides Yuuki, picked her up into his arms and took her out of the ballroom.

* * * * * *

Yuuki opened her eyes,achingly. Her cheeks were aching in pain. They were swollen black and blue.

"Are you okay, Yuuki?" Zero got up from the bench beside her. They were in the hall outside the ballroom. There was the sound of faint music in the backround coming from the room.

Yuuki looked at him painfully. "Sort of. What happened?" She wracked her memory to try to remember but to no avail.

Zero narrowed his eyes. "Ryu tried to punch me so you blocked me and took the blow. Do you remember?"

Yuuki scrunched her bruised face. "Oh yes. Now I remember."

"Yuuki...." Zero began, looking down.

Yuuki looked up at him. "Yes?"

"Thank you." he looked ashamed that she got hurt because of him.

Yuuki smiled. "That's okay. I did it to protect my friend after all."

Zero raised his head and widened his eyes in surprise. "You still call me your friend?"

"Of course," she said, as if her answer was obvious.

At that second, Ryu walked into the room, robbing Zero of his chance to answer.

"Yuuki.... I'm really sorry." Ryu looked down. Yuuki said nothing.

"Can we forgive and forget?" he asked hesitantly.

Yuuki looked up at him. "You have to promise never to hurt Zero again." she said seriously.

"Fine" he answered through gritted teeth. He then broke into a laugh, despite himself." He's lucky. You'll probably be the only friend he'll ever have!" Yuuki glared at him angrily. "He doesn't deserve you!" Ryu continued. "Don't you see?"

"Yes he does! You just don't get it, do you?" she screamed, getting up, in obvious pain "You expect me to forgive you when you keep talking like that!?". Her face was throbbing with every word she spoke. "I know that deep down Zero is a good person. Even if the entire Myan High doesn't want to give him a chance, I will!"

Zero put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "It's all right Yuuki. You don't have to defend me anymore."

"No, it's not!" she said, turning around towards him. Tears were running down her face. She wrapped her hands around him in a desperate attempt of comfort. Zero widened his eyes again for a moment, then broke into a genuine smile for the first time in over two years.

Ryu was staring in shock, as if wondering, Kiryuu Zero actually smiled?

Yuuki's hug around him tightened. "Everyone's laughing at me that you're my friend. I don't understand. Why are you so distant from everyone? Why?" Her tears were coming down at full force, wetting his black suit coat.

Zero put his hands around Yuuki, hugging her comfortingly. After a few seconds, he put his released his grip and put his hands on her shoulders. Ryu left the room angrily, not wanting to see the two spending time together.

"Yuuki.....It's okay" Zero said the smile still present on his face. Yuuki looked up at his face and widened in surprise. She then broke into a smile herself.

"Thank you Yuuki," he didn't stop smiling.

"You smiled!" she said happily.

Zero just kept grinning despite himself. For the first time in a really long time, he was happy.

* * * * * * *

Zero walked through the school gates, carrying a pile of books in his hand. His mind was still on the Friday night's dance.

Aidou and a group of his friends were chattering loudly as they walked in front of him, unaware of his presence.

"So who'd you go with to the school dance, Aidou?" one of his cronies asked.

"Satoshi Rei. I asked Cross Yuuki but she said she was going with someone else." Aidou answered. "Turned out to be Kiryuu." he smirked. "Could you believe she rejected me and Ryu for him?" The others voiced their agreement.

"Why Zero of all people?" one of them asked, curiously.

"Who knows?" Aidou shrugged. "You know she could really end up helping him. I heard she actually got him to smile!"

"No way!" they all said simultaneously in shock.

Zero bit his lip and continued listening as he lagged behind them. But despite that his heart was smiling. She really did reject two popular boys to get him to come with her. Sure, she did lie when she said she had no one to go with, but she had done it for him.

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AN: Hope you enjoyed! I love Ryu's major obvious crush on Yuuki! It's so cute! Anyway, Review Review Review!!!!