Disclaimer: I OWN Harry Potter! And what're you gonna do about it??? /in an instant, lawyers surround Silvermoon threateningly/ o.O. okay, okay. I DON'T own it. geesh. /lawyers leave/ /gets a crafty look/ But I DO own THE MANIC GLEAM!

Ginny was awakened by a persistent shaking of her shoulder. She looked at Stacy. who had done the shaking, and asked, "What time is it?"

"Ten."

"Then why did you wake me up?"

"Because we wanted to know what you were doing with Draco Malfoy draped about you. You know that he's supposed to be mine!"

Ginny gasped and looked up and saw Draco Malfoy sleeping, his arms still around her. Turning around, she told Stacy, "Go to the common room or something." Before Stacy could protest, Ginny said, knowing the Stacy would do anything for money, "I'll pay you for it later, ok?"

Stacy nodded, already making plans for how much she'll ask for and how she'll spend it. She walked out the door Tracy and Macy, who had followed her like dutiful toadies, in tow. Having effectively shooed Stacy, Tracy, and Macy off, Ginny turned her face up towards Malfoy, examining his sleeping face.

He looked innocent, with his blond hair, like an angel and young- he had always seemed like an adult. A cruel and petty adult, but an adult nonetheless... this angelic Malfoy was very different. Her mouth open in wonder, she raised a hand and cupped his face softly. She caressed his cheek, (softly so as not to wake him up) marveling at its softness.

Suddenly, his face contorted in anguish and fear! "No," he moaned. "I don't want to!" His eyes flared open, and his eyes looked at her, and yet through her. "I will, I'll do it! Just don't-" A whisper. "Don't hurt me anymore." Sweat beaded his forehead, and his eyes closed again, murmuring and sometimes shouting in anguish or fear- Ginny couldn't tell. She stared in horrified wonder at this tormented angel, before coming to her senses. She had to wake him up! She couldn't let him wander in the pain and horror that lay in his nightmares!

"Malfoy-" Her voice cracked. She tried again, "Malfoy! Wake up! It's just a nightmare! A nightmare!" No response. "MALFOY!" She yelled at the top of her voice. She pinched him, she pulled his hair, but he still wouldn't come out of his dark nightmare. Finally, in desperation, she summoned The Dresser, since she couldn't get out of Malfoy's hug and didn't particularly want to, and selected 'Advice'. She knew that it was only supposed to be advice on your outfit, your makeup, or your hair. But she was desperate!

The Dresser beeped to life, and asked in it's mechanical voice what it could do to help her, "Dear, you aren't wearing makeup, and I would say that's a pretty good look for you. Natural and all. Your hair could do with some brushing, here, you can borrow my brush," A drawer opened, and tossed a brush out to her.

"No! I don't want advice on that! I need some advice on how to wake up Malfoy- that boy on the bed- he's having a nightmare, but nothing I could do would wake him up! What should I do???" Ginny asked, hoping against hope that The Dresser could respond to this kind of question.

"Ah," The Dresser said, a note of interest in her voice. "Well I'm not very sure about this kind of thing, but you asked for my advice, so here it is: Comfort him out of his nightmare- don't try to wake him up, you'll get nowhere trying to wake him up. Sooth him, try to lead him into a nice dream or into a dreamless sleep." And with those instructions, The Dresser automatically switched itself off.

Ginny remained thoughtfully silent, wondering if she should take a dresser's advice. Shrugging, she thought, 'What would it hurt?' Deciding this, she set to work 'soothing' him. She turned around so she was facing his chest, and reaching up, began stroking his blond hair much as he had done for her a while ago. With her other hand, she caressed his face, whispering, "Don't let it get you, it's ok, it's not real, it's a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Only a nightmare. A nightmare can't hurt you."

To her surprise, only after a few minutes of this treatment, the lines of terror and pain on his face smoothed away, and he seemed to fall into a deep and peaceful sleep. But she continued stroking his hair and his face, for no other reason than because she wanted to. Soon, she too, fell asleep once again, not noticing before she did so, a cloaked figure who had watched the proceedings and had smiled a wicked smile. :.*.: The next morning, Draco woke up and waited patiently for Ginny to wake up so he might move. He remembered vaguely having a recurring nightmare that he'd been having all that week. There was something different last night, though. Before he had reached the most terrifying part, the pinnacle of all his fears, insecurities, someone had soothed him into a deeper, thus dreamless, sleep. A gentle hand, and soothing fingers was what he remembered; instead of the nightmare he usually remembered in such vivid detail.

Ginny stirred in his arms, and woke up, looking up at Draco, blinking furiously.

"Good morning, Weasley," Draco said, trying to push her away so he could get off this bed.

"Good morning, Malfoy," Ginny said, obliging and getting off so he could get off.

Draco stretched with a sigh and a yawn. You really get a lot of kinks when you sleep sitting up.

"Shall we go to breakfast?"

"Sure."

"Oh, and a word of advice, Weasley: give Potter the cold shoulder or something. Show him that he can't stand you up and get away with it." :.*.: They walked into the Gryffindor common room, rumors being formulated as they walked calmly out the portrait hole. At the entrance of the Great Hall, Draco and Ginny seperated, heading for their own tables.

"Hey Draco," said a stupid voice. "Where were you yesterday? You missed dinner!" Draco didn't look at the person. He already knew it was probably Crabbe, the hungrier of the two.

"None of your business."

They walked to the Slytherin house table, and sat down to eat. Draco helped himself to a variety of things, since he hadn't eaten his dinner, he was ravenous. A sip of pumpkin juice, a biscuit, some sausages, pancakes with most of the syrup, a gulp of pumpkin juice, a bowl of cereal, a plate of scrambled eggs, and a tall glass of orange juice. He ate a few muffins with milk, and still hungry, he ate some bacon also. Drinking a glass more of pumpkin juice, Draco was done. He wiped his mouth, and headed to his own dorm to change his clothes. :.*.: Ginny hurried into the Hall, eager to eat, her stomach reminding her angrily that she didn't eat dinner last night. She sighed and tried to tell it that she was about to eat, but it continued to growl. She plunked into a chair and helped her to pancakes, bacon, eggs, and pumpkin juice. Usually all she ate was a small muffin and some milk. She had been watching her weight for Harry, but now she thought it was pointless; he obviously didn't like her at all. She still loved him, but she didn't think starving herself would get him to like her back. Plus, she was hungry! Having finished her breakfast, she hurried to her dorm room so she could change her clothes, as the ones she was wearing right now were rather wrinkled.

After changing, she went outside to bask in the sunlight. Today was Saturday, after all. She had eaten late, so she hadn't seen Dawn, Harry, Ron, or Hermione all day. Spotting them in the distance, under a young birch tree, she went to join them.

Saying hi to all of them except Harry, she sat between Ron and Dawn. "So what's up? What are we talking about? Anyone care to tell me?"

"Well," Harry began, "We were just talking about the upcoming dance. We're the only ones who know there's even going to be a dance because Hermione's a prefect-"

Ginny cut him off. Coolly ignoring him, she asked, "Come on, people, it's not like it's confidential information is it? Someone tell me before I feel left out." She punctuated this with a petulant pout.

"But," Ron said, very confused, "Harry was just telling you but you interrupted him."

"Harry? He's not here, what are you talking about? Are you ok, Ron?" She pressed a hand to his forehead. "I don't think you have a fever, but maybe you should lie down. I mean, having hallucinations must be a sign of illness, right?" She turned to Hermione, directing the question at her.

Hermione answered hesitantly, "Yes, but-"

"Good. I'm glad you agree with me," Ginny said briskly.

Trying to steer the conversation toward something he could understand, Ron asked innocently of Harry, "So how was your date with Ginny?"

Hermione brightened, "Yeah, yeah! We need details!"

In the back, Dawn slapped a hand to her head, and shook her head sadly. These people are so clueless, she thought. Pulling Hermione aside, she whispered something into Hermione's ear, which Hermione in turn whispered into Ron's ear. Ron turned red. "HARRY? YOU STOOD MY LITTLE SISTER UP??" Ron bellowed, looking ready to punch him.

Ginny ignored all this, though she could feel her face heating up with embarrassment. Feigning nonchalance, she turned to Dawn and started a private conversation of her own. She couldn't ignore Harry's protestations and Ron and Hermione berating him, but she could certainly try.

"Hey Dawn, what's up?"

"My curiosity. I saw Draco hugging you!" She beamed, "I knew you two would get along great once you guys got to know each other!"

Annoyed at Harry, who was still trying to make up excuses, she willed him to just shut up. And he did! In the middle of the sentence 'I had good reason to: Dumbledore called me to his off-'. That sentence was cut off, and try as he might, he couldn't seem to say anything more. His mouth opened and closed in a vain attempt to talk. Ginny sighed. Whatever had happened, he didn't have to keep looking like an idiot, did he? On his face was the dumbest expression she had ever seen. More dumb than even one on Crabbe or Goyle's face. Ron had stopped mid-rant and was now looking anxiously at his friend.

"Maybe we should take him to the infirmary," Hermione said reasonably. So they did. All of them trooped behind Ron and Harry. Ron had conjured up a stretcher and Hermione had laid him on it. Every sixth year learned how to conjure up stretchers and how to put people on it; it was a precaution since sixth years learned rather dangerous things, and sometimes that had 'side effects'.

They went to the infirmary, Harry silently 'eep'ing all the while. Madame Pomfrey bustled forward, and looked over Harry, muttering to herself and poking him in various places. After tsking for a bit, she turned to tell them her diagnosis.

"This is no natural illness. Someone had willed it on him, maybe cast a spell on him, and that someone had succeeded in their wishes. Unless this someone unwills it or gives him the antidote, he will be unable to speak for at least a week, more probably for three weeks," Madame Pomfrey said, adding sympathetically, "He could stay in the infirmary, and he will be excused from his classes and be taught by books. This kind of thing has happened only once before; when Tom Riddle had done much the same thing to a professor of ours- The Care of Magical Creatures professor in fact. Whoever did this must have a strong force of will and must have been experiencing powerful emotions."

'Oh no' Ginny thought, horrified. I did this! I did this thing that only Tom Riddle has done! And Tom Riddle is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! She tuned in again, "-anyone of you have any idea who might have done this to Harry?"

"Well," Hermione said slowly, looking at Ginny out of the corner of her eye. Ginny knew what that look meant- she closed her eyes and willed and wished that all of this would go away- Harry would be able to talk, Hermione wouldn't be looking at her suspiciously, 'I wouldn't be like Tom Riddle'.

"Hey look! I can talk!" Harry said, jumping from the stretcher and doing the funky chicken. "And it was probably that slimy git, Malfoy anyway."

Dawn opened her mouth, obviously about to defend her brother. Ginny sidled over to her quickly and whispered, "Remember, they don't know you and him are related." Dawn sighed, accidentally bringing her to Madame Pomfrey's attention.

"Dawn! Are you feeling all right, dear? Has all this given you a headache? Would you like to lie down? Take some medicine maybe?"

Dawn shook her head vigorously, then said, "Thank you for asking, but I'm fine. Really I am."

Madame Pomfrey looked at her for a moment. Dawn tried to make herself look as healthy as possible. "W-e-ll, I still think I should give you some medicine. Come back later, in an hour."

"Okay," Dawn said agreeably.

They trooped out of the infirmary, talking, Ginny forgetting about her grudge. 'This is what you get when you listen to Malfoy's advice!' :.*.:

A/N: THE WAFFINESS CONTINUES! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA! /takes a deep breath/ MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Well, review if you don't want anymore WAFFiness, and review if you want more! DO IT!

(w)= authors on ffn

(a)=anonymous

*.*= their review

THANK YOU TO:

Quiet One (w) : *YAAAYYY!!! I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to post the 6th chapter. YAY!!! hehe..., I like this chapter. Draco being nice. Rare trait. I like it. Wonderfull!! Magnificent!! I'm hyper can't ya tell? BTW, theres more of 'elvish strenght' if ya want it. Just a short chap, but hey. Anyway, keep posting!!!!!!!! Soon!!!!!!

Quiet One* /chuckles weakly/ Does this count as 'soon'??? I hope so. I'm glad you enjoyed this, and of course I can't tell when people are hyper! . Because I'm always hyper myself! Teehee. thanks for your encouragement

azalai (w) : *dun dun DUN! Okay, yeah, ignore me, and write more please!

-azalai* I can't ignore you! You're the only person beside Quiet One who reviewed! Well, I did write more, but as you can see, I don't have much encouragement. /sniffle/

P.S.: If you've got a flame, I've got marshmallows! /holds up half-full bag of marshmallows/

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P.S.S: If you don't review, and you enjoyed this, then the monster, Catyrpelius will eat you! {teehee}