A/N from ZiBl: um... :hides under table: DON'T KILL US, WE LOVE YOU! We just got highly distracted from the story, but we're back now! And we fully intend to finish this! Shockingly, I even remember how it's supposed to end. Yay me! Sadly, we must entirely ignore the presence of book 6 because it screws this story to hell. I don't remember if this was written before or after 5, so.. Um.. Yeah. Sorry about that. And don't kill us, pweeeeaaaaaase!

A/N from samwise-dragoneyes: um...sorry about that...but we just got caught up in things, and one thing led to another, and...well...I'M SORRY! I FEEL SO HORRIBLE! Anyways, I hope someone is actually still looking forward to this, because we think we'll have it finished soon...

Dancing With the Dragon

By: Two insane idiots, a.k.a. samwise-dragoneyes and ZiBl

Chapter 6: Plots afoot and underfoot

Draco made his way, as usual, to the inter-house challenge room that night, hoping to run into Weasley so he could charmingly ask her how she was feeling after that morning's incident. His smirk, full of evil malice, flickered triumphantly across his face, quickly replaced by a seemingly caring smile as he entered the challenge room, hoping to find Ginny already there. When he entered the room and saw, to his great surprise, no sign of Ginny. Instead, a sour-looking Michael Corners leaned against the machine. Draco stopped in dead surprise, barely managing to whip up a look of haughty disdain.

"Corners? What are you doing in here?" He asked. Michael's eyes swept up to meet Draco's.

"I hear you have a bet going with the youngest Weasley," he said calmly. Damn. News travels fast here, Draco thought, surprised. It had only been about a week, so how did Michael find out? Did everyone know?

"Yeah, so? Who I bet with is my own decision."

"I want to help you win." Michael's voice was low and dangerous, and Draco arched an eyebrow in surprise.

"What? Why?" An evil smile crossed Michael's face.

"Revenge, of course. No body dumps me the way she did. I could help you. I could get close to Ginny again, win her trust. Then hex her 'til she can't even move, much less play DDR." Draco resisted the temptation to widen his eyes in shock at this revolting speech. He must really hate her, even I wouldn't stoop that low. He stood as straight and tall as he could and gave Michael the best haughty and disdain-filled Malfoy glare he could muster.

"I would sooner gouge my eyes out than except the help of a low-down rat like you. I don't need your help to beat her, that wouldn't be beating her at all." He strode forward until he was toe-to-toe with Michael, and jabbed his finger into the younger boy's chest. "And for your information, slimeball, a girl has free reign over who she chooses to date, and who she chooses to dump." His voice oozed contempt, and with a parting scowl at Michael, he whipped around and stalked out of the room. Who does that prat think he is? Revenge on Red like that... Wait, I am NOT caring about her. He could hex her to a coma for all I care, except then I couldn't beat her into the ground. I'll just practice in the Room of Requirement tonight. From the inter-house challenge room, Michael glowered at the Slytherin leaving the room, rubbing the spot on his chest where Draco had jabbed him.

Ginny sat in an overstuffed armchair in the Gryffindor common room, her legs crossed irately and a frown on her face as she stared at Kagome, who sat opposite her. "Ginny, I already said I was sorry! You must havefound the wrong species of frog, I never would have told you to lick one that caused you to puke!" Ginny could already feel her anger lessening as she gazed at the repentant look on Kagome's face. Finally, she sighed and uncrossed her legs.

"Fine, I forgive you. Just no more frog-licking, ever. Alright?" Kagome grinned her agreement as Ginny's gaze flickered over the Japanese girl's shoulder to meet the eyes of the Dream Team, who were walking up to her.

"Ginny, we need to talk." Snapped Ron, reaching her first. Ginny surveyed him cooly.

"What about, brother dear?" Ron flushed pink at her innocent tone of voice, and opened his mouth to retaliate when Harry quickly slapped a hand over Ron's mouth. Hermione stepped forward, a troubled look in her eyes.

"It's about the bet with Malfoy, Ginny. We're worried about it. He's plotting something, he has to be. He's going to get you alone and... hurt you or something." Hermione's voice sounded worried, and Ginny sighed.

"What have you heard about the bet, anyway?" She asked. Ron finally slipped out of Harry's grasp, and responded to the question.

"Just that after the Christmas holiday, you and that...that...PRAT are competing at that GAME. Why the hell were you even talking to him anyway? What was in your thick skull to make you to make a bet like that?" Ginny had heard enough. She stood, every inch of herfive footsix inch body radiating fury.

"Ronald Weasley, you CAD. What I do with my life is my own damn business, understood? If you ever call me thick again, I'll turn you into a newt. A bright pink one with lavender spots!" She turned then to Hermione, ignoring Kagome stifling a laugh at Ginny's choice in newt colors. "And Hermione, Draco is not plotting anything. It is a harmless bet which will cause him much humiliation when I win. So butt out. I have my own life, and I can make my own choices with it!" Ron turned purple when she called Draco by his first name, and opened his mouth to say something else when Ginny slapped him full across the face. The common room fell deathly silent. Every head was turned to the Weasleys. No one had ever seen sweet little Ginny slap anybody, much less her own brother.

"Ginny..." Hermione said, looking close to tears. "We're just worried about you." Ginny turned to her.

"I said butt out." Her tone fell like a winter's frost as she whirled and stalked up the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory. Everyone stared after her in shock.

Draco stomped on the pad, his breath coming in small hisses, more in anger than exhaustion, as he pounded out his anger at Michael on the DDR machine specially created by the Room of Requirement. That rat... I can beat her on my own, I don't need his cheating help. I have more pride than that. The song, entitled "Exotic Ethnic" ended, and his score came back: C. "Damnit!" He yelled, hitting a fist against the machine in rage. I have to win this, or that brat will make me look like an idiot in front of the entire school! She's got balls, though, I'll give her that.. He stood up and swiftly turned around as the door behind him creaked open. Blaise walked in, took one look at Draco's face, and flopped down on the black velvet couch by next to the machine.

"Bad day, huh?" Blaise asked, looking tiredly at Draco. Draco nodded in return.

"Corners volunteered to hex Ginny halfway to Hell right before the match." Blaise's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Corners? Her ex? Good god, does he realize the insult to your family name?" Draco shook his head then, and Blaise sighed. Draco flopped on the couch next to him and then proceeded to inform Blaise of his plan to charm the Wicked Witch. When he had finished, Blaise nodded his head. "Smart plan, Draco. Charm the snake before it bites. But don't get cocky. She's prideful. She'll still try her best." Draco smiled.

"She'll need to do much better than that to beat a Malfoy." Blaise looked over at him.

"You sound just like another Malfoy I know, Draco." Draco scowled. Damn you, father. Even when you're not here you influence my thoughts more than I'd like. Blaise grinned soberly. "Well if you're going to beat her that bad, you'd better get your ass back on that pad and practice. Draco nodded grimly, then stepped up once more and shortly began stepping out the steps to "Dam Darriram", another techno song with a fun but soft beat.

Ginny sat on her four-poster bed, scowling. He's not up to anything. I'm not even sure he's as bad as everyone says. Sure, he's MALFOY, but today by the lake... She sighed, frustrated. What the hell had been up with that, anyway? Draco being nice... Something just didn't fit, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. Whatever. She'd give him a second chance, but she had to stay completely alert for Malfoy trickery. Yawning, she curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep with arrows running through her mind. But right before she totally lost consciousness, a pair of storm-silver eyes drifted into her thoughts.

Ginny dreamed that night. She was trapped inside the DDR machine, looking out at a cold, bare room. Nobody else was in sight. "Hello?" She called out, but her voice was muffled and didn't come out clearly. "Is anyone there?" Silence greeted her. Looking around, all she could see were the empty stone walls of the room and the metal of the DDR machine. I'll try calling for help once more. She thought and then yelled as loud as she could "IS ANYBODY THERE?" Her voice came out louder and clearer than before, and echoed off the walls and out the entryway into the stone hall beyond. The echoes died, and the sound of bare feet padding on the floor came closer and closer. A young boy who looked to be around eight or nine entered the room wearing a flannel emerald bathrobe. Ginny squinted at him... He looked strangely familiar, and yet like no one she'd ever seen before. He smiled.

"Don't be afraid." The boy's voice was soft and misty, almost as if he didn't really exist. Ginny stared. Why does he look so familiar? His eyes were large and light blue, full of joy and kindness. His hair was medium length, and blonde. Then it hit Ginny. His smile... It looked just like Draco's had at the lake. Could this be... young Draco? The boy laughed, as if he had read Ginny's thoughts. "No, I'm not Draco. Maybe if you ask him, he'll tell you who I am." The boy laughed lightly, and vanished.

"Wait!" Ginny cried after him, but he didn't reappear.

"Ginny?" Another voice was calling, one she couldn't tell where it came from. She looked around wildly. "Ginny?"

"Huh?" Her dream shattered as her eyes flew open. She looked wildly around, and found herself to be in the middle of a school hallway. I must have been sleepwalki... Her thought broke off as her eyes hit the shocking silver ones in front of her. Of all people to wake me up...

Draco stared into the muddled brown eyes before him. Ginny was looking around as if she was lost. "Ginny...?" He asked again. "What are you doing?" She stared up at him, and her eyes focused more.

"I must have been sleepwalking..." She muttered under her breath. Suddenly, her breath caught and her eyes opened wide. "Draco? Have you ever met a young boy with happy blue eyes and longish blonde hair?" The question hit Draco like a thunderbolt. That sounds like... Orion. "Draco? Are you okay?" Ginny's voice cut across his racing thoughts. He looked back at her and realized he had taken a step back without knowing it.

"I-I'm fine." Draco said, pulling himself together as best he could. How does she about Orion? More importantly, what did she know? Her eyes studied him, and there was concern written in them. Concern. For a Malfoy. Mentally, Draco smirked. Looks like my plan is going nicely...

"So do you know the boy?" Ginny asked again. He frowned at her. Little prat doesn't need to know about him.

"I don't want to talk about it." Draco snapped. Ginny was the one to take a step back this time. "And besides, I have to get back to the common room. You should get back to yours. If we're caught at this time of night out and about, we're screwed." He glanced into her eyes once before walking away. She looked so hurt... Whatever. I'll just be an absolute sweetie tomorrow. He glanced over his shoulder as he turned the corner, to find that Ginny had already disappeared in the opposite direction. "Whatever." He muttered under his breath.

A/N: YAY IT'S DOOOOONE! Alright y'all review. Are we losing our touch? Do we still got it? We're going somewhere with this plot, don't worry!