Secret Admirer

Ch 7 The perfect moment...

Draco began fumbling over his words, causing them to not come out correctly at all. A slow song began to play and luckily Draco found his tongue once more to ask Laura something he'd wanted to ask for a while now...

"Laura, may I have the honor of this dance?" Draco said as he bowed politely.

"Yes, you may," Laura smiled and curtseyed. Draco reached out with his hand, letting Laura put hers into his own. He led her out to the floor and twirled her then began to sway along with the music. They didn't talk at first; Laura just gazed at Draco with a slight smile, as if she was thanking him for making her evening so wonderful. He returned her gaze as he dipped her low and brought Laura back up against his body.

"Draco, is this for real?" Laura whispered into his ear as they danced. Draco snapped back into reality from the dream he felt he was living.

"I guess so, why should it not be?"

"No I didn't say that, I just meant that well, oh never mind." Laura sighed as she lay her head down onto Draco's shoulder. He was now officially confused, and a Malfoy didn't like to be confused.

"No, tell me what you were going to say," Draco said almost to quickly. Laura lifted her head up again, her face not so dreamy as it had been moments ago.

"It was nothing, honest." Laura smirked. The music eventually stopped playing and a faster song came on. Draco didn't feel like dancing to it so he stepped off the dance floor and went to sit down with Dean who had been tossed aside for Orli. They chatted for a while about the dance, Jessica and Laura but Dean stopped Draco and pointed at the dance floor. Laura was now dancing with Blaise, whom Draco was not happy to see at that precise moment in time. Jealousy had started to get the best of him; Draco walked up to the floor and butted in. Nothing bad had come out of it though because Pansy swept through the crowd to retrieve her date so she could keep him from Laura.

"Draco what was that all about?" Laura asked.

"What?"

"You literally knocked over one of your friends because they were dancing with me."

"So? Maybe I did, he can't dance anyways." Draco sneered at Blaise, who was occupied at that point.

"Draco," Laura stopped dancing. "Are you jealous?"

Draco knew that if he veered into that conversation starter, he'd blow his cover for sure. This was not the right moment to let her know. Before she could ask again, he plastered a smile on his face and held out his hand.

"Milady, care to go for a walk?"

"Good sir, I should be most pleased to join you." Laura smiled back, losing her train of thought.

They walked out the front doors and down the steps to the gardens. A light snow was falling and little garden fairies were darting in and out of the bushes as Draco led Laura into the high walls of the gardens. Music could still be heard coming from the castle, the occasional couple was giggling in the bushes nearby and the stars were beginning to come out from behind the snowy clouds.

"Draco, where exactly are we walking to?" Laura asked.

"Just a few more feet, you'll see." Draco pointed ahead. They soon came to a stone bench covered by a white fencing that had red roses draped all around. He allowed her to sit down before speaking.

"Laura, the reason I brought you out here was to," Draco started.

"Is to what? Draco what's going on?"

"I, well, I'm your..."

"My what?"

"Your Admirer." Draco said finally. Laura's face went from lost to an unreadable expression. She stood up and wandered over to the frozen fountain.

"You're my...but...why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked without turning around.

"I wanted to wait for the right moment, I just didn't think it was right to do it first thing," Draco continued. "Why are you upset?"

"Draco, I don't know what to say." Laura said still not turning around, as if she were hiding something.

"Listen Laura, I know this may all be a shock to you but I'm in love and I can't help it. I shouldn't have to; I've loved you for so long now and am sick of standing on the sidelines as you go from jerk to jerk. The men you've chosen don't know how to treat a woman, and they made you feel horrible. I remember, I was there; I was the shoulder you cried on. It hurt me so much to see you upset and I can't hold this all in any longer, I had to tell you how I feel." Draco poured out unexpectedly. He walked towards Laura and pulled out the rose. Things didn't seem to be going as planned, he thought she'd be happy. But Draco still hadn't seen a reaction to all this so he didn't get down on himself about it.

"Laura please say something," He whispered over her shoulder, as he twirled the rose between his fingers.

"What can I say? This is just all so unexpected." Laura said.

"I know it is, but can you at least look at me?" Draco asked. Laura turned around to face him with an unreadable expression on her face. Draco held out the rose to her, allowing her to take it into her own hand.

"Oh it's beautiful," Laura said, as she smelled the flower. Draco smiled and stepped closer to Laura. She still hadn't replied to what he'd said earlier and it was driving Draco crazy not to know.

"Laura I..." Draco began.

"Draco, it's alright. I was just kind of shocked that you have these feelings for me; it takes a stronger man to admit it. But..." Laura looked down at her feet.

" But what?" Draco asked, pushing her chin back up to see her face.

"I have a Fiancé, as much as I hate to say it, I have no choice in this matter. " Laura said.

"That's all you can say? I just poured my heart out to you, which I never do for anyone, and all you can say is this? I am aware of that fact and I want you to know that I don't care about your fiancé, I care more about you than anything in this world! I would die for you; I would follow you to the ends of this earth! God can't you see how much you've changed me? I love you and I can't help it, I shouldn't have to help it. Please ease this pain swelling in my heart and tell me y love me to!" Draco cried with a note of sadness in his voice.

"Draco, I...I..." Laura began as tears rolled down her face; she couldn't finish her sentence and collapsed down onto the edge of the fountain. The rose fell from her hand and into the snow, Draco picked it up and sat next to her putting an arm around the woman he'd fallen so hard for, not about to give her up to some creep who probably didn't even know how to treat a woman. Laura tried her hardest not to give in to more tears stinging at her eyes; she couldn't say anything to him.

"Laura, please don't cry. I couldn't bear the thought of you crying because I said I love you. Please don't let the tears stain the face that motivates me to wake up in the morning. Take this, it's a gift from your secret admirer." Draco held out the enchanted rose, which Laura so gingerly took into her own hand. As soon as her fist closed on it, the rose began to glow. Draco had no idea what this meant and just assumed that it was a sign that the rose was going to stay alive because of his love. Just like the saleswoman had said.

"Listen Draco, I really don't know what to say to all this. You and I know that it wouldn't work out that long because my family won't stand for it and I'm pretty sure that my fiancé's family won't stand for it either. They've had this pact since I was born and they would not break it now just because you're a Malfoy." Laura said quietly as she stood up.

"I don't care, I love you isn't that enough?" Draco spoke quietly as he looked up at her, not even recognizing his own voice. Laura's eye let loose another tear before she looked at Draco again. She opened her mouth to speak but froze; Draco got up and chased after her as she ran sobbing towards the castle. He hated to admit that she was to fast for him, Draco dropped down on the steps to catch his breath. As he put his hands over his face he felt something on his cheek. For the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy was crying. He was crying for the one he loved, the one he cherished and the one he prayed would come back to him and let him be the love of her life.