Secret Admirer

Chapter 8- a crappy morning

Draco rolled over wishing that last night didn't go wrong and that the depression he felt was merely nausea of the morning. But when he sat up, his heart felt heavier than it had in a long...well ever. Blaise came in to see how his friend was and ended up being kicked out. Draco had no desire for company from his friends at all; all he wanted was to fix the mess he made last night.

Draco wandered down to the Great Hall for lunch (he had slept through breakfast), sat down and barely ate anything. His eyes scanned the half empty Gryffindor table for any sign of Laura, Jessica was there but Laura was nowhere to be found. Jessica looked like she hadn't slept all night; her eyes met with Draco's and fell back to the table. Draco felt even more miserable now, if Laura's best friend had looked away like she had, that meant that Jessica was up all night with Laura. He felt like crying, but being a Malfoy he couldn't show that kind of emotion in front of the whole school, plus it didn't make him feel any better. He stood up and walked out of the Great Hall and down to the lake. He sat on an empty log, watching the giant squid playfully hit the underside of the iced over lake as a cold breeze played against Draco's face. He sat for a while thinking from every possible angle as to what could've made Laura react the way she did. He couldn't find a reason to make any possible sense, Draco picked up a rock and threw it to an open hole in the ice and began to walk away. The giant squid however, thought it was a game and threw it back, hitting the back of Draco's head. Draco fell over and hit the snow hard, he rubbed the back of his head and looked back at the squid that now was peeking over the ice.

"Don't you know that if you throw things at the squid, he'll throw them back?" came a voice. Draco looked up to find Jessica laughing at him, she helped him out of the snow and onto the log he'd been sitting on previously.

"Had no clue," Draco replied quietly. Jessica's face went from laughter to an unreadable yet mother like expression.

"So things didn't go well last night, I know. Laura was up all night crying about it. What on earth did you say to her?"

"Simply that I loved her, that I didn't care if she had a fiancé and that I'd do anything for her. Was that wrong?" Draco said as he looked at his feet.

"No, it's right because she loves you too."

"She what?" Draco snapped his head up to look at Jessica.

"She told me that she loves you too, more than anything in the world but it cannot be. She is part of an arrangement between two families and cannot break it. I guess she's protecting herself from pain." Jessica sighed.

"But... if she loves me then..." Draco tried to speak, failing miserably.

"She doesn't know what she wants Draco..." Jessica sighed.

"Well, what did she say to you last night?" Draco asked.

"To sum it up, Laura said that she loved you and wants to be with you but can't unless by some miracle she won't be forced into marriage. Like I said, she's trying to protect herself."

"Well, will she even speak to me?"

"I have no idea, she hasn't left the dorms all day. Even Hermione is trying to persuade her to come out; the farthest we've gotten her was the common room. Harry is even concerned, don't give me that look Draco, you know how he loves to play the hero." Jessica said.

"Yeah, I know... could you at least ask her to speak to me? I want to talk with her, and tell her that...just tell her that I want to talk to her." Draco sighed as he stood to walk back up to the castle. Jessica nodded that she would and watched as Draco dragged himself inside.

History of magic...what was the use? Draco tossed his quill down onto the empty parchment and sighed. There was no possible way that he was able to concentrate; well he could but not on schoolwork. The sun was beginning to set now; Draco stared empty at his fireplace wishing that the warmth of it could make him feel better inside. It had been three days now and still Laura hadn't spoken to him. She was avoiding him, as much as she could. Draco tried hard to catch her attention in class and failed miserably.

Draco rubbed his eyes and yawned as he looked down at his essay, which now had new writing on it. Laura was communicating with the quill; immediately Draco fumbled in his bag for his own quill to respond.

Draco are you there?

Of course I'm here, where are you?

In the astronomy tower.

Alone?

Yes, I want to be alone right now.

Is that what you really want Laura?

No, I want to stop ignoring you...

Well you're not ignoring me now...

I know. I wanted to apologize for my behavior that night and the past few days.

Ok so apologize, I'm listening...

I'm sorry. Do you hate me?

Of course not! What would give you an idea like that?

I don't know...

Has Jess talked to you at all?

Yeah, she told me to talk to you...

Why? You didn't want to?

Well...I wasn't sure how too.

Laura, you can talk to me in anyway you think of.

Really?

Yes, really.

Like now?

What?

With a *poof* Draco's fire blazed and Laura walked out of it. Draco had never seen her dressed the way she was, jeans and a t-shirt with her hair twisted up in pencils and no make-up on her face. Seeing her like this attracted him to her even more than before, but that was not to be discussed right then. Draco motioned for her to pull up a chair by the fire so they could talk. As soon as she rested down in the black velvet armchair, she spoke.

"Draco, about the other night..." Laura sighed.

"Listen I know it came as a shock to you but I was sick and tired of keeping it a secret." Draco interrupted. Laura adjusted her shirt a bit before speaking again, but when she did she spoke so quietly that Draco could just barely make out her words.

"I do want to be with you Draco, it just wouldn't work out and we both know that..." Laura said in a whisper.

"I know it wouldn't, but I still don't care. I want to be with you no matter what it takes and if that means kidnapping you and running away then so be it." Draco said with a tiny smile. Laura didn't know if he was joking or not, and said nothing.

"Well, I...I... I'm not sure what to say..." Laura said looking up at Draco slowly. Their eyes locked momentarily, until they both looked away.

"How about this, I propose that you agree to be my girlfriend and unless some miracle happens I will step aside by your wedding day." Draco smiled softly into the fire.

"You do realize that we'd be deceiving our parents wishes and that this miracle may never come?"

"Yes, but deceiving parents is what brings fire and danger to this relationship. Please say yes..." Draco smirked as he looked back at Laura. Her smile was uncontrollable; she nodded and stood up to go back through the fire to her own common room.

"Wait, was that a yes?" Draco stopped her and lightly grabbed her arm.

"Yes it was Draco Malfoy and I too have a secret to tell you too..."

"And that is?"

"I'm in love with you." Laura smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. He knew this already but was still surprised that she'd come to admit it. Laura's lips were soft, as Draco pressed his own onto hers. They were stuck in a deep kiss, not wanting to let go of one another but Laura backed away and said she had to go back to her common room before anyone saw she was missing. Draco gave her one last kiss on her cheek before watching her walk through the fire and disappearing.