[color:"D87093"]centerCHAPTER: FIVE/center
Cho placed a gentle knock on the door. She waited patiently to open. Once open, she was greeted by a house-elf.
"Yes?" the house-elf said. She was wearing a white apron like most maids wear.
"Uhm, I'm looking for Draco. Is he around?" she asked in a serious tone.
"Oh!" the house-elf exclaimed. "Are you Miss Cho Chang?"
"Yes, that's me," she smiled.
"Master Draco tells I that Master Draco is waiting for a Cho Chang. But Master Draco is at the countryside. Come in, come in!" the house-elf exclaimed. She took Cho's luggage and both of them went inside.
Cho's jaw dropped as she stepped inside the Malfoy Manor. It was exquisite. The paintings were better than hers. The floor was in pale-white marble and the fixtures were expensive-looking. She couldn't help herself to turn her head in different direction as she was amazed by how gorgeous Draco's house was.
While she was staring at the painting of the Malfoys, the house-elf spoke. "Miss Cho Chang?"
"Hmm..."
"I is to put your bags into yours room. Master Draco is at the courtyard. If Miss Cho Chang wishes to see Master Draco, I is to lead her there."
"Sure, er, what's your name?" Cho removed her sight from the painting and looked at the smiling house-elf.
"I is Mika. I is one of the house-elves here."
"Nice meeting you, Mika," Cho smiled at her. "If you don't mind, I want to talk to Draco."
"Stay put, Miss Cho Chang. I is to put your bags into yours room and right back I will." With that, the house-elf dissapparated and Cho went back looking at the Malfoy's painting.
In no minute, Mika apparated. "Follow me, Miss Cho Chang. I is to lead you to Master Draco. I is thinking he is sad."
"Sad? Why is he sad, Mika?" Cho asked sincerely.
"You will know, Miss Cho Chang. I can not tell you the business of Master Draco. I is to keep secrets. You are not a Malfoy and therefore, I is not telling you." She handed out her hand and spoke, "I is to bring you to Master Draco. I is to need you to hold my hand. I is to get you to Master Draco."
Cho nodded and gently placed her hand on Mika's palm. Cho looked at Mika as she closed her eyes. In one second, they dissapparated.
When they apparated, there were in the courtyard. Mika gently released her hands and smiled at Cho. "Master Draco is over there, Miss Cho Chang," She pointed to her left, to a wide meadow. "Master Draco is waiting for you there, Miss Cho Chang."
Cho looked at where she was pointing and she noticed that it was getting late. The sun was almost setting to rest for the day. Cho said thanks to Mika before she dissapparate. She walked towards where Mika was pointing.
In a minute's past, Cho saw Draco. He was sitting on a quilt that was laid on the grass. He was watching the sun to set.
Cho's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know what to say. But she wanted to know what's wrong with Draco. She quickened her steps and she was almost near Draco when he spoke.
"I was too late, wasn't I?" Cho barely heard him. She slowly sat down beside him.
"Draco?"
Draco looked at her. Tears were flowing on his pale cheek. "I was too late, Cho. Mother died while I was hugging her. I told her to stop crying and that I love her," he lowered his gaze and looked at his hands. "She couldn't stop crying. She said she was so happy to see me. I'm thinking I might have killed her."
"Of course not, Draco. It wasn't your fault. At least you've told her how you felt about her." Cho didn't know what was going on. But she didn't demand an explanation as she saw Draco in a complete mess.
"I didn't tell you what happened to my family," he looked at her. There was sadness in his eyes. "I didn't tell you because I was too ashamed to tell you, that you might judge me from it. But now, I'm ready to tell you Cho."
Cho nodded and Draco began to tell her everything that happened before he came to USA. After that, both of them were crying.
Cho hugged Draco, "I'm so sorry to hear that, Draco. I'm also sorry to hear about your mother," she said as she gently stroked Draco's back.
Draco pulled away gently, "I also need to tell you something Cho. The reason why I was being a jerk last night."
"You don't have to, Draco. It's not important."
"It is to me. I really need to tell you Cho." Draco was looking at Cho.
"What," wiping Draco's tears, "that you were jealous?"
"Yes. Oh no, I wasn't. I... was.. uhm..." but Draco couldn't deny it anymore. He lowered his gaze and said, "I'm sorry Cho. I just... I wasn't thinking clearly that day and I was..." he let out a deep sigh, "all right then. I was jealous."
Cho smiled, "Why were you jealous Draco? Wait, you thought that that was the painting I was going to put on the entrance?
"Yes. You told me to follow you and... why are you laughing?" Draco said in annoyance. Cho laughed even louder.
"I'm sorry Draco but that wasn't it. That wasn't the painting I was talking about."
"Huh? But..."
"You stopped when you saw the painting, remember? I had already put some of my paintings while you were at work."
"Oh," his face reddened, "I'm sorry to jump into conclusions then."
"What conclusions?"
Draco couldn't look at Cho when he spoke, "That you still have feelings for Harry."
Cho laughed a little louder. "Oh, Draco. I don't have feelings for Harry. He's already taken and we both want the same, er, gender so I'm pretty sure he won't like me like that. Although, I have some feelings for a certain person but I don't know if he reciprocates it." Cho looked at the sunset, slightly embarrassed for what she just said. She knew it wasn't the perfect timing but she couldn't help to be romantic. With the sunset and lovely flowers' help, she got carried away.
"Who is this certain person?" Draco asked. He was looking at Cho and yearning for her touch.
"I'm not sure. I'm not sure if he wants me. I felt it before but he quickly dismissed it."
Draco touched Cho's chin and Cho looked at him. "Maybe he wants you but he's afraid."
Cho gently fixed Draco's hair that was on his face and placed it behind his ear. "Afraid of what?" she said softly.
"Cho, I've been in love with you ever since we were in Hogwarts." His hands went to Cho's cheek and spoke, "I have never lost my love for you. God Cho, I love you so much."
Draco gently kissed Cho on the lips. Draco's warm lips captivated Cho as she closed her eyes. The sweet kiss that Draco planted on Cho was the first kiss Draco felt alive. His whole body burned with passion and he couldn't control it. He felt Cho wrapped her arms around his neck as she reciprocated the kiss. Both of them were lost in the pool of ardor and love. Both of them were smiling while they kissed and there were tears on their eyes.
They slowly parted, as they had to catch their breaths. Both opened their eyes and looked at each other.
"I love you too, Draco," she said, smiling at him.
"I love you more," he smiled back, caressing her face.
Cho kissed him, this time, but she suddenly pulled back. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.
Puzzled, Draco asked, "What's wrong?"
"Do you remember my first painting?"
"Yes, of course. It's my favorite." Draco said he caressed Cho's hair.
"It's... it's this!" Cho was looking around them. "This is the painting."
Draco whirled his head around and it hit him. The sun setting, the couple on the blanket, the couple kissing, the scenery of the courtyard, it was, indeed, the painting.
-END-
Cho placed a gentle knock on the door. She waited patiently to open. Once open, she was greeted by a house-elf.
"Yes?" the house-elf said. She was wearing a white apron like most maids wear.
"Uhm, I'm looking for Draco. Is he around?" she asked in a serious tone.
"Oh!" the house-elf exclaimed. "Are you Miss Cho Chang?"
"Yes, that's me," she smiled.
"Master Draco tells I that Master Draco is waiting for a Cho Chang. But Master Draco is at the countryside. Come in, come in!" the house-elf exclaimed. She took Cho's luggage and both of them went inside.
Cho's jaw dropped as she stepped inside the Malfoy Manor. It was exquisite. The paintings were better than hers. The floor was in pale-white marble and the fixtures were expensive-looking. She couldn't help herself to turn her head in different direction as she was amazed by how gorgeous Draco's house was.
While she was staring at the painting of the Malfoys, the house-elf spoke. "Miss Cho Chang?"
"Hmm..."
"I is to put your bags into yours room. Master Draco is at the courtyard. If Miss Cho Chang wishes to see Master Draco, I is to lead her there."
"Sure, er, what's your name?" Cho removed her sight from the painting and looked at the smiling house-elf.
"I is Mika. I is one of the house-elves here."
"Nice meeting you, Mika," Cho smiled at her. "If you don't mind, I want to talk to Draco."
"Stay put, Miss Cho Chang. I is to put your bags into yours room and right back I will." With that, the house-elf dissapparated and Cho went back looking at the Malfoy's painting.
In no minute, Mika apparated. "Follow me, Miss Cho Chang. I is to lead you to Master Draco. I is thinking he is sad."
"Sad? Why is he sad, Mika?" Cho asked sincerely.
"You will know, Miss Cho Chang. I can not tell you the business of Master Draco. I is to keep secrets. You are not a Malfoy and therefore, I is not telling you." She handed out her hand and spoke, "I is to bring you to Master Draco. I is to need you to hold my hand. I is to get you to Master Draco."
Cho nodded and gently placed her hand on Mika's palm. Cho looked at Mika as she closed her eyes. In one second, they dissapparated.
When they apparated, there were in the courtyard. Mika gently released her hands and smiled at Cho. "Master Draco is over there, Miss Cho Chang," She pointed to her left, to a wide meadow. "Master Draco is waiting for you there, Miss Cho Chang."
Cho looked at where she was pointing and she noticed that it was getting late. The sun was almost setting to rest for the day. Cho said thanks to Mika before she dissapparate. She walked towards where Mika was pointing.
In a minute's past, Cho saw Draco. He was sitting on a quilt that was laid on the grass. He was watching the sun to set.
Cho's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know what to say. But she wanted to know what's wrong with Draco. She quickened her steps and she was almost near Draco when he spoke.
"I was too late, wasn't I?" Cho barely heard him. She slowly sat down beside him.
"Draco?"
Draco looked at her. Tears were flowing on his pale cheek. "I was too late, Cho. Mother died while I was hugging her. I told her to stop crying and that I love her," he lowered his gaze and looked at his hands. "She couldn't stop crying. She said she was so happy to see me. I'm thinking I might have killed her."
"Of course not, Draco. It wasn't your fault. At least you've told her how you felt about her." Cho didn't know what was going on. But she didn't demand an explanation as she saw Draco in a complete mess.
"I didn't tell you what happened to my family," he looked at her. There was sadness in his eyes. "I didn't tell you because I was too ashamed to tell you, that you might judge me from it. But now, I'm ready to tell you Cho."
Cho nodded and Draco began to tell her everything that happened before he came to USA. After that, both of them were crying.
Cho hugged Draco, "I'm so sorry to hear that, Draco. I'm also sorry to hear about your mother," she said as she gently stroked Draco's back.
Draco pulled away gently, "I also need to tell you something Cho. The reason why I was being a jerk last night."
"You don't have to, Draco. It's not important."
"It is to me. I really need to tell you Cho." Draco was looking at Cho.
"What," wiping Draco's tears, "that you were jealous?"
"Yes. Oh no, I wasn't. I... was.. uhm..." but Draco couldn't deny it anymore. He lowered his gaze and said, "I'm sorry Cho. I just... I wasn't thinking clearly that day and I was..." he let out a deep sigh, "all right then. I was jealous."
Cho smiled, "Why were you jealous Draco? Wait, you thought that that was the painting I was going to put on the entrance?
"Yes. You told me to follow you and... why are you laughing?" Draco said in annoyance. Cho laughed even louder.
"I'm sorry Draco but that wasn't it. That wasn't the painting I was talking about."
"Huh? But..."
"You stopped when you saw the painting, remember? I had already put some of my paintings while you were at work."
"Oh," his face reddened, "I'm sorry to jump into conclusions then."
"What conclusions?"
Draco couldn't look at Cho when he spoke, "That you still have feelings for Harry."
Cho laughed a little louder. "Oh, Draco. I don't have feelings for Harry. He's already taken and we both want the same, er, gender so I'm pretty sure he won't like me like that. Although, I have some feelings for a certain person but I don't know if he reciprocates it." Cho looked at the sunset, slightly embarrassed for what she just said. She knew it wasn't the perfect timing but she couldn't help to be romantic. With the sunset and lovely flowers' help, she got carried away.
"Who is this certain person?" Draco asked. He was looking at Cho and yearning for her touch.
"I'm not sure. I'm not sure if he wants me. I felt it before but he quickly dismissed it."
Draco touched Cho's chin and Cho looked at him. "Maybe he wants you but he's afraid."
Cho gently fixed Draco's hair that was on his face and placed it behind his ear. "Afraid of what?" she said softly.
"Cho, I've been in love with you ever since we were in Hogwarts." His hands went to Cho's cheek and spoke, "I have never lost my love for you. God Cho, I love you so much."
Draco gently kissed Cho on the lips. Draco's warm lips captivated Cho as she closed her eyes. The sweet kiss that Draco planted on Cho was the first kiss Draco felt alive. His whole body burned with passion and he couldn't control it. He felt Cho wrapped her arms around his neck as she reciprocated the kiss. Both of them were lost in the pool of ardor and love. Both of them were smiling while they kissed and there were tears on their eyes.
They slowly parted, as they had to catch their breaths. Both opened their eyes and looked at each other.
"I love you too, Draco," she said, smiling at him.
"I love you more," he smiled back, caressing her face.
Cho kissed him, this time, but she suddenly pulled back. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.
Puzzled, Draco asked, "What's wrong?"
"Do you remember my first painting?"
"Yes, of course. It's my favorite." Draco said he caressed Cho's hair.
"It's... it's this!" Cho was looking around them. "This is the painting."
Draco whirled his head around and it hit him. The sun setting, the couple on the blanket, the couple kissing, the scenery of the courtyard, it was, indeed, the painting.
-END-
