Ryan, comments seem fairly straightforward: get yourself a laptop "backpack" style bag and carry on.
I am also one who does this, although I actually paid over the odds by paying for a name brand at LHR duty free...there are much cheaper ways of doing it. I was in STAPLES today and they had some quite inexpensive laptop bags (although always bear in mind you get what you pay for).
But don't,
don't put your laptop in the hold....
GDI