Chapter 4

When Shanara walked into the great hall the next day, she knew immediately that the entire school was discussing her break up. Potter and his friends were sitting at the Gryffindor table and admiring something, probably some gift from Draco. Her heart tugged at her sharply when she remembered that only a couple of weeks ago, Draco had been buying her presents. Pushing the thought away, she walked past the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, her anguish not showing at all on her face when she heard the snide whispers and comments directed at her. Reaching the far end of the table where she knew she wouldn't be disturbed, she sat down and began to eat. The murmurs around her grew and all of a sudden, she was aware of her name being called from the Gryffindor table, looking up, she noticed Dean Thomas, one of Seamus' friends, standing on the table, yelling for her attention. She was about to smile when he screamed "Hey Montgomery! What did you do to Malfoy? Must have been pretty bad – the bugger switched teams!"

Roaring with laughter, Dean sat down, the rest of his house mates joined him, patting him on his back and smiling, even the Ravenclaws seemed to think it was funny though the Hufflepuff 's were smiling at me sympathetically and shaking their heads. As much as she wanted to hex Thomas, Shanara finished her breakfast before walking out. On her way out she stopped at the Gryffindor table and smiled sweetly at Dean Thomas and said "well, you know Thomas, if you wanted in on the action, you should have just asked, Potter seemed like a big enough whore to turn you too if you wanted". Leaving the Gryffindor's dumbstruck, she walked off to her first class.

Ron Weasley gaped after her and turned to address his friends, "remind me never to mess with her".

Harry Potter felt awful. He loved Draco and he knew Draco loved him but Shanara Montgomery was a factor he had totally forgotten about. Draco had told him about her, how he was engaged to her and how they had been together forever but he had never actually connected it all up in his head, it hadn't mattered. Until Dean had made that awful comment at breakfast, suddenly Shanara Montgomery wasn't just a name anymore. Harry had seen how everyone had jeered at her and noticed how pale she had gotten after Dean's dramatic statement. That's why, he was waiting outside her potions class, feeling guilty and ridiculous, he wanted to apologize. Draco had tried to dissuade him and even Blaise had bluntly told him to go fuck himself and not bother her. But he couldn't help it, he needed to get it off his chest.

As the class ended and she came out, he fell into step with her.

"something you wanted, Potter?" she asked quietly.

"No…"

"then why are you here?"

"I want to apologize"

"That's nice"

Harry swallowed, he knew it would be hard saying what he had to say but it was even harder because Shanara seemed so calm. If she had cried or screamed or even tried to hit him, he would've known what to do but this calmness upset him more than he could say.

"I'm sorry for the way things turned out" he said, "you have every right to be upset and I understand if you hate me and Draco"

Shanara laughed. It hung in the air, it wasn't the kind of laughter that brought a smile to ones face, infact, it sounded more like it was wrung out her, hollow and bitter.

"You don't understand anything, Potter" quickening her pace, she threw over her shoulder " I hope you feel better after you got that off your chest, Potter".

At the end of the hallway she turned one last time and said "have a nice life, Potter".

Looking into her eyes, he almost felt that she meant it.

It made him feel worse than ever.