Chapter 5

By the time lunch came around, Shanara was heartily sick of the snide comments and knowing looks that she was getting. Not to mention all the propositioning and suggestive comments coming her way. She was very tempted to pull a Ginny Weasley on them and send a powerful bat bogey hex at Zacharias Smith when he had actually grabbed her by the arm and tried to snog her. Thankfully Blaise had intervened and Smith was currently in the hospital wing getting his face clear of the boils Blaise had inflicted upon him.

Blaise walked to lunch with her and sat down next to her.

"Don't you want to sit near Draco?" she asked curiously

"Nah…Draco can take care of himself"

"so can I " she pointed out, annoyed.

"I know, but I want to sit with you" Blaise said, smiling at her.

Swallowing her pride, Shanara sat meekly eating her food, telling herself that her day couldn't possibly get worse.

She knew as soon as the thought entered her mind that something worse was already on its way so when a howler landed on her lap, she wasn't exactly surprised. Staring at it for a minute, she opened it and sat back, waiting to hear what her darling mother had to say to her now. She was completely astonished on hearing her father's cold drawl instead of her mother's more strident tones. She knew the entire hall was listening, post never came at lunch and howlers were few and far between as a rule among the student body. Well, unless you were a Weasley twin.

"Shanara. Pack your bags. I wish to see you at home this weekend. I have already discussed the matter with your headmistress and I expect to see you back home by dinner on Saturday. You know what this is about. I'm extremely disappointed in you. You have shamed our family. I will deal with you when I see you".

Shaken, Shanara refused to look at Draco, as quietly as possible, she asked Blaise "Did Draco tell his father about Potter?"

"Yes, he wanted to call off the engagement"

Shanara nodded. She was in shock. She couldn't believe that Draco hadn't even told her about writing to his father. Blaise took her hand in his and lead her out of the great hall and back to her dorm. He sat on the bed and watched as she blankly began to pack her things. A few minutes later, Pansy came in and sat next to Blaise, silently adding her support to his.

Shanara attempted a smile which judging from their expressions came out as a grimance, and said " I'll be fine, guys"

"yeah, of course you will" said Blaise reassuringly.

"Of course" said Pansy, "they're not so old fashioned that they would enforce the old penalties"

"penalties?" asked Blaise, this was something that he had never heard of.

"yeah, I've heard that it was awful but I don't know exactly what it was" explained Pansy.

"40 lashes.." said Shanara quietly, her back to them.

"lashes?" asked Blaise just as quietly

Shanara faced him with a twisted smile, "with a whip, Blaise, women who lose their men aren't worth very much in pureblood society"

"But the Malfoy's love you!" protested Blaise, "its not your fault that Draco called it off"

" I know" said Shanara, still smiling, "but that was when I was marrying their son"

Blaise could find nothing to say. The moments he spent watching Shanara pack were the longest of his life.