Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor do I make any money
Blessing
Headmistress McGonagall was beginning to wonder where the young man she had taught for the past seven years but known the past eight had disappeared to. Since that awful night in the infirmary two weeks ago, she had watched a change in Mr. Weasley; greater than the one everyone had witnessed last year when he had disappeared as a boy and reappeared as a man.
She had been informed by Madame Pomfrey earlier that day that she would be releasing Miss Parkinson around dinnertime making the Headmistress and other staff members nervous. It had simply been a miracle that Miss Parkinson had survived that night and without them being able to determine who had attacked her, they were rightfully frightened that whoever had done it would do it again.
And though she had been disappointed by the Slytherins' abandonment of her while she laid in the hospital wing, she did maintain some hope, that they would welcome her back into her arms. Hoping that maybe just visiting the infirmary is what really kept them away.
Unfortunately, while waiting with bated breath and the Great Hall falling into silence, she and the rest of the staff would find themselves sorely disappointed in the Slytherin house. They all watched as Pansy approached the rest of her house. Horrified, they saw what little bravery the poor girl had left disappear with whatever was said to her before she ended up taking a seat at the back of the table even more vulnerable now than ever. Professor Slughorn started muttering that his entire house would be serving detention with him for the next two weeks; he would serve them notice after dinner.
The sound of mumblings from the direction of the Gryffindor table caused her to turn her head. She watched as Mr. Weasley, with his plate and glass in hand, strolling over to the end of the Slytherin table before taking a seat in front of a rightfully dejected Miss Parkinson.
She felt Professor Slughorn begin to move out of his seat when Mr. Malfoy approached the two at the end of the table. Headmistress McGonagall grabbed at Professor Slughorn's arm to stop him as the stillness grew heavy as they watched Mr. Weasley pull Mr. Malfoy down by the tie. They didn't move when Mr. Malfoy turned his head to look at them or even stand up when Mr. Weasley shoved him back. Instead they chose to show their disappointment in Mr. Malfoy with glares as he sulked back to his seat.
The sound of the Great Hall started to increase as the staff kept their eyes on the end of the Slytherin table where it appeared that the two were eating without a word. All making mental notes to check on the two in the morning at breakfast before classes began. While Slughorn muttered to the Headmistress about having to suffer through detention with the Malfoy brat for the next month.
However, when breakfast arrived no one was more shocked than the Headmistress as she watched as Mr. Weasley entered behind Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley with Miss Parkinson close to his side with her head down. Her jaw fell slack when she realized that Miss Parkinson was taking a seat across for the other three by Mr. Weasley at the Gryffindor table. She didn't know what to think when she saw him fix Miss Parkinson a plate and whisper something into her ear causing her to look at him with a soft expression before starting to eat.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Professor Slughorn whispered in her direction, his eyes glued to the same table as the Headmistress.
"Unbelievable but I am," she responded. She couldn't tear her eyes away as she watched Mr. Weasley interact with Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley as he always had while Miss Parkinson sat beside him quietly, never looking up or engaging in the others' conversation. Every so often, he would turn to her and whisper something that always caused her to eat a little more.
Softly, Miss McGonagall whispered out loud but more for herself, "What an unexpected blessing."
"I'm off to class. Headmistress, if you please, let Miss Parkinson know that I don't mind if she would like to attend Potions with Mr. Weasley. She can sit in the back and work on her homework," Professor Slughorn said, standing up. "That is if you think it would help make the day easier for her."
The Headmistress shook her head out of her revelry at the implication that Professor Slughorn had said. Thinking it may be the best idea any of them had come up with in how to handle their concern regarding Miss Parkinson's well-being after such a brutal attack.
"Nor do I," the new DADA professor, Bill Weasley, responded also taking his leave. But not before leaning over and whispering, "Don't look so surprised by little Ronnie, McGonagall. We all knew he had it in him. Charlie and I always kind of thought he was the gift we got in return for being saddled with the twins and Ginny. It has always been a question of him realizing it for himself."