THC/The Houses Competition

House:Gryffindor

Category: Drabble

Class: Potions

Prompt(s) [Character] Minerva McGonagall

Word Count: 864

Summery: After Harry's encounter with Quirrel/Voldermort he is recovering in the Hospital Wing when he as an unexpected visitor.

Tittle: The Unexpected Apology

Harry sat propped up against the pillows that lined his back, the white cotton sheets of the Hospital Wing draped over his legs as he dug through the box of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans that Ron had left him the night before. Harry was making two piles as he tried to identify the bad tasting ones from the good. He idly flipped though the pages of Quidditch Though the Ages that Hermione had dropped off after he complained that he didn't have anything to do. He would not be making that mistake again, he was lucky that she didn't bring him homework. Harry didn't even know why he was still in the Hospital Wing; he was feeling much better than he was when he first woke up. He was able to finish his meal without feeling nauseous, and the room no longer spun around when he stood up too fast. Harry didn't see any reason for Madame Promfrey to keep him. Even though the woman was nice, he was getting a little irritated by her hovering over him for the past four days.

Harry popped one of the beans into his mouth, realizing he made a big mistake as the taste of rotten eggs filled his mouth. He grabbed a tissue from the bed to spit it out just as the Hospital Wing doors opened. Harry quickly tucked the tissue under the blankets and closed his book, excited to have a visitor and someone to talk to after being alone all morning. His face turned from excitement to confusion when he saw McGonagall walk in instead of his two friends. His confusion only grew when he watched his Professor make her way into the room and come to stand next to his bed.

"Potter," McGonagall greeted, giving Harry a small nod as she eyed the chair that sat next to the bed. McGonagall hesitated for a moment as she decided against sitting down, and instead walked behind the chair, placing her hands on the back. McGonagall opened her mouth, about to speak before she hesitated once again, her mouth going into a thin line as she closed it. She looked down at the chair before quickly looking back up at Harry. "I'm sorry."

The words came quickly but in a much more tender tone than Harry had ever heard his stern Professor speak before. He could tell that Mcgonagall wasn't used to apologizing by the way she held herself and the way she wouldn't make eye contact with him. Harry would have laughed if he wasn't taken aback by the apology; no adult had ever apologized to him before. Harry grew up believing that kids were always wrong and the adult was always right, no matter what. Uncle Vernon would rather go without food for a week than apologize to Harry.

"I should have listened to what you had to say when you came to me with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. I'm very sorry that you had to go though that, especially when you didn't have to." McGonagall sighed deeply as she rounded the chair and finally sat down, adjusting her robes as she did. She fixed her gaze onto Harry, looking above her square spectacles. "And I am very relieved that you are alright; you gave everyone quite the scare." McGonagall spoke softly as she reached out her hand and gently took Harry's in hers.

Harry couldn't help but widen his eyes at his Professor's actions, his eyebrows almost reaching to the top of his hairline. "...Thank you, Professor," Harry said after a long moment of awkward silence.

"You showed great bravery; your parents would be very proud," McGonagall added, giving Harry's hand a small squeeze before letting go and pulling her hands back into her lap.

Harry couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face at his Professor's words. For a moment he had almost forgotten that she was his parents' professor as well as his and their Head of House. "Professor?...do you think you would be- be able to tell me more about them ... .sometime?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Of course," McGonagall said, giving Harry the smallest of smiles. And then, just as quickly as it came, the gentle Professor was gone and back was the stern Head of House Harry had come to know all year. She stood from the chair, brushing herself off as if she was covered in floo powder. "Well, Mr. Potter, don't be eating too many of those sweets. I expect to see you at the End of Term feast."

"Only if Madame Pomfrey says I'm well enough to go," Harry replied with a small shrug. All things considered, Harry doubted she would.

"Well, we will just have to wait for her assessment then," McGonagall said, taking a moment to look at Harry, her eyes meeting his for just a second. "Have a good afternoon…Harry," McGonagall said, giving Harry one last smile that mostly consisted of the corner of her lips twitching upwards slightly.

"You too, Professor," Harry replied, returning the smile. With that, Professor McGonagall was gone, and so was the side of her that Harry considered himself lucky to have seen.