Draco smirked as he saw Harry being dragged by his head of house after being caught flying with the Longbottom boy's remembrall and knew that here too he didn't have to worry about consequences as his head of house was his godfather. Actually his father now, kind of, since his parents were dead and Severus had adopted him. He blinked his eyes to keep the tears at bay and turned to Crabbe and Goyle for lapping up the praise.

Draco's day was going very well until he received a note from Severus Snape asking him to report to hi soffice after dinner. Severus had invited him to his office several times for tea and general conversation but this note seemed a lot more curt. It made Draco uncomfortable.

After dinner, Draco bid Crabbe and Goyle goodbye and went to the potions master's office which was next to his classroom. He knocked and entered when the door opened. Snape did not look up and he was unsure if he should address him as professor or godfather right now and so just walked up to the man's desk and stood there. Snape let his godson stand there, squirming for a few more minutes as he finished grading the paper. Finally he kept the quill aside and looked up. He simply said, "Explain."

Draco's mind raced thinking about what all might his godfather know and how much should he reveal. He finally said, "I know how to fly, uncle sev."

Snape raised his eyebrow and said, "I know that, I taught you."

"Then why is it a big deal if I went flying during flying lessons?"

"You tell me."

"I don't think it is a big deal at all."

"Oh really?" That was a scary tone coming from Snape. "I will give you a moment to reconsider the implications of understanding and acknowledging your mistake on your punishment."

Draco hesitated then said, "Come on Uncle Sev!"

"First, don't whine at me. You are not five and I didn't tolerate it even then. Second, I asked you a question and I expect an answer."

"Why are you being so hard on me?"

"I would think I'm being rather lenient. I have asked you the same question three times now. Last chance Draco."

"Harry was made the Gryffindor seeker! Will you make me the Slytherin seeker?"

Severus sighed. He got up from his chair, walked around to Draco, held his arm and swatted him thrice. Draco yelped with each one. "What was that for?"

Severus swatted him twice more.

"Draco, enough. Stop acting like a spoilt brat and answer my question. What did you do wrong today?"

The spoilt brat coming from his godfather especially when he was already feeling vulnerable and emotional about his parents' death rubbed him the wrong way and he said, "Believed that you actually cared. I shouldn't have been so naive. Sorry sir."

Severus wanted to rub his hand over his face in exasperation but controlled himself. "Well let me enlighten you then," and with that he pulled Draco closer and sat down on a chair, positioning Draco over his lap. "You can't do this, professor!" "Oh as your head of house, godfather and guardian, I assure you I absolutely can."

"Uncle Sev, please don't. I can't take it."

"You've been asking for it all day. First with your stunt and now with your abominable behaviour."

Draco whimpered. Snape sighed, "One last chance Draco, why are you being punished?"

"Because I flew on my broom when Madam Hooch asked us to stay on the ground?"

"Is that a question or an answer?" But Severus seemed to have accepted the answer and started spanking Draco. Draco was never good with physical pain and under the current circumstances he started crying right away. Severus knew that Draco always cried loudly in hopes of lessening his punishment so he kept going till he was satisfied that the boy had understood his mistakes.

But as Severus continued, Draco got more and more distressed. He pleaded, "Please stop, sir. I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"About everything."

"You're going to have to be more specific, Draco."

"Just tell me what you want me to say!"

Snape responded to that by two stinging smacks on his upper thighs.

"Not there! Well, I'm sorry about flying on my broom when Madam Hooch asked us not to, about goading Potter to fly too and thus getting him the seeker position and and …" Draco broke down into sobs.

"You're really hurting me uncle sev."

"This is punishment, Draco, it is supposed to hurt."

"People usually don't hurt the people they love."

"It is my job to raise you right."

"And that means making me miserable instead of comforting me?"

"There will be time for comfort after this, my snake."

"I don't want your comfort anymore." And then Draco just lied limp and sobbed.

Snape decided to bring the punishment to an end with ten hard spanks to the boy's undercurve, where he would feel it every time he sat down.

When he reached to rub Draco's back, Draco pushed away and moved to get up. Draco often behaved like this after a punishment, but he had hoped that this time he would let him comfort him, especially because the boy had a rough month with losing his parents and starting at Hogwarts and all. He tried to hug Draco again but the boy pushed him away with a "leave me alone!"

"I can't do that Draco, it is my job to comfort you just as it is to discipline you."

"As I said before, I don't want your comfort! Go away!"

Severus decided to give the boy a few moments to collect himself and calm down and went and sat in his chair.

His mind went back to the time when he was just as angry and lashing out at his new guardian.

Severus hated James Potter and his gang and he hated Gryffindor and he hated the Gryffindor head of house Minerva Mcgonnagal who had just chided him for not paying attention in class when it was James who kept annoying him by throwing things at him. He finally lost it and murmured, "Bitch." But obviously she heard him and sent him to the headmaster who was also his new guardian.

Severus took his time going up to the man's office and reluctantly gave the password and walked up. "Get lost on your way, Sev?" Albus said without looking up.

He remained silent. After a minute, Albus looked up and focussed his full attention on the boy as he said, "I do expect an answer, Severus."

"I took the direct route here, I didn't stop anywhere. I guess I'm just a slow walker. Another thing I'm not good enough at!"

Albus sighed, decided to handle this later and asked, "Why are you here, Severus?"

"I'm sure McGonnagal already told you."

"That's Professor McGonnagal to you and I asked you the question."

"I was disrespectful to her."

"How?"

"I called her a rude name."

"What?"

"I'd rather not say."

"So you do understand how foul that language is and you still chose to use it towards a professor and in a full class at that?"

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Not as sorry as you're going to be."

"But first I want to know why?"

When Severus remained silent for a minute, Albus said, "Do you need some motivation on your backside, son?"

It still felt strange to hear Albus call him son.

"No sir. I was just angry, sir."

"Why were you angry?"

"Does it matter? You won't believe me anyway."

"I will believe your version of events, Severus, I just might not agree with your interpretation."

"Same difference."

Albus decided to move things along.

"I assume you believe that she reprimanded you unfairly?"

"Yes sir."

"What is the rule about respect, son?"

"I'm supposed to respect all the staff of the school and obey them unless it's dangerous."

"And is anger an exception to that rule?"

"No sir."

"And what happens when you break this rule?"

"You hit me, sir."

"I spank you, Severus. I don't hit you."

"Same difference."

Albus knew how much Severus hated physical chastisement so he reserved it only for breaking the big rules.

"Com here, Severus." When Severus didn't move, Albus added, "One."

Severus sighed and went closer. Albus pulled him over his lap and said, "Why are you getting this spanking?"

"We just discussed the whole thing!"

Albus gave him three sharp spanks and said, "Answer the question!"

Severus yelped and in a small voice said, "Because I was disrespectful."

The small voice broke Albus' heart but he steeled himself and spanked the boy till he was sure he wouldn't see a repeat of such language at least not towards people in authority.

When ALbus finished, he tried to rub Severus' back but he shoved his hand away and got up. Albus sighed and said, "Let me hug you, child."

"No!"

"Sev, come here."

"May I please be excused, sir? I need to go back to class."

"No son, what you need now is a long hug and a nap and perhaps a sweet treat. It has been a rough month and I can see the effects of not sleeping and eating well."

"Well, I don't want any of that."

"But you need it, Sev and so it's not an option."

"Come here," Albus said gently.

Severus looked up and was surprised to see dark chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream on the desk, where had it come from? It was his absolute favourite. And right now the comfort food and comfort from his guardian sounded really good. So that's what he did.

Severus smiled at the memory, thinking of all the similarities between him and Draco. And just like that he knew how to fix the situation. He silently asked the house elves for some blueberry cheesecake and softly called out to Draco. Draco saw the cheesecake and wanted to sneer saying that he wan't five to be won over with bribes but he hadn't eaten it since before the whole mess and it sounded very comforting, especially while being held in his godfather's lap and he walked toward Severus, still sniffling and rubbing his eyes.

Taking a big bite, he said, "that really hurt, uncle sev." Severus was about to say 'let that be a lesson to you' but surprised both of them by saying, "I know that my snake. But it was necessary. I care about you too much to lose you to foolhardy stunts." Draco chose to not respond and took another bite of his cheesecake. Severus decided to let it go and tried to lighten the situation by saying, "Can I get some cheesecake too?"

"Absolutely not. This is my small reprieve after that arduous punishment. If anything you should get me another cheesecake."

Severus, being the slytherin he was, knew that he wanted Draco to talk about his parents, start processing what had happened and for that he needed the child to be open and so he did get two more pieces of cheesecake as he said, "There you go my little snake. So now tell me, how has the first week of Hogwarts been?"