The next morning, Snape was careful to eat enough breakfast, making sure to include some meat for protein and fruits for fiber and some carbs. After loading his plate, he sneaked a discreet look to Albus at the teachers' table who gave him a smile back. The morning was uneventful, even nice. He found that he had a lot more patience with his students when he felt full. Maybe Albus had a point after all. Not that he would ever tell the man that.

After a balanced lunch, Snape headed back to the dungeons for the class that generally gave him a headache - gryffindors and slytherins. But he hoped that today would be an exception to that as well. The class started out well, at least as well as this class could go. Neville almost started a fire before he even put anything into the cauldron but Snape was able to respond immediately and stop it before any damage had occurred. He left it with a "are you that eager to feel a burn, Mr Longbottom?"

Draco had been giving him what the child considered to be surreptitious glances but Snape's years as a spy led him to notice everything. He tried to reassure Draco by paying attention to his potion and giving suggestions and reminders. But Draco didn't hear suggestions and reminders, he heard constant criticism and soon enough burst out with a "you know what, if I can do nothing right, why am I even trying?" He kicked his cauldron and stood up in a huff.

Snape was momentarily shocked by Draco's behaviour but luckily Hermoine was vigilant and stopped the cauldron from toppling over. Once Snape had registered the shock, he said, "Thank you, Ms Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor. Mr Malfoy, freeze."

Draco kept walking.

"You don't want to do this here, Draco. Stop at once."

That made Draco turn around but the look on Snape's face made him break into a run.

Snape sighed, pulled out his wand and levitated Draco into a corner.

"You will stay there if you know what is good for you."

The class progressed without incident and soon enough Snape dismissed them.

Once the classroom was clear, he addressed Draco, "Front and center."

When Draco didn't move, "One."

"I'm not a child who is going to be intimidated by your counting."

"I'm not counting." Pause. "I'm adding strokes."

Draco gulped, "strokes of?"

The word 'cane' was at the tip of Snape's tongue but he said, "that depends on your behaviour in the next few minutes."

Some sense of self preservation kicked in and Draco made his way to Severus who was standing in front of his desk with his arms folded.

Draco started, "I'm sorry uncle sev, I didn't sleep well last night and you were constantly on my neck and I just blew up. I'm sorry."

"If a student is sorry or remorseful, that generally goes along with accepting punishment without a fuss."

"But Uncle Sev, I have learnt my lesson, it won't happen again. Please don't punish me."

"Punishments are not just deterrents for future behaviour but consequences for past behaviour. And then there is the matter of simple fairness. You were extremely rude to me in class, dragon. I cannot let that go unpunished."

"What can I say or do to change your mind?"

"Obeying me and accepting your punishment without fuss will help you not accumulate any more."

"Will you reconsider?"

"When have you known me to speak without thinking things through?"

"Please Uncle Sev? I don't feel good."

Snape sighed. He hated lies and his godson was starting to make a habit of it.

"Draco, lying to me yesterday has already made your punishment much worse. Do you really want to add more to the tally?"

Draco deflected, "can I get a hug?"

Snape's hand went to his nose and rubbed his temples in exasperation. "Draco, you were already in big trouble after last night and today's antics have made it worse. I'd suggest you stop here as neither of us wants to deal with the consequences of you getting even more punishments."

"Uncle Sev, come on, I said I'm sorry. Please?"

Snape sighed, "No." But he remembered how grateful he had been for Dumbledore's choice and decided to try that with his Godson and said, "I will give you an option for the consequence of your atrocious behaviour in the classroom today. To be clear, your detention and punishments for last night still stand. But for today, You may either choose a spanking or agree to tutor Mr Longbottom. If you choose the latter, you will get the same grade as the boy so you will have to work hard enough to help him pull up his grade."

"That is impossible and you know it! Even you can't teach him, why are you pushing your failures on me?"

"Remember who you are talking to."

"A mean, hypocritical monster."

"Draco, calling me names has never ended well for you. I can't believe you still try."

With that Snape pulled the boy towards himself and sat down on his chair, pulling Draco onto his lap.

"No! You said you wouldn't spank me."

"You sealed your own fate, Draco."

"No you are cheating. This is not fair."

"You are getting a spanking, Draco. I suggest you learn your lesson sooner rather than later, for the sake of your bottom."

"No, Uncle Sev. Please don't."

Snape responded by pushing Draco's robe over his back and pulling down his pants.

"What are you doing? Not here!" Snape had locked the door and put up a silencing charm but he didn't feel inclined to share that information with his misbehaving godson.

"Please stop," Draco put his hand back and tried to pull his pants up.

Snape started spanking steadily and held Draco's hand behind his back.

Draco burst out crying immediately. Snape sighed, so the boy really hadn't slept the previous night. He did tend to get cranky due to lack of sleep since he was little. But the boy had to learn how to behave despite that.

"Uncle Sev, if you love me, you will stop immediately." Snape rolled his eyes at the line Draco had tried to use on him tens of times and continued spanking.

After a couple minutes of steady spanking and crying Snape asked, "why are you being punished Draco?"

"Because I asked you for a hug."

Snape started swatting his thighs. Draco yelped. "Want to try that again?"

"I misbehaved in class, was rude and called you names."

Snape moved back to his bottom. "And when do you plan to repeat such atrocious behaviour?"

"Never sir."

Snape did not like the change from Uncle Sev to Sir. He steeled himself and pushed Draco a little further ahead for better access to his sit spots. Draco started crying harder.

"I will not accept such disrespect of me and my classroom from any of my students and certainly not from my Godson. I hope this is a reminder for you about the decorum I expect in the classroom."

Snape gave him ten more hard swats on his sit spots and brought the spanking to an end. He moved his hand to Draco's back to rub it to help him calm down but the boy pushed him and got up and pulled up his pants. Snape got up too and tried to pull the boy into a hug but Draco pushed his hands away.

Snape decided to let it go for now, "You are already late for your next class and I don't want to hold you any longer. I will give you a note but I expect you to go there directly. And I expect you at my office at 7pm sharp for your detention. Clear?"

"Yes sir."

Draco moved to pick his backpack and stumbled but righted himself and rushed out of the classroom. Snape sat back down in his chair. He had a planning period but he couldn't bring himself to focus on planning or grading and just sat there, staring ahead with a thousand thoughts swirling in his head.