Harry woke late that evening when Snape came up with soup, water, and a potion for him to take. Harry managed to push himself up on his pillow long enough for Snape to feed him the soup. Harry was too sleepy to free his hands from the mittens, and he kept his eyes almost closed as Snape fed him spoonful after spoonful. Once or twice Harry nearly dozed off, but Snape said,

"Stay awake, Potter. You're eating all this soup before you sleep for the night."

"Not hungry," Harry mumbled, but he woke himself up long enough to take the next spoonful.

After the soup, Snape made him take the yucky potion, but the glass of water after helped wash away the taste. Then Harry got to snuggle back down in the bed while Snape palmed his forehead.

"Your fever is breaking. By morning it should be gone."

If Harry hadn't been so tired, he might have squirmed at the ominous tone in Snape's voice, but Harry just closed his eyes and let his exhaustion take him over. He was warm and full, and had he been able to stay awake any longer, he might have thought how happy he was that Snape took care of him.

Morning light streamed through the window when Harry opened his eyes next. Two things struck him at once. One was how much better he felt, and the second was that he needed to go to the bathroom very much.

He struggled out of bed and padded down the hall. The bunny pajamas proved difficult to work around, but he used his teeth to pull back the mitten of one hand and then unbutton some of the carrot buttons. When he finished, he buttoned back up and ventured back to his bedroom to get dressed.

A thought occurred to him - just how dreadful would he look if he put the bunny hood up? What would he look like - Harry Potter the hero of the Wizarding World in bunny pajamas with hoodie ears, mittens, and feet?

He eased the hood up over his head and then tucked his hand back into the mitten. Then he stepped in front of the long mirror in his room.

Harry had seen some awful things in his life: Voldemort sticking out of Quirrell's head, the basilisk in the Chamber, and Hermione frozen and lifeless. But those were nothing compared to the sheer horror of seeing himself looking adorable in a bunny suit. Even though he had grown a few inches in the last year, he looked like a very small boy. His dark hair poked out around the hood, and his eyes were a soft green against all the white.

Just to scare himself further, Harry wrinkled his nose up like a bunny.

Too terrible for words.

He backed away from the mirror and went to the bureau to look for clothes. Then he heard Snape's footsteps on the stairs.

Harry gulped. Snape's potions worked fast and could heal him overnight. If he was well enough to get out of bed, then Snape would think he was well enough to have a talk.

Harry put his hands over the dropseat of his pajamas. Last night a spanking hadn't seemed so scary because he knew Snape would take care of him first, but today he knew he was much better and nothing would stop Snape from delivering a thorough blistering.

Which, in Harry's mind, seemed completely unnecessary. He knew what he had done was wrong. He should have told Snape he felt bad, back when they were at Hogwarts. He knew he had made a mistake, and he didn't see why he had to suffer through a hard spanking just to pound the fact of his mistake into his head (and his bottom).

He could play sick, but that would only prolong the punishment. And Snape had ways of knowing when he was lying which might lead to (gulp) two spankings.

All these thoughts flashed through Harry's mind in a split second, and he lost his mind at the end of it. He ran towards the window, threw it open, and climbed out on the roof. He edged his way on the sloping roof to one of the gables.

"Harry?" Snape's voice rang through his bedroom. "Where are you? Where did you go?"

Harry stayed silent, barely breathing.

"Where are you?" Snape's voice got louder and sterner. A second later, Snape leaned out the window, and Harry nearly slipped off the roof in fright.

"What are you doing there?" Snape demanded. "In this house at once!"

Harry shook his head, too scared to speak.

"Young man, you will come over here this second if you hope to live to the end of summer."

Harry shook his head again. Snape seemed to swell with wrath, but then he took a long breath. "Harry, you will come into this bedroom immediately. For every minute you stay out there, I will add ten swats to your punishment. Starting now."

Snape leaned back in the window. Harry waited a few seconds and then he began scooting down to the edge of the roof. He lowered himself by his hands and then held onto the roof for a second before dropping the last five feet to the ground below. It hurt a little, but he broke into a run for the woods, limping slightly as he went.

He had no idea where he planned to run in bunny pajamas, but he wanted to put as much space between him and Snape as possible. Harry went right for the big tree where he had climbed last year when Snape was mad at him for planting the garden wrong and making a mess of the kitchen. Harry climbed up in the tree and huddled on the big branch about eight feet up. He still had the hood up, and he didn't want to pull it down because the air was slightly cool.

Minutes crawled by. The longer he sat up in the tree, the more distraught Harry became. Had he gone back in his bedroom and taken the punishment like a man, it would have been over and he would be making Snape feel bad for punishing him by grimacing as he sat down and giving sad puppy looks until Snape relented and did something to make him feel better. It might be in the form of a treat like sugary biscuits or a nice walk or a later bedtime or a game of chess or no chores for the day. And the sting of the spanking would disappear, and by lunchtime Harry would barely remember that he had been punished.

All wonderful, except for the part where he wasn't past the spanking yet. He had been so sick, and now Snape didn't even care, and Harry was stuck in a tree dressed like a bunny which made the whole situation all the worse.

Then it started to rain. Raindrops pattered down all around the forest, but Harry huddled under the tree, hoping he could stay as dry as possible.

He was hungry, too. The soup seemed like hours ago, and maybe Snape had hot porridge for breakfast and buttered toast and cool milk. And after breakfast, Snape might let him rest a little while longer - Harry didn't think he was completely healed yet because his throat was still a little scratchy.

Snape was an evil man, making his adopted son run out in the cold and rain after he had been so sick.

"Harry!"

Snapes's voice rang out, and Harry nearly pitched out of the tree in terror at Snape's sudden Apparition.

"No!" Harry tried to climb out of the tree to escape.

"I have something to say and you're going to listen," Snape said.

Harry froze, thinking he better listen as he was well up in the tree and Snape was very close and fast. "Y-yes, sir?"

"You are going to come down from the tree, follow me back into the house where I will deal with this new disobedience. After that, I will clean you up and you will go to bed for the rest of the morning. Should you be a good boy until then, I will let you up for the rest of the day, and tonight we will have a talk about hiding any sickness from me. If you try to fight me now, I will take a switch to you here and then proceed with the rest of the day. And if I see the slightest bit of resistance, I will make sure that you wear those pajamas on the night of the Sorting in front of the whole school."

Before he realized what he was doing, Harry slipped down from the tree and went to stand beside Snape. Snape did not touch him, but they walked together back to the road and then to the house. Once in the warm living room, Snape took a seat on an armless chair and motioned for Harry to come closer.

To his surprise, Harry felt tears welling up as he drew near. "No, please - please don't. Don't spank me. I promise to be good."

"You are a good boy - a few mistakes do not make you a bad boy," Snape pulled him close. "But you have been very naughty and refusing to listen to me."

He reached up to feel Harry's forehead and frowned. "You're warm again. Should you relapse, I will add a third spanking for your stubbornness."

"That's not fair," Harry protested. "I never meant to get sick. And I don't mean to get into trouble. Trouble just finds me."

"Indeed it does," Snape pulled him over his lap, reaching to unbutton the dropseat and tug down his underwear.

Harry felt cool air wash over his bare bottom and it took all the strength he had not to reach back to cover himself. He concentrated on breathing and blinking to clear his eyes. How awful to start crying before a spanking!

Snape picked up his ruler and smacked the small bottom in front of him. Harry gave a small cry, and Snape paddled him again. Eight sharp smacks were laid down one right after another. Harry was crying quietly, but Snape pulled him and stood him in front, right between Snape's knees.

"Look at me," Snape said quietly.

Harry wiped his eyes with one white-mittened paw and then he met Snape's eyes.

"There will be no more running from me," Snape told him. "Not a single one."

Harry shook his head. "No more running."

Snape looked very severe, but he patted Harry on the back as way of comfort.

Harry blinked, sending more tears down his cheeks.

"You are not getting a hug," Snape growled. "Not even a little one. No, put that sad look away. You deserved every one of those swats, and the only reason I didn't paddle you into next week is because you are still a little sick. Now stop those tears before you make yourself worse."

Harry didn't make a sound, but the tears kept coming, huge tears rolling down very fast.

"This is nothing but more disobedience," Snape said, but he finally pulled Harry in. Harry put his arms around Snape, and Snape let him lay his head on his shoulder for a second and even reached up to pat those floppy bunny ears. "Why, oh, why, must you be so much trouble?

Harry didn't answer as he enjoyed the embrace. His tears disappeared quickly, but he kept sniffing a little past the tears so Snape would hold him a bit longer. But of course, Snape pulled away before Harry wanted and immediately took him by the hand up the stairs to bed.

It wasn't until he stood by the bed that Harry realized the drop seat was still down and he furiously tugged up his underwear and tried to button the back buttons with his mittened hands. Snape smacked his hands away and buttoned him up before casting a cleansing charm that cleaned all the dirt and mud off Harry's pajamas.

"I don't want to go back to bed," Harry said. "I'm not sick anymore. And I'm hungry."

"Of course, you're hungry, you greedy thing. Had you been a good little boy, you could have come downstairs for a proper breakfast, but you'll eat up here."

The breakfast Snape brought up was delicious with eggs and toast and thick porridge with tea and milk. Harry couldn't finish it all, but Snape made no comment.

After he was done, Harry felt very full and sleepy, and he burrowed down in the covers, trying to fall asleep before Snape could get the idea of giving him another nasty potion. Fortunately, Snape made no movement towards the potion. He gave Harry a swat on the bottom, warning, "I better not catch you out of bed again" and then left with the food. Harry relaxed and allowed himself to slip into that pleasant drowsy state between waking and dreams, a hazy peace that let his thoughts tumble over like waves over a beach. In a very short time, he slipped down into sleep, pondering over the fact that he cried over eight swats of a ruler just as much as a long punishment and that he hated when Snape had to punish him. He also wished he had the strength to pull down his stupid bunny hood, but before he could wake himself up enough to pull it down, he was already asleep.

That evening Snape allowed him to get out bed and come downstairs for supper. Harry had changed into everyday clothes before tiptoeing down the stairs and entering the kitchen.

"Why did you change?" Snape asked as he set food on the table. "You're just going to go up afterward and get back into them."

"I'm not wearing those pajamas ever again," Harry took his seat.

"Yes, you are. You'll wear those for the next month."

"You're just being mean now," Harry declared. "They're babyish, and I'm not a baby."

"You act like one," Snape sat across from Harry. "Climbing out of windows and climbing up trees when I told you to stay in bed. Is this how you plan to behave yourself all summer?"

"Maybe," Harry felt very rebellious as he picked up his spoon. "But if you make me wear them again, I'm running away for good."

"Don't be naughty. You already have another spanking coming tonight."

That effectively ruined the supper. Harry lost his appetite and picked at the food. He kept feeling tears pricking at his eyes, and his mouth kept pulling down at the corners. He tried not to sniff, he tried to pretend that he was brave, he tried to act like the hero of the Wizarding World would act. But it was one thing to put on a brave face in class or in the Chamber of Secrets where everyone was watching or counting on him. It was quite a different matter to sit across the table from the man who had adopted him and whom Harry loved more than he would ever be able to say, and know that the same man planned on spanking him because he thought Harry deserved it.

"I'm sorry," Harry managed. "I'm sorry I got sick."

"Quiet!" Snape raised cold black eyes to his. "You know perfectly well that I will not be spanking you for getting sick. Why will I spank you?"

"Because I didn't tell you I was sick and I tried to hide it."

"Precisely. Why else?"

"Because I ran away?"

"No, we already took care of that. Why else?"

Harry didn't want to answer but he forced himself to whisper, "Because I put myself into danger. I'm sorry, Dad, I'm really sorry."

Snape huffed, but he got up from the table. "Stop carrying on. You'll make yourself worse. Do you want to get this over with so we can have supper and a pleasant evening before bed?"

Harry nodded and slipped off his chair. Snape cast a heating spell over the food so it would stay warm and he took Vampyr outside before putting a hand on Harry's shoulders and guiding him into the living room. Once there, Snape pulled Harry over his lap and began swatting him with his hand, lecturing soundly.

"You don't hide things from me, young man. If you are sick, you tell me. You don't put yourself in unnecessary danger. If you are caught in a bad situation, you come ask me what to do. And you do not lie to me."

Snape set to spanking him hard and steady, letting those words hang in the air as he swatted the seat of his adopted son. Harry, who had been crying from the table, had not stopped, but his sobs were controlled and soft as he let out his grief and guilt without slipping into hysterics. Even through the sting and the lecture, Harry knew that they were almost finished with the whole awful business. He had to endure the spanking, and then he and Snape could be themselves again.

Snape would return to his snide, sarcastic self with his disparaging comments and grim moods, but Harry could freely snip back at him and enjoy tormenting Snape a bit too much. Even if Snape would never admit it, Harry knew there was a part of his father who liked being sassed and forced to be nice and made to care for Harry. Snape liked playing the stern authoritarian father with his severe rules and sharp reprimands a little too much, but Harry was willing to let him play that role, provided that Snape had some sort of boundaries set for him.

However, boundaries for Snape meant even stricter boundaries for Harry, who was finding the spanking to last longer than he preferred.

"Ow! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Please - ow! No more, I can't bear it."

"You could bear much more than I give you," Snape scoffed. "If I was seeing that you got what you deserved, I'd take a cane to you and make sure you didn't sit for a month."

Through his tears, Harry rolled his eyes, but Snape couldn't see, of course. During the autumn, Snape had once threatened to cane him if he got into anymore trouble, and Harry had glanced apprehensively at the thick walking cane in Snape's study. He had felt fairly certain Snape would not cane him with such a thick cane, but Snape had liked how fearful Harry seemed, and thus Snape brought up the cane every time he wanted to impress on Harry the seriousness of his disobedience and scare him a little too. Once he realized Snape never planned to use the cane, Harry wasn't quite so afraid, but he played along in case Snape decided he wasn't scared enough and gave him a lash or two.

"I really am sorry," Harry said. "Don't - ow! - don't cane me. I couldn't bear the cane."

"Indeed you couldn't," Snape sounded very satisfied. He slapped his hand down on Harry's bottom one last time before pulling Harry to his feet. "Are you going to be good now?"

Harry wiped his eyes hastily and gave Snape his most angelic smile.

"Cheeky brat," Snape sneered. "You must persist in this disobedience despite - what? No, you're not getting another hug."

"Yes, I am," Harry stomped his foot on the floor, a movement that hurt with his sore bottom. He would have trouble sitting comfortably for dinner, but at least the worst was over. "I have to suffer through a spanking, so you have to suffer through a hug. That's the bargain."

"We never made a bargain!"

"Yes, we did - I remember it."

There had been no such bargain or even a verbal agreement that came close to those terms, but Snape snarled and pulled Harry in for a tight hug.

"Now come along and have your supper," Snape stood. "And let's see if you can stay of trouble for the rest of the night. Really, Harry, you haven't been here a week, and you've been nothing but naughty and troublesome, and I should put you down in the cellar until school starts."

Harry grinned guiltily as Snape groused all the way back into the kitchen. Harry felt hungrier than ever, but sitting hurt as his bottom was hot and achy. A good night of sleep would erase the last trace of it, but Harry leaned forward to keep his weight on the back of his thighs as he dug into his plate of hot food.

Snape, the evil sadist, stepped behind him and took hold of his shoulders to make him sit right. Harry hissed as he was forced to sit back on his poor bottom, but Snape just said, "Sit up straight, my boy."

Harry ate as fast as he could, but Snape wouldn't excuse him, making him stay uncomfortable as Snape ate slowly and then enjoyed two cups of hot tea afterwards.

"Very good," Snape set the cup down. "Would you like to sit there while I tidy up or would you rather go take a bath?"

"Bath," Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he finally got to stand.

Snape left him to soak in the tub again, and Harry enjoyed the healing potions in the hot water for a good hour while Snape washed the dishes. To Harry's immense relief, the bunny pajamas did not make an appearance and Harry got to wear his regular nightclothes, but Snape warned,

"Should you get sick again, it's back into them straight away."

"You like torturing me," Harry grumbled as he climbed into bed, yawning. "I should have asked Dumbledore to let me stay at Hogwarts. Where's Vampyr? I missed him last night."

"He'll come up in a bit," Snape covered Harry up. "And starting tomorrow, there will be a strict schedule of chores, lessons, and gardening for you. There will be no free time or play time or anything resembling fun."

"Because I'm a horrid boy!" Harry nodded cheerfully. "I deserve to live in a cold dungeon among beetles and wear rags and eat moldy bread and get beaten with a broomstick every night."

Snape glowered. "No one said anything about eating moldy bread. Go to sleep."

"Less than four weeks to my birthday," Harry snuggled into his pillow. "Have you gotten me a present?"

Snape was speechless with outrage.

"I don't want anything to do with a bunny," Harry said as his eyes fluttered close. "No bunny clothes . . . or bunny food . . . or bunny pictures . . . nothing bunny . . ."

Snape gazed down at the sleeping boy, his breathing deep and soft, and Snape allowed himself a small smile. So much trouble and worry for one very naughty boy.

Snape walked out of the room and closed the door, confident the boy was down for the night. And the first thing Snape would do the next morning would be to nail down the window so one mischievous bunny couldn't escape.