The next morning couldn’t come too soon, he woke up and was out of his room ready for breakfast, ten minutes before Snape appeared at the dinning room.

“Eat slowly, Mr. Potter, you don’t want indigestion.”

“Yes, Sir, Sorry, Sir. It’s just that I want to try the bike again.”

“Make some time before lunch to take a swim in the pond, your muscles would appreciate it.”

“I would need swimming classes also, Sir.”

“I am aware of that, Mr. Potter.”

Harry felt Snape eyes on him while he was riding the bike. As the day warmed up he felt like removing the protection gear, but every time he had looked around he had found Snape watching him. He was not fool enough to defy the precautions so soon. But he hoped that Snape would allow him to do with out them soon.

Almost an hour before lunch he went to his room and put on the swimming trunks, he looked very thin in them with the ribs showing. He knew he was 12 almost 13 but looked more like a ten year old. He took one of the big towels and his rubber slippers. Snape had said that he could leave them in the shed.

He took with him a change of clothes, he still thought that they were a lot, but it was nice to be able to change into well fitting clothes as many times as he wanted in the same day.

He loved the pond, the water was warm, and it was not too deep. Snape told him to wade around holding the rim, it was nice.

“Won’t you swim also, Professor?”

“Not today, Potter, I am finishing some potions that are required for the school Infirmary, I need to keep an eye on my cauldrons. Now get hold of the edge and paddle your feet until you stay horizontal to the water, Mr. Potter.”

By lunch time, Harry was able to float.

They had lunch. And Harry kept on the bike. Snape allowed him to go as far as the forest.

“Do not get near or over the wards Mr. Potter or you will find yourself too sore to sit on the bicycle.”

“Yes, Sir. No, Sir.”

“Be back before sundown, Mr. Potter”

“Yes, Sir.”

Harry enjoyed the bike, he really liked the way this had turned out. He did not have to go to his relatives, He bet they were glad, he did not have innumerable tasks to do. He had an adult that was responsible for him, an adult that made him sleep and eat healthy and that allowed him to play. He was eating, and sleeping and enjoying himself as never before, even better than Hogwarts.

Snape was a bit stiff, and Harry knew that at the moment both were trying to get along. He felt that he had been lucky that Snape had been so understanding in the matter of the clothes and on the bike. He never thought that they could have been in each other’s company for almost a week.

Harry found a path into the forest and followed it for a while, the Manor house was out of sight and he removed the knee and elbow paths, they fitted in the bike’s cradle, he found a slop and used it, at first he was cautious, breaking all the way down, but he realized that he needed more speed, he tried again without using the breaks, this time his speed increased, he felt as if he was going to crash against the tree at the bottom of the slope, he used the brakes... he used the front one, the front wheel stopped but the rest of the bike went over his head.

The bike fell on Harry.

Harry had to move the bike to stand up. He sat on the forest floor inspecting the damage. The bike looked ok. Some scrapes but nothing more. He felt a bump on his head where the seat had hit him. He felt a scrap on his knee, he looked and had some blood dripping, the pants did not tear. His elbows and the heels of his hands were scraped also. He stood up behind the bike and pulled it up the slope.

He got on it once more but rode slowly. It hurt. Snape was going to be angry that he had removed the protection gear. He was glad that he had left the helmet on. At least he had not been knocked out by the bike.

Once he was out of the forest he realized that it was late, the sun was almost down and it was getting dark. He put on the protections and went as fast as he could to the Manor.

He placed the bike on the shed and washed himself, his hands hurt but there were no open cuts. He also tended his arms with water and they looked better, maybe Snape wouldn’t notice. Why did he had to disobey in something so simple?! The pants were dirty but covered the scraped knees, Harry knew that he would need to clean them well and maybe apply something, but would try after dinner. That is if... he was allowed to have dinner… He heard movement behind him and saw Snape’s shadow at the shed’s door.

“You took your time, Mr. Potter.”

“I’m sorry I’m late for dinner, Sir. I… lost track of the time.”

“Be careful not to do it in the future Potter. Dinner is ready.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Harry followed the dark cloaked man into the house and sat at the table. The dinner was delicious, Harry ate fast. He needed to remove himself from the table before his guardian started questioning his whereabouts.

“How far did you go, Potter?”

Harry was a very bad with lies, he looked at his plate and said, “Near the forest, Sir.”

“Just near the forest? You were supposed to stay within sight distance from the house. I couldn’t see you, Potter.” Snape’s voice was neutral but Harry knew that it could grow angry in a moment.

“I.. found a path, I just followed it for a short time, I… went back out almost immediately….” Harry turned to look at him and felt Snape’s eyes reading his mind.

“I do not want to hear lies, Mr. Potter, if you did not follow my instructions take responsibility, do not hide behind lies or half truths, do not take me for a fool.”

Harry looked up and told himself, well Potter you decided to go to the forest.

“I followed the path into the forest, Sir. I did not get to the boundaries or get close to the wards. That is the truth.”

“Was I not clear when I told you not to enter the forest?”

“You were clear, but it was not really dangerous…” Harry looked at his hands, the heels lightly scraped, well it may have been dangerous, he was not really hurt by the fall but he could have been. “I’m all right.”

Snape saw the scratches on the boy’s hand.

“Did you fall down, Potter?”

Harry shook his head, then felt Snape hand on his arm.

Harry couldn’t stop himself from flinching when the Professor’s hand touched the scrapes. He nodded.

“I used the brakes wrong, the front wheel stopped and the bike went over my head.”

Snape stood Harry up and used his hand to go over Harry’s body, he noticed the scraps on arms and hands and the child flinched when he touched his knees.

“Were you using the protections?”

“I was too hot, I removed them… Ouch!” Snape place a smack on Harry’s bottom, followed by another one on the other side.

“Ouch!” Snape was holding Harry's arms.

“Of all the foolish things you could do! Don’t you believe that you have to take care of yourself!?” Snape’s tone of voice went up without shouting.

“I’m sorry, I did not think…”

"Ouch" two more fast smacks. Then Snape released him.

“That is your problem Potter, you never think! Go to you room, get a bath and get ready for bed, you won’t be allowed to use the bicycle tomorrow.”

“But, Sir….”

“Now, Potter!”

Harry went to his room he closed the door hard but held it before it slammed. It was not fair! He was not going to be allowed to fly until the bloody wards were resettled, and now… It may had been his fault… but he wouldn't be able to use the bike…. And those smacks! Snape was… He was a big boy…. To old to be smacked like that! So much for getting along…

The warmth of the smacks disappeared slowly, even over the clothes Harry had felt the strong hands. He felt sore all around, his arms and legs were hurt, as well as his hands, he felt his bottom tender from the bike’s seat. It was too early to be his bedtime!

He filled the tub and brought some toys with him to the bathroom. He knew he was too old to play like a baby, but it was something he had not done before. He re-enacted a big ocean battle, all the ships sink after the imaginary sea monster attacked them. He felt that the water was getting cold, then he realized that the water had spilled over the tub and had flooded the bathroom.

Harry felt panic, he stood out of the tub. He needed to dry the floor. He had left his clothes beside the tub as he undressed to get in, they were dripping wet. Harry realized that he only had a small hands towel, having taken the other to the shed for the swimming, he knew there were more towels in his room, that’s when he realized that the water had gone under the doors and to the different rooms around. He pulled the plug from the tub and let it drain, he tried to use the small towel to dry the tiled floor, he would think about the rugs later.

He was so dead! Snape wouldn’t believe that it had been an accident. Harry felt like he was fighting an endless battle. There was too much water on the floor, and he felt that the one he was absorbing with the towel and placing in the tub, was no use. He started sobbing.

Snape had placed ‘Distress wards’ around Harry’s room, that was how he knew to come to the boy when he had had the nightmare. He was on his study when he felt them. The child was in distress.

Snape went to Harry’s room, entering through the sitting room he saw a big stain of water in the rug. He opened the door to the bathroom and saw the naked sobbing boy wringing the towel over the bathtub and placing it back on the floor.

“Harry James Potter! What is the meaning of this?!” He said in an exasperated tone.

Harry waited for the floor to open and swallow him.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry….” Harry stood up and tried to turn around to face Snape, the towel in his hand dripping, he stood so fast that he slipped, he felt himself falling and braced for the impact that did not come, he fell over what felt like an air cushion and saw that Snape was pointing his wand to him. The Potion Master was beside him in two strides. And Harry felt that the time stopped. Before he felt the tiled floor with his bottom, Harry felt a hand holding his arms and helping him up. The other hand was applied loudly to his wet backside.

Smack!

“Do you want to break your neck?!”

Smack!

“Where are your slippers?”

Smack!

Where is your bathrobe?

Smack!

The bathtub was not yet drained, Snape pulled the boy up and seated him on the tub. The water felt cold to Harry’s smarting buttocks. Snape saw the toys and took them out. Then said, opening the water to fill the tub again.

“Finish with your bath, Potter.”

Harry felt the tub filling with warm water, he couldn’t stop sobbing. Through his teary eyes and wet fringe he saw Snape moving his wand several times around the bathroom and realized that he was drying it. He saw the water in the floor break apart in droplets that flew together and then disappeared in the air, he also felt a warm breeze indicating that all was dry.

Once having taken care of the flood Snape turned to his wet ward. The boy was sobbing in the tub having made no movement towards getting cleaned.

Harry felt so helpless that he couldn’t stop crying.

Snape kneeled beside him and asked in a normal un-Snapeish voice.

“Are you hurt, Mr. Potter?”

Harry shook his head.

Snape took the soap and a small towel from the tub, applied the soap until he got a lather and gave it to the boy. Harry started cleaning his knees.

Then Harry felt a hand in his head and through his hair. Snape was placing shampoo!

“Close your eyes” Snape washed Harry’s head and helped him rinse all over.

Then he accioed Harry’s bathrobe and slippers and helped him out of the tub.

Harry had calmed some, but still big tears kept dropping from his eyes. Snape saw his red handprints on the boy’s buttocks and legs as he helped with the bathrobe.

“There is no need to carry on so much child. There was no harm done. Now get dry and ready for bed. I’ll come back in a moment.”

Harry felt warm on the robe. He stayed in the bathroom to wash his teeth, then went to his room and put on his pajamas, he sat on the bed. He was stunned.

He couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Snape found him sitting there a few minutes later, he had a balm for the scrapes in his hand.

“I’m sorry, Sir, I….”

“You were playing in the tub, were you not, Mr. Potter?”

“Yes, Sir, I will never, ever do it again, Sir. I’m sorry I could have ruined the carpets...”

“You should be sorry for almost breaking your back, Mr. Potter! Even if magic couldn’t fix them, the carpets can be replaced, nothing can replace you.”

“I will never use the bathtub again, Sir.”

“You will remember to take your bathrobe and slippers in. It would be a good idea if you were to leave them in the bathroom. Also be sure that you have a towel for you to dry. Here put this over your scrapes it will help to heal them. And go to sleep we have had a tiring day. I’ll call you for breakfast tomorrow, Mr. Potter.”

Harry was left with the balm on his hand, and he saw Snape leaving the room. He had to stop him.

“But, Sir…”

“What now, Mr. Potter?”

“I would rather… I mean, Sir…. I… Would you punish me now, Sir? Please don’t make me wait until tomorrow… Sir.”

“Mr. Potter, you are more inarticulate than ever. What are you talking about?”

“I mean… You are going to give me a proper spanking, Sir, I know I deserve it, please do not make me wait for it.”

“Mr. Potter, you already had all the spanks you are getting. Now get in bed. You will catch a cold.”

“But, Sir, the spanks… they did not hurt at all…. I mean they still smart a little but…”

“Mr. Potter, I wanted your attention, that’s all, I did not want to hurt you.”

“But I don’t understand, Sir”

“Neither do I, Mr. Potter.” Snape sat beside Harry on the bed. With his hand he pulled Harry’s face until their eyes met. “Do you expect me to spank you more, Child?”

Harry nodded. “That was not a proper spanking, Sir.”

“Well it’s all you are going to get. I would never spank you until you are black and blue if that is what you expect. The spanks were meant to get your attention and as that, I guess they worked, I hope that they would deter you from trying to do anything else while you are wet, naked and barefooted. You must learn to keep yourself safe. You will be on restriction tomorrow, staying inside your room, going out just for meals. You may start your summer assignments, but I want two feet parchment on the security measures that you should follow while using the bike and taking a bath. If you ever find yourself in a position like that I want you to think first in your safety and then try to clean. Or not clean at all. Is that clear, Mr. Potter?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good night, Mr. Potter.”

Harry saw Snape leave the room. He opened the pot with the balm for his scrapes, it was like the end he had made up for his nightmare, well he did not get any ice-cream, but Snape wanted him to cure his scrapes, he applied the sticky balm to his knees, then to his elbows. The scrapes closed immediately. He got under the comforter. He felt a warm sensation and he knew that it was his body getting warm under the bedcovers and drifting to sleep, or the smacks disappearing from his skin, but he wanted it to be the fact that for the first time since he could remember someone was interested in him.