"Daaaaadddy, nu huh," little Harry whined pathetically as his Daddy wrapped his big hand around his and pulled him firmly towards their home. Daddy was frowning and looking very upset. Harry almost burst into tears. He didn't want Daddy to be angry with him. Daddy bought him toys and books and ice cream, he held him, and slept with him at night when he got scared. Harry sniffled, now Daddy was angry because Harry was bad.

They reached home too soon, although Severus had made sure to walk slowly for the little one. He tried hard to keep his scowl as Harry whined, oh, if the little tyke knew how hard he was trying to be firm!

Harry felt miserable, he wanted to wrap his arms around Daddy's neck and bury his head in his big shoulder. He looked up. Daddy was tall, very tall. Usually Harry liked that Daddy was tall because he could climb him up and Daddy would laugh and call him 'my little monkey', but not today. Daddy was angry with him and being that tall wasn't helping. Harry sighed as Daddy picked him up and plopped him on the kitchen counter. He blinked innocently through his lashes, big emerald eyes watching as Daddy wet a clean rag and started cleaning Harry little face and hands.

Severus sighed as he found little wounds on the tyke's arms. He scoffed, of course, that's what little naughty demons get from fighting over the swings.

Harry's wounds stung a little and his eyes watered. He hadn't noticed that his arms were hurt.

Severus left Harry over the counter and went to the bathroom. Soon, he came back to find Harry's tears rolling on his cheek as he held his arms to his chest. Severus closed his eyes. It was more than a year now since he had stolen Harry from the Dursleys and he had yet to hear Harry cry loudly when hurt … smacking aside.

It was at times like this that he felt justified for what he had done to the Headmaster. Transfiguring the headmaster to a constantly chirruping parrot colored after the man's robes was indeed justified. What had really made Severus' day then, was that Albus had never expected it. It was so sudden that even the great Albus Dumbledore hadn't had enough time to counter or shield. It might also have been because Albus knew that Severus would never hurt him, he thought guiltily. But he hadn't really hurt him, had he?

Severus shook his head. No, enough of that. He focused on the silently crying Harry and his face softened. He pulled Harry to his chest and gently rubbed his back, "shh little one. It's alright. I will make it better."

Severus opened the disinfectant and wound healing salve that he had specially brewed for Harry, making sure it wouldn't sting the little boy's wounds. He dropped a little of the salve on Harry wounds and used a piece of cotton to spread it slowly and gently. The result was immediate. Harry's face lit up and he shook his arms around him like a bird. Severus thought he looked adorable. Yes, but that was for later. For now, there is a little matter of a certain tyke receiving a very sound spanking of three whole smacks in total, one for every year in his life.

Severus put his fingers under the boy's chin, "Harry, look at me."

Darn! The little boy really did look at him then and his too innocent eyes locked with his. Snape cursed himself internally, how in Merlin's name could he discipline the child now after he looked at him like that? Severus sighed, then cleared his throat, "Harry, you were very naughty today." He informed the boy.

Harry's eyes immediately clouded with tears and looked down whispering, "sowwy."

"I know you are sow.. uh … sorry now, but you know very well, Harry James Potter, that what you have done is inexcusable."

Harry nodded. He knew he was naughty … or at least that was what he thought 'insoosabel' meant.

Severus went on, oblivious to Harry's little vocabulary problem, "I told you before Harry, you Do Not Fight. I allowed you to the park today only after you promised not to fight again. I am very disappointed that you broke your promise and that you have fought again with Michael."

Harry's tears rolled down his cheeks again. He might not have understood all what Daddy said but he hated that word: 'disponted'. It meant that Daddy was sad, and that he had made him sad.

Severus was thankful that Harry had started to fight back when bullies like that Michael boy nagged him and took Harry's turns on the different games in the park, but Harry had to learn not to make this a habit. He had to learn to trust him and other adults. If it was up to him really, he would have given that Michael kid a piece of his mind, leaving him unable to sit for a week. But Michael wasn't his responsibility. This little tyke however was.

Severus looked down as Harry cried, some sounds starting to sneak out of his mouth. It seemed that Harry only cried loudly like any other three year old child did when Severus was angry with him.

"Harry, what happens to little naughty boys?" Snape asked sternly.

And that was it. Harry started sobbing. He did not want Daddy to smack him, no, Daddy's hand was too big and his bottom always stung for … uh years and years after a smacking. Harry shook his head, "noooo Daddy, no smackin me, no, I good …"

"Harry, this is the third time. You know what happens when you do the same thing for three times. Now come with me." Snape opened his arms, and despite Harry's misery, he immediately fell into them, tucking his little head in the crook of his Daddy's neck, sniffling. One of his newly healed arms slid down to rub his bottom in worry.

Severus went to the living room and sat down on the sofa. He felt Harry arms tighten around him seeking comfort for what was going to happen and he indulged the child by holding him a few more moments. He then gently unstuck Harry's arms from around his neck. He looked right into the boy's teary eyes, "Harry, you must remember that solving your problems won't happen by kicking and biting. I want you to think about it, little one. It would have been much easier if you had come to me and complained about Michael stealing your turn and pushing you. Then we wouldn’t be here now and you wouldn’t have hurt your arms. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded. Yes he did understand, but that didn’t mean he wanted a spanking.

"Good." Snape then stood Harry in front of him and started unbuttoning and unzipping the boys shorts. Harry face scrunched up as he sniffled. Snape bit his lip and continued to pull the shorts down. He then picked the child up and gently laid him face down over his lap. He circled the little waist with his arm, and with his other hand pulled down the boy's underpants exposing the small bottom underneath. Severus smiled. He remembered the first time he changed Harry's clothes and nappy after he stole him away from his so-called family. He couldn't believe that a person could be so small. His experience with babies and toddlers was next to nothing and for the life of him he couldn’t imagine that he himself had been that size at one time.

By then, Harry was already crying loudly. Still, Severus flicked his wrist and landed a smack over the little bottom. Harry squealed then burst into tears. Snape's heart raced guiltily. He wasn't smacking too hard, was he? It was only a flick of the wrist. He checked the little bottom. The pinkish print of his fingers was already fading. He flicked his wrist again with a smack. He didn’t leave the boy a chance to get over the shock of the second smack and he landed the final third.

The boy was bawling loudly by now and kicking his little legs seemingly unaware that his punishment had ended. Snape pulled the boy's underpants covering his already white bottom and in a flash, the boy was inside his arms crying heart-brokenly.

Harry felt his underpants going up and before his Daddy took him in his arms, he had already crawled up, finding Daddy's neck and tucking his head in there. Harry continued to cry for a long time. He always did when Daddy smacked him. Harry had made him very 'disaponted', so much that he had to smack him. That alone broke the child's heart.

Harry rocked in Daddy's arms as his crying quieted to sniffles. He loved Daddy's arms. They were big and circled him totally and he felt safe there. Daddy would never let anything hurt him again, his bad uncle wouldn’t kick him and make it hurt when he breathed and his bad auntie wouldn’t pinch him until his arms and legs were blue again. Harry settled his little head on Daddy's shoulder slowly closing his eyes. Daddy's hand was so soothing, rubbing his back and patting him gently. Harry put his thumb in his mouth sucking in earnest as he smiled in Daddy's shoulder and was engulfed by sleep.