𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑶𝑹 || 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕.

Although Snape was pleased, perhaps even quite pleased, that Harry had missed him and was glad to see him again, he was beginning to wonder if Harry was ever going to let him have a moment's peace again. Once they'd returned to Snape's quarters in the Hogwarts dungeons, Snape had hoped Harry would release the handfuls of robes he had clutched onto the whole train ride home.

"Would you mind releasing me, Harry?" Snape asked.

Harry giggled and shook his head.

"Then I suppose it's time for another lesson in politeness. This one will be especially important when you get older and have to start dealing with women, but I think you need to learn it now." Snape sat down on the couch with Harry on his lap and continued his lecture. "It is not appropriate, nor socially acceptable to hold onto clothing when the wearer has asked you to let go. You don't want to earn yourself a slap in the future do you?"

Harry shook his head again, but didn't let go of Snape's clothes. Snape sighed and leaned back against the cushions of the couch. He was exhausted. He'd hardly slept the past few nights, between worrying over Harry and examining the bewildering diary of Bellatrix Lestrange. He shut his eyes and began to relax, but Harry would have none of it.

"Bop!" Harry said, knocking his head against Snape's chest. "Bop!"

"No, Harry," Snape said tiredly, eyes still closed. "No Bop. It's nap time."

Harry giggled and bopped him again.

"Harry, I just don't have another lecture in me right now. Stop bopping." Never before had Snape thought he would have to say he didn't have the energy to give another lecture.

"Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop!" Harry squealed with excitement, headbutting Snape with each bop.

Snape finally opened his eyes reluctantly and looked into the bright green, excited eyes of the tiny boy on his lap. Harry's eyes widened and he smiled innocently and whispered, "Bop" again.

All this bopping was giving Snape a good idea for a new curse, which would possibly be even more effective than the Cruciatus at driving people crazy- he could call it Boppitus.

"Harry," Snape said, all his inflection and sarcasm void from his voice. "Professor Snape is too tired to carry on with this bop nonsense any longer. Professor Snape needs to sleep, and you can either sleep here on the couch by me, or I can go put you in your crib, but the bopping must stop."

"Bop?" said Harry with a smile.

"No, no bop." Snape closed his eyes again settled back into the couch. All was quiet for a minute or two and Snape began to smile to himself, thinking how accomplished he was at teaching Harry right from wrong, when suddenly and without warning-

"BOP!"

Snape grunted as Harry's head collided with his chest again. "That's that," Snape said, standing up with Harry in his arms, Harry still clutching to Snape's robes. "You've made a bad choice, and you need to spend some time in quiet recollection thinking about how we don't bop Professor Snape when he's sleeping."

Snape pushed the door to Harry's room open with his foot and entered.

Harry began to make happy "Eee!" sounds when he saw his own crib, and dresser, and toy box. He let go of one handful of robes and began to excitedly point at all his things, which he'd missed for the past few days.

"Alright Harry," Snape said, prying Harry's fingers loose from his robe and setting him down in his crib. "Nap time."

The happy sounds ceased and the smile fell from Harry's face as he stared at Snape in confusion. He cocked his head and reached an arm towards Snape, opening and closing his fist.

"No, Harry, Professor Snape is not going to pick you up right now. We are both going to take a nap and become refreshed and reinvigorated. Until then I don't have the energy to put up with these antics."

Harry stuck his bottom lip and put his head down, his chin touching his chest.

"Have a nice rest," Snape said, then walked out of the room.

The second Snape's back was turned Harry's heart began to beat rapidly and once he was out of the room Harry felt complete panic overtake him. Snape had left him again!

"Nape!" Harry called. "Nape!"

------------------------ ~♥~ ------------------------

It was the ultimate struggle, the battle of wills, and Snape truly did not want to lose to a baby. He laid on his bed in the room next to Harry's, his eyes shut firmly. Harry could shout if he wanted, that was his prerogative, but it didn't have to interrupt Snape's nap. The cry of "Nape!" floated through to Snape's room once more. He groaned and rolled over. His feet hit the floor. The battle was lost.

Snape walked into Harry's room to find the little boy tear streaked and laying on his belly. His face was red and his nose was running, and he looked utterly pathetic and completely helpless.

"I'm sorry," Snape said, picking Harry up. Harry continued to cry, grabbing Snape's hair in one hand and putting it on his face.

"Nape," the little boy whined.

"I know, I didn't mean to leave you again," Snape said. He carried Harry into his room and sat down on the bed. Harry began to quiet down, letting go of Snape's hair and putting his thumb in his mouth. Snape laid Harry down on his back, his head just beneath the pillow on the left side of the bed. Then Snape cast a quick spell, making a force field around the bed, so Harry wouldn't fall off. Within minutes both were asleep, Snape with one hand protectively on Harry's stomach, and Harry with one hand in his mouth and the other hand clutching one of Snape's fingers.