Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It and its characters rightfully belong to J.K Rowling. Nor do I own the song Stay Awake it rightfully belongs to the singer Julie Andrews and the owners of Mary Poppins the movie on which the song was originally featured. I am not making any profit from writing this story, it's just for fun.

Reverse Psychology

Professor Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, rubbed his face tiredly as he tried once more to persuade his five-year-old godson to go to bed.

"It's late Draco" he told the pouting five-year- old sternly "It's time for small boys to be sleeping"

Draco shook his head stubbornly.

"No bed Uncle Sev" he augured stamping his little foot "I'm not tired"

Professor Snape sighed wearily. This same argument had been going on for the past half an hour and he was near his wits end.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, sighing once more he got up to answer it.

"Potter!" he exclaimed when he saw his most hated student on the other side the door. "What are you doing here? Come to mock me I suppose?"

To his amazement Potter shook his head.

"I'm here to see if you need any help" he replied.

If he hadn't been so tired Professor Snape would have sneered, but as it was, he just really wanted to go to bed, and hope to Merlin that the potion that had reduced his proud and pampered seventeen- year-old godson to a spoilt brat of a five-year-old he was currently would wear off by morning. So he stepped aside and allowed Potter inside his domain.

"Hey Draco" Potter greeted softly as he knelt beside the boy "what ya doing?"

"Drawing" Draco replied happily holding up aSlytherin green crayon "But uncle Sev says it's time for bed" he pouted to show his displeasure at this announcement.

Potter smiled.

"Well you know what?" Potter asked softly

Draco shook his head.

"No, what?" he asked.

"You don't have to go to bed" Potter replied

"Potter!" Professor Snape hissed warningly but Potter held up a finger as if to say 'wait a moment there's a point to this' and continued,

"However you do have to sit on the sofa with your uncle and I"

"K" Draco agreed solemnly.

Professor Snape to his queue and went and sat on the sofa and Potter and Draco joined him a few moments later.

"What are you going to do now Potter?" he thought, he got his answer a few moments later when Potter began to sing softly.

"Stay awake, don't rest your head
Don't lie down upon your bed
While the moon drifts in the skies
Stay awake, don't close your eyes"

To Professor Snape's surprise Draco began to yawn and snuggle into him. He silently urged Potter to continue, hoping Draco would fall asleep completely if he did.

"Though the world is fast asleep
Though your pillow's soft and deep
You're not sleepy as you seem
Stay awake, don't nod and dream
Stay awake, don't nod and dream" Potter finished.

Professor Snape looked down at his chest which now had a peacefully sleeping Draco on top of it and allowed a soft smile to curl briefly into his face; his godson hadn't looked so innocent in years.

"Thank you Potter" he murmured.

Potter smiled.

"You're welcome Sir" he whispered so as not to wake Draco. "I learned a long time ago that Reverse Psychology was useful in getting a child to go to sleep at night"

Professor Snape made a noise of agreement before waving a pale hand in dismissal and to his surprise Potter actually took the hint and stood to leave.

"Good night Sir" he whispered as he took his leave a few moments later.

After a few moments Professor Snape stood and, being careful not to wake his godson, moved to the guest room of his quarters where he tucked the small boy into bed, before heading to his own room to turn in for the night. As he put on his pyjamas he thought back on what Potter had said and snorted, Reverse Psychology indeed. And with that Professor Snape climbed into bed and soon succumbed to sleep, when he dreamed of all the detentions that he was going to give Longbottom for making him suffer through this nightmare of an evening.

Author's note/ Hi everyone hope you liked my first Harry Potter One-shot! The idea came to me and just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. Well, please review and tell me what you think, constructive criticism is encouraged as it helps me get better with my writing. Flames however, shall be ignored.

Ja ne

Frankie.