You would
think he would have been overjoyed – but in fact the change was one of the more
daunting ones at Hogwarts. First of all, the beds are higher than what he was
used to – a low, thin mattress kept above ground by an undersized wire frame is
significantly lower to the ground than a mattress and box spring supported by
an ornate wooden frame complete with its own resplendent curtains and canopy.
Just getting in was a bit of a trial
when he was younger as Severus was very short
as a kid. He found that he had to go in early so nobody could watch him, as
it was a bit of an awkward scramble before he figured out how to flop down and
roll himself up.

Then there is
the matter of the overall change in mattress firmness – his old one was not
that much better from sleeping on the floor, and he had to arrange himself very
carefully to keep things from tipping. In Hogwarts, this stiff positioning on a
very foamy, springy mattress was detrimental
as it caused his body to be unnecessarily tense, resulting in knots and
strained muscles for the first two months before he finally learned to sleep
properly. He developed a habit of sleeping on his stomach in a starfish
position after that, reveling in the spaciousness and softness and welcoming
how rested he would feel come day.

Returning
home, Severus had learned the hard way how sleeping awkwardly could affect
things, so he got his mother to help him set his mattress on the floor. While
it was not soft by any means, he didn’t have to contort himself to maintain
balance on the frame, either. He continued to sleep on his stomach, not
trusting enough to leave it vulnerable, and when he returned to Hogwarts he
sank into his bed with great relief. That said, he was usually stiff for the
first couple weeks regardless, as he would generally have to sleep funky in
order to alleviate pain due to other damages.