A/N: The first part of this chapter should look a little familiar. The addition is in the second part.

"Mistress, a man awaits in the drawing room," a house elf announced timidly as he kept his head bowed. His ears twitched every few seconds, while he waited for the lady's acknowledgement. The beautiful woman sat upright and regal in front of her vanity. Her voluminous black hair with blonde highlights cascaded over fair shoulders matched exotically well with her red evening gown that accented her curves and aroused suspicion of endless legs that hid under the flowing skirt. She epitomized classy temptation and elegance.

She rose and glided across the room to tower before the quivering house elf. A beautifully shaped eyebrow raised just slightly as she pursed her lips. A man, who was not her husband, was waiting for her? Surely, her beloved would have told her sometime early today before he left the manor; it was unlike him to forget reminding her of a possible guest. Picking her wand, she dismissed the house elf with orders to send word to her husband while she made her way to the parlor. Should a duel break out, she would fend the intruder until her husband, no doubt rushing back to her and their son, would return. She was not a simple witch – she was Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius Malfoy and beloved younger sister of Bellatrix Lestrange and daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black. She was not a witch to be trifled with.

Innocent laughter that sounded suspiciously like her son's echoed in the corridor, and she found herself picking up her pace. Whoever their guest was, it was obvious Draco was acquainted with them and been introduced to as… harmless. No, no, not harmless but a parent's friend which only meant one thing – their uninvited guest was a Death Eater, a follower of the fallen Dark Lord. Only her husband's colleagues had the gall to thread into Malfoy's Manor uninvited. Narcissa frowned just briefly as she hazarded a guess for their guest's identity – there were not many free-walking Death Eaters who were cunning enough to evade Azkaban.

Turning a corner, she entered the parlor and saw the cheerful grin of her young son and smiled faintly until she spotted the back of a blonde's head. Her faint smile dropped immediately and replaced by a mask of cold indifference as she walked around the blond-haired man and intentionally walked in front of her son. The guest rose to his feet as soon as he saw her, and he gave her a polite but appreciative glance at her attire. "Yaxley," she sneered as she ran her hand through her son's hair if only to keep her hands from reaching for her wand, "what a surprise."

The violet-eyed man smiled widely and toothily as he took her hand in his. "Narcissa Black, always the beautiful witch," Yaxley hummed as he kissed the back of palm lightly before he released his hold and retreated to his seat, "Where is your husband?"

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the man as she not too gently, pushed Draco behind her as she slowly settled into a seat opposite to Yaxley. It did not go unnoticed that Yaxley would use her maiden name – the man had always insisted on acknowledging her that way and she had long given up asking why he continued addressing her as such. She had used multiple tactics and employed different people to buy his answer only to be faced with no answer. She had even gone as far as to enlist Dolohov in her quest, only to be met with failure. After the series of failures, she had come to accept Yaxley did as he wanted, untamable, and there was no logical reason for his choice of addressing her. He was as uncontrollable as Dolohov.

Narcissa gave a quick kiss to Draco's crown if only to recompose her thoughts to the matter at hand. Whatever happened between Yaxley and her was moot point; she was still very much in love with Lucius. She breathed deeply as she rested her left hand on the son's head, just so she could feel him physically there. It was unthinkable to usher Draco away from the room, especially when Dolohov, who had escaped Azkaban, could be skulking the corridors of the manor – it would be expected of the ruffian. "Your dealings with my husband can be dealt through me," she said firmly while she counted the seconds until Lucius' return. There was absolutely no way she would be able to fend off Yaxley and Dolohov on her own should a duel erupt; there was a reason why Dolohov was one of the Dark Lord's most trusted soloist.

Yaxley shook his head and smiled lightly, "As much as I enjoy your company, it is Lucius I seek."

"Insist and you'll see that there will be no deals."

He frowned at her before his face relaxed again and he leaned into the chair lazily. Drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair, he relented and huffed, "I require him to flex the power that comes coupled with his… position in the society."

Narcissa could not stop the bark of laughter that erupted from her. Try as she might, hearing Yaxley's confession was hilarious. "Who would have thought Yaxley the Mad Jester would seek out a Malfoy for help," she mocked as her smile threatened to stretch into a genuine amused smile. It had been a long time since she had genuinely laugh because of someone other than her husband. Biting her bottom lip lightly, her right index finger rested on the corner of her lips while she tilted her head to the side to screen the seriousness of her guest. Certainly, Yaxley had been playful and lazy when he said that but there was no mistaking the undercurrent of seriousness.

"Surely, even your Divination would prophesize at least that much," Yaxley mocked cheerfully and smiled kindly at the amusement that evaporated from his host's face. It was a secret she spilled to him once when she was tipsy and worried for her husband. He was pleasantly surprised when she revealed to him that Divination was a class she never did excel in despite her generally spectacular results in school. Indeed, a drunk's words were the thoughts of a sober's.

"Might I remind you that you're in my domain?" Narcissa bit as she glared at the presumably carefree man.

"Impeccable timing for a reminder," Yaxley laughed as he raised both his hands in a mocking surrender as he shook his head. Smiling knowingly, he slid his eyes to lazily survey the room and shrugged his shoulders, "There is something about this place – it makes me forget my manners."

The light twinkled in his eyes and Narcissa pursed her lips. She closed her eyes briefly while she combed her hand through her son's soft hair to calm herself. There was no need to be aggrieved with his taunts. When she reopened her eyes, she released a long sigh that she made certain he would know she was exasperated with him. "Where is he who created chaos in the ministry?"

"Who knows? I'm not his keeper."

"Not his keeper? Color me surprised!" Narcissa gasped as she covered her mouth with her palm if only to hide the grin and smother the giggle that she felt in her throat. The darkening of those violet eyes was all the evidence she needed to know that she had effectively gotten under his skin. Turnabout was fair play after all. As she battled to keep the smile from stretching on her face, she was almost disappointed and wary when the violet eyes lightened as if a storm had ceased brewing.

"Oh, Narcissa, my dear," Yaxley sighed as he crossed his arms and his lazy posture straightened, "be careful of your tongue." His eyes fixed her with a bored gaze that she knew meant he was moving away from his playful side. His eyes slowly moved around her face before they returned to her eyes and he whispered, "I'd hate for it to be the reason for your sudden… shall we say, imperfections."

Immediately and almost unconsciously, Narcissa straightened her own posture, and stiffened her back. It seemed Yaxley was finally ready to throw down the gauntlets and it was a double-edged sword. A serious Yaxley meant he was finally ready to do business, and it meant he would not hesitate to kill if the proceedings got too cumbersome for him. "Believe me," she spoke carefully as she held his eyes in a steady stare. She had to thread carefully now, it was dangerous waters she was going through. "If I had my way, you would've been six feet under the porch." She would not cower and falter before him. He was still very much in her territory and she would make certain he would think twice before he threatened her in her own home.

"I won't put it pass you," Yaxley agreed as he crossed his arms, "Name your price, madam."

Narcissa raised her chin and looked down at him dispassionately. "Such arrogance," she hissed as her eyes met his violet ones, "Perhaps you need a lesson in lowering your head – beg me."

Yaxley closed his eyes and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he hung his head. As he slowly released a long sigh, he opened his eyes to look at her from beneath his eyelashes. With his supposedly submissive stance, it almost looked as if Narcissa had all the power in the trade. It almost felt as if she, alone, would design the trade and he would willingly agree to her wishes. Almost… She, however, was aware of the man she was dealing with. Nothing about him was predictable; but one thing she was certain, he was definitely not submissive.

"If that is what the lady wishes, I will not deny her," Yaxley murmured as his eyes slowly left hers to deliberately slide over to the young boy; before his eyes returned to hers, and he helplessly and ruefully sighed, "but someone will certainly suff-"

Narcissa had bolted from her seat, crossed the distance between them and slapped him across the face. Her hand was stinging from the slap as she glowered at the man who was looking up at her face. His face was impassive as if he had not felt the pain of her slap, but she smiled inwardly at the blossoming red blush on his cheek. "You will not touch Draco," she hissed coldly and protectively as she forced every word out very carefully, "you will never involve him in your madness."

"Only if you desert that price."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes down at the carelessness of the man. His lack of reaction was certainly a much more favorable result. If stories of him were true, Yaxley was not a man to be trifled with despite the usual façade of friendliness. She licked her lips as she settled for her price – it was a long shot but Merlin, she hoped he would agree to it. "You will protect Draco." He clicked his tongue as he looked at her and he slowly rose to his feet. Narcissa found herself just slightly shorter than his full height and frowned at the proximity between them. His breaths peppered her nose but she would not allow herself to react to that. She would not give him the pleasure of knowing he had made her uncomfortable.

"A mother's price then," he breathed softly, "Exactly what are your terms?"

"Should Draco ever be endangered," Narcissa kept her voice soft and measured as she continued to glare into those dangerous violet eyes, "you will abandon your position and forfeit your life for his."

"That's a high price you're demanding," he chided as his hand ghosted over the frown lines decorating her forehead.

"Do not pretend you did not know this when you came here."

Yaxley sighed as he dropped his hand and leaned his head until his nose was a hair's breadth away from hers. "Indeed, I am caught guilty," he murmured as he looked at her and finally relented, "One time, and only once, I will lay my life to protect him should I think his life is truly threatened."

His warm breath assaulted her face, and Narcissa finally withdrew from him and turned away from him to return to her son. She did not have to look to know he was still standing in his spot and she cast a blood oath that bound them to their trade. Bending down to hug her son close to her, she promised him that she would ensure that Lucius would assist.

"I'm sure you will – someone who tinkers with blood magic would be quite aware of its repercussions."

Narcissa would not turn to address him. As far as she was concerned, they had no reason to continue conversing – they had both extracted what they wanted from the other. Any more talk would simply be idle talk. "Your concern for me is cute," she sneered as she maintained her back to him, "but you would be wise to worry about yourself."

A period of silence came and past, and Narcissa felt a phantom breath on her nape. She was almost compelled to turn around but her sheer stubbornness and pride kept her back to him. "It was a hard bargain you drove – I cannot compete with a mother's ferocity – but it's not impossible to fulfil." After his soft admittance and his shuffling, she finally released a breath. Who knew when she had been holding her breath, but she could only hope she had little to no future communication with him without her husband.

It was almost half an hour since he received an urgent note from his wife, that Lucius found himself standing on the threshold of his home. Without discarding his coat or hat, he rushed into the drawing room and found his beloved wife hugging their son. He slowed down his long strides to smaller steps as he carefully approached his wife. With a gentle smile, he slowly took her hands off their sleeping son and placed them on her laps. Then, he curled one hand around her shoulders, and another stroked her hair. He lowered his lips to place a chaste kiss on her forehead, before he took a deep sniff of her hair. "I'm back, love," he whispered as he combed her hair and gently pulled her head into his chest, "Narcissa, my love, you're safe."

When she sighed, he closed his eyes and released an inaudible sigh. Whatever had happened just now, had still shaken her. Her letter had not spelled anything in detail except for his urgent return. Lucius allowed her to move away from him when he felt her hands pushing him. He sighed, shook his head and knelt before her when he noticed the distress painted on her face. Breathing deeply, he gathered her hand onto her lap again before he covered them with one of his own. He squeezed her hands and massaged her nape as he leaned in. When she refused to look at him, his hand that had been massaging her nape moved onto her chin. Gently, firmly, he turned her chin until he locked eyes with her. "Narcissa, love, I am here for you," he whispered earnestly as he squeezed her hands once more before he carefully moved her stray hair strands away from her face. "I won't let anything hurt you and Draco," he repeated, "I promise."

It took a few moments of Narcissa staring into her husband's grey earnest eyes before the tension in her shoulders were finally released. She leaned her head into his shoulder, turned her face to his neck and took a deep sniff of his smell. She was tired. She was drained. "Lucius, my darling," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I am most relieved you're here."

Stroking her hair gently, he curled a protective arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer. He rested his check on her head. "My love, I couldn't dawdle when you needed me," he murmured as his eyes glanced at their sleeping son, "your letter did not mention any detail. What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yaxley was here," Narcissa spoke clearly and her husband's features immediately darkened.

Almost a little vicious, he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away until he could see all of her. His grey eyes scrutinized her very carefully, moving up and down her body from her head to her toes and back to her head. How dare the mad jester intruded on his compound? How did he even know that it was an opportune time to intrude when his wife and son was alone? Was one of the stupid elves an insider? Merlin forbid! Someone was definitely going to pay the price for this.

When he could not find any obvious wound, he pulled her into a crushing hug. With one hand holding her tightly against him, his other hand sought her back for any injury. "Did he touch you? Did he threaten you?" Lucius asked urgently as his eyes stared wildly and worryingly at her, "Did he do anything to you?"

Narcissa wriggled to free her hands from being squashed between their bodies, and cupped his face. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips and then informed him, "I extracted a blood pact from him – he will protect Draco."

Lucius frowned at the winning smile on her face. How could she be smiling when – Oh. He blinked when his mind finally left the worry behind and caught up to her words. He smiled adoringly at her. She was beautiful. She was witty. She was definitely his equal in every way. Pride surged through him as he peppered her face with a few wet kisses. She laughed and curled her hands around his neck as he stood up and spun them. To extract a trade from the mad man was truly noteworthy, and something as priceless as that was an even greater accomplishment. He was truly immensely proud of her.

When the giddiness of victory gradually subsided, he asked curiously, "What is the other half?" If the Clown was still unpredictable, anything – even something as menial as writing a seasonal greeting to him – could be the price. It would be just their luck if the eccentric had decided on something boring. It would not be the too surprising.

"He wants you to do something for him." Lucius opened his eyes as he looked at his wife as if to discern more. His eyebrows were pulled, and his lips curled into a bemused frown. "Something only your authority can."

Immediately, he turned away from his wife and clenched his teeth. Anger radiated from him as he unsheathed his wand with trembling hands. Fury glowed in his grey eyes as he marched towards the window and glared at the tranquility outside. A poor excuse for an aristocrat making demands as preposterous as that was unheard of. Did the ruffian forget the hierarchy? To think he had the gall to waltz past his gates, and threaten and demand his wife's cooperation in the presence of his defenseless heir! The nerve! Did he forget just how disgraceful his family was? That blasted scoundrel was truly the embodiment of disgrace just like his predecessors. From Salvador Yaxley, the mad wizard who killed aristocrats for sport, to Alexandria Yaxley's marriage to a foreign plebeian with questionable background; indeed, the Yaxley line was overflowing with flaws, questionable principles and above all, lacked the dignity that came with aristocracy in their society. Truly, the Yaxleys were a family that ignored rules and laws that governed society's social constructs. Had they been less rich and pure, they would have been equally disgusting as the poor blood traitors that were the Weasleys. Of course, all these were without even mentioning Yaxley's failed proposal – a pureblood rejected by a woman in favour of a muggleborn. Truly laughable!

As her husband continued simmering in his fury, Narcissa slowly approached her husband and carefully wrapped her arms around his torso before resting her cheek on his back. Was it not good that Yaxley had sworn to protect Draco? What was the use of familial pride in dealing with a devil's spawn who refused to play by the rules of anyone but his own? "Lucius," Narcissa whispered her his name softly and lovingly as she sought to remind him of priorities. "We've been promised Draco's protection, isn't that enough?"

Lucius shuddered as he took huge calming breaths before he rested an elbow on the window sill while his other hand dropped his cane to grasp his wife's interlocked fingers. "You're right, my love," he agreed softly as he played lightly with the ring on her finger, "but I will ensure he learns the price of his arrogance." Finally, he turned around and cradled her face in his hands before he planted a deep lingering kiss on her lips. Reluctantly, he disengaged and excused himself to his study to write a most annoying letter.

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