"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Snape asked as he opened the door to the Spinner's End house. Narcissa pushed past him to get out of the rain and to hide herself in the home. It was cold inside, much like Snape's exterior. Nothing but books and dull furniture. Narcissa mused about how much warmer the place has looked weeks before when he'd had a woman in his bed.

"I'll ask again, to what do I owe the pleasure three hours before you and your sister were due to arrive?" Snape repeated. Narcissa stopped her looking around his home to look at him. She could hear in his voice he was annoyed, but nothing about his face indicated the slightest impatience.

"I needed to talk to you privately," Narcissa said, pulling off her rain soaked hat and casting a quick drying charm to it.

Snape didn't move, standing close to the door still, Narcissa being further into his living room than he was. "I didn't think you two could handle anything without each other," he said, obviously referring to Bellatrix. He smirked.

"You'd be surprised how much we keep from each other. And that's why I'm here," Narcissa explained. She straightened out her skirt and sat in his armchair across from him, still standing by the door. "You've known me a long time, Severus. I've always taken the back seat, always followed everyone else. But, the one thing I will not take a backseat to is the safety of my child."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "We've already agreed to the unbreakable vow. I believe that's why you're coming this evening." He sat down in the armchair across from her. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted you to know how serious I am," Narcissa replied. She could feel her stomach flip at what she had to do. "I will reveal your secret."

"Secret?" Severus smirked. "The Dark Lord knows I work with the Order. What kind of threat is that? I'm also not understanding your insistence on blackmail. You do understand the point of an unbreakable vow?" He chuckled slightly. It was unnerving.

Narcissa looked him square in the eye. "Does he know about your little affair with the Deputy Headmistress?" Severus's face went white; he fidgeted slightly in his chair, something Narcissa had never seen him do. The man was unbreakable except, apparently, when it came to her. "Your reaction tells me you've grown fond of her."

"Interesting. And pray tell me who do you think is the best source of information on Albus Dumbledore?"

"Ah, but a quick fuck as a favor to a lonely old woman is not the same as cooking her dinner," Narcissa pointed out, watching his reactions closely.

"You think Minerva McGonagall is the type of woman who would let her guard down for a quick fuck? She required years of grooming to tell me what she tells me."

Narcissa would have believed him, it was true that bedding McGonagall would be a brilliant scheme. But, she was sure she would have known about a mission that yielded such high intel. "Name one thing she's given you that the Order can't provide."

"Minerva plays chess with Albus almost every week. What she knows about him personally is invaluable. He trusts her with his life."

"I don't buy it, Severus."

"Think what you will."

"I saw you two," Narcissa admitted. "I saw you fucking her. And I saw your domestic evening together in this study."

"Then you saw me doing my job."

"You love her."

His face didn't move. "Such an idea is insane. She's a pawn. I get the information I need, and we both get off. It's a good exchange."

"I want you to know that I'm not a fool, Severus. I have known you for many years and never once have I seen you look that way…the way you looked at her."

"When is it that you saw us?" he asked calmly.

"A few weeks back."

"I'm taking this to the Dark Lord. Could be a good way to buy ourselves some good graces," she said slowly to gauge his reaction. "If you're telling the truth, no harm." Narcissa stood, frustrated that the conversation was going nowhere. As she opened the door, it suddenly slammed shut.

"Does he know?"

Narcissa turned around and saw Snape standing with his wand pointed towards the door. "Lucius?" she asked. Snape nodded. "No."

"What is it that you want?"

"So I'm right?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying it's not an explicit mission from the Dark Lord. And while the woman is a pawn, I didn't do this to get her killed."

"I think we can agree that McGonagall is a kind woman. I always had a soft spot for her, even as Gryffindor's Head of House."

Snape lowered his wand. "I'm using her for information, not to get her killed."

"If I came here with the intention of putting her in danger, I'd have come at our scheduled time with my sister."

"Does she…?"

"No," Narcissa assured him. "Honestly, it would make me vomit thinking what she would do to McGonagall if she could."

"What do you want?"

"To let you know that if anything happens to Draco, they will all know," she said darkly. "You can hide behind your story with me, it doesn't matter. But, you love that woman. And it's your weakness just like Draco is mine. I'm happy that you found that. I wish it was on the right side of the table. It's going to kill her when you have to turn on her."

"Are you done?" he snapped.

"I'll see you later," she said.

Narcissa left Snape in his study, knowing what she did was wrong, but knowing it was what would ensure Draco's safety. She stopped before apparating and leaned against the wall of his small home. Through the window, she heard a sound she never thought she'd hear. Snape was sobbing.