[ AN: Co-written via text message. Jael 3 ^_^ ]

"Blaise?"
Draco stepped out from the shadows, hands carefully poised on his slender hips as he looked over to the other, head angled slightly.

He was late for morning lessons, but to be completely honest, he didn't care. He had more important stuff to worry about right now, rather than just missing a few lessons.

Padding out, his bare feet hit stone floor, the cold ringing up into his body, the soft gown slipping over one of his pale alabaster shoulders as the grey slacks only just supported themselves around his gaunt frame.
Letting his chilled hand come up, he ruffled his hair and yawned delicately, turning to meet the onyx eyes of the other slowly.

"Will you stay with me this morning?"

Blaise paused, his neat raven head looking up, deep onyx eyes looking over the rumpled form of his closest friend.
The Italian looked concerned as he took in the state of the other.
"Are you alright Draco? You never miss classes."

It wasn't like Draco. Any chance to get out there and build up a reputation and name for himself, and he would do it. As long as Blaise had known him, Draco had never stayed away from the eye of popularity.
Not even on his sick bed.

Draco nodded slowly.
A little lie to say how he was alright in himself would do nobody any harm.

"Yeah..."
His words, or word, were mumbled, making it seem all too much like he had just woken up.
"Just... Stay with me?"

He asked that question again, coming to slowly turn back towards the dorms, feet shuffling as he padded back, head turning over his shoulder to catch sight of the other looking at him.
"I just... Need to talk to you is all,"

Blaise stood from the leather chair in the common room, eyes following the other before he raised his smart and crisp, uniform clad body to follow after the other.
"What is it? What's wrong with you Draco?"

Draco paused, settling back down onto his bed, pants catching on the bundles of material, the cold having kept him awake for so long, his gaunt frame having lost weight due to the worries he faced. None the less, even with the rapid weight loss, Draco still maintained his looks.
Having the material hitch down slightly, he ignored it, feeling the air hit his lower abdominals now, the fine blonde line of downy hair showing, running from his navel to his waist band, before it dipped and curved out of sight.

"He got in touch again,"

He looked up to meet Blaise's eyes, knowing that he was the only person in proximity, and in a high measure of trust, that he'd told about the mission that the dark lord had loaded him down with.
His eyes were cold and dead as he spoke, knowing that the fear and paranoia of what was to come mingled in with his swirling irises.

"And he's put a time limit on me doing it,"

Blaise couldn't help but look down, seeing how low the slacks had slipped on the other. He really had lost too much weight.
"Draco, are you eating..." He began the sentence, before hearing what the problem was, dismissing the matter of food and weight for the time being. He'd get to him again with that, knowing that with enough persistence, the other would have to listen to him or be annoyed by the frank warnings he would give him.

"He got in touch…? How long has he given you?"
He swallowed soon after speaking, eyes wide in fear for the other, knowing just how much bother he faced right now.

"One month."

Draco looked down as he spoke, biting his lip slightly.
"You'll stay loyal to me, won't you?"
His eyes widened in fear as his voice shook, realisation panic hitting slightly now.
"You will... Won't you?"

Blaise knew the other was close to breaking. Close to destructing in on himself.
Moving to wrap his arms around the slender figure of the older boy.

"Of course I will,"

He didn't need to doubt that. Blaise would always be there for Draco. He reassured him, resting his head on the shoulder of the blonde.
Draco smiled, head tilted back against Blaise's body.
"Thank you,"

The words meant enough as he spoke them, head turning into the body to look up to him,
"It means a lot to know you'll be there. I just... Want to know how loyal you'll be,"