"Elizabeth... If you could be with me... forever, would you?" Tom asked, rubbing his palms together as he raised his head to watch Elizabeth who was gazing back at him with confused brown eyes.

"Forever?" She repeated. She pondered for a moment before laughing and answering, "Tom, is this a test? Of course I would. I-I... I love you."

Tom's eyes widened. He couldn't tell her he loved her back, not just yet. For any second, he may have lost her for the rest of his life. She wouldn't look back at him, not after what he was about to ask her, considering what her reaction was. He held his breath.

"I... I've found a way to be immortal," he said, "You heard about Horcruxes."

Elizabeth gulped. That was the night Tom had almost strangled her, and although she'd come even closer to death since then, she still feared him because of it, "Yes, I overheard that conversation."

"You wouldn't consider joining me, would you?" Tom blurted out before he could stop himself. Nervously, he ran his fingers through his hair and planted a hand on his face in frustration. Tom wasn't one to bite his tongue often.

"T-Tom," Elizabeth almost cried out, "I didn't think you were seriously considering this! You told Professor Slughorn it was all just hypothetical, didn't you?! You meant it when you asked about splitting your soul seven times? Tom, you won't even be human anymore! You'll be as good as dead!"

"But it wouldn't matter if you joined me," Tom responded pleadingly, "Elizabeth, if you loved me enough, you'd..."

"If I loved you enough, Tom?" Elizabeth asked, the tears finally falling down her cheeks, "When have you ever loved me?"

Tom scoffed, his actions taking over. He was irritated and he had no control over what he was doing or saying, "You think I don't love you?"

"Perhaps I would if you could love, Tom!" Elizabeth hissed back at him, "You can't love me. It's impossible, it's beyond the bounds of possibility! No matter how much I love you, you'll never feel the same. Why would I waste what I have left of this life to become something I'm not, to be immortal, just to feel this pain for the rest of time? Tell me, Tom."

"You know what, Elizabeth?" Tom retaliated, "I was beginning to think it wasn't unthinkable. I was starting to love you."

Elizabeth cried harder. She fell to the grassy floor of the bank of the Black Lake, sobbing into the muddy ground. Between chokes, she barely managed to say, "It's absurd."

Tom laughed at her. He stood and laughed, but not at her state, at her words. He leaned down beside her. Pulling her chin up, brown eyes met blue ones like the day meets the night. Tom was the night, ready to capture her, and Elizabeth was the day, trying to escape from the night's grasp. But the night wasn't cruel. Tom's hold was gentle and he pulled her into his arms as if she were a delicate newborn.

"Kiss me," Tom murmured, feeling tears of his own threaten to fall at his girlfriend's broken face, "If you kiss me, I'll prove it. I'll prove I love you, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth barely leaned forward before her lips met Tom's. For the first time, perhaps in her life, Elizabeth felt loved. It was electric and exhilarating for them both. Tom pushed himself against her harder but he wasn't forceful, he was desperate. With everything he had, he wanted to be a part of Elizabeth. He wanted to be with her forever and he wanted to be a part of Elizabeth's soul himself.

He pulled away but brought himself back to collide their lips a final time before speaking again, "If... If you'll join me, I know what your first Horcrux could be."

"Go on," Elizabeth urged, wiping away her drying, salty tears. Tom looked down at her with pity. He'd done this.

"Me."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at him. She was bewildered by his suggestion. She was also interested, so she asked, "Would that work?"

"Yes," Tom replied simply, "Horcruxes can more or less be in any shape or form, including living."

"I see," Elizabeth agreed.

"I want to be a part of your soul, Elizabeth," Tom whispered into her ear as his lips brushed against Elizabeth's cheek.

"I want you to be, too," Elizabeth muttered back, shivering at the touch of his mouth, "I will become immortal with you, Tom, but there is one thing I will not do."

"What is it?" Tom asked, his head bobbing up from her neck so that he could see her face.

"I will not let either of us continue to make seven out of the pure thirst for a long or indestructible life," Elizabeth told him as she placed her hands on his jaw, her fingers spreading out across his cheeks, "Okay? Promise me, Tom."

"If you say so, Miss Marin," Tom taunted her, "But don't you dare come crying to me when you're desperate to be fully immortal."

"Even if you make seven, you aren't fully immortal," Elizabeth replied in a know-it-all tone, pulling her hands away from his face, "I still want to be able to be with you, not an almost soulless man."

Tom nodded, "And I, you. That is why I asked you to join me."

"You have... evil intent, don't you Tom?" Elizabeth finally asked, a little alarmed while waiting for Tom's response because he paused for a good minute.

"Occasionally," Tom told her, a little sarcastically. When Elizabeth looked at him disappointedly, he changed his mind and said, "I want to be powerful, Elizabeth, whether it means being dark or not."

"I don't want to support you in this, but..." Elizabeth sucked in her breath, "I love you and I'm not willing to lose you because I was a little frightened about what you'll become. I'll stop you from doing anything that crosses any lines."

"You can try," Tom chuckled, "I love you, too, Elizabeth."

"If you say so," Elizabeth retorted in a sing-song voice, gripping his hand in hers. A part of her was still doubtful about his feelings for her and even considered that he may have been using her. Nevertheless, she did love him like she said, so gaining a little self-consciousness was minor to Elizabeth.