He panted roughly, wand raised to maintain the fragile shield charm.

"C'mon Riddle! We have to go!"

"No. You have to go. If I drop this shield we're both gone. I'll cover you."

Harry shook his head, tugged on his arm.

"This isn't up for discussion Riddle."

"You're right. It's not."

He waved his hand in a complicated gesture that Harry would have once teased, or perhaps smiled at in an amused manner, before he murmured something about drama and extravagant movements. But now he only yelled, recognizing the kind of magic it was, and vanished when as he was sent a few meters away.

"Go Harry."

The bullets patterned his shield in invisible dents. The spell he'd used to get him further away was a light one but he felt the effects nevertheless. It wasn't long before he was by his side again. He'd hoped the extra distance would encourage Harry to leave. He should have known better.

"Tom no."

Tom smiled at him slightly, turned his head just enough so that he could concentrate on the only barrier keeping them alive but also to still meet his eyes.

"You have the information you need. You know how to go back. We've planned—"

"To go together! Stop being a stubborn git and let's go!"

Tom stumbled back a bit more under more force; apparently cavalry had arrived.

"We can't Harry. You won't be able to apparate with me too. Your magic is already strained. And the last of mine is going into preserving this shield. Surely you can tell that I won't last? You have to go."

"You'll die!"

"Yes. And I'll go knowing I was right to worry."

"So what you're staying to spite Dumbledore?! That's ridiculous! Tom!"

"No you idiot. I'm staying because I have to. Please, don't make this harder. You know I'm right."

Tom watched him; he faltered, but still set an arm on his shoulder, eyes misting with the determination he'd used to fight basilisks and dragons, him, and now, muggles, and Tom knew that he wouldn't convince Harry to go.

"I'm not leaving you here."

"You have to. Don't try coming back. It'll only waste my death."

He stuck the port key to the front of Harry's robes and watched as the blue light emerged from the tiny object burning brighter than the sun.

"I love you Harry."

He's never said it before. It hadn't seemed right. Strange how all tragedies seemed to make rightness revolve around them too, despite it actually being so wrong.

"Tom."

He vanished, and Tom smiled, bloodied teeth gleaming like fangs and he brandished them at the muggles like they were actual weapons rather than a show of small triumph. The bullets hit harder then, bigger dents. More, more, more. The shield didn't shatter, or collapse, but simply faded and flickered out like it had never been at all. And the first bullet struck his chest and he fell into the dirt with the same triumphant pain he'd bared in his teeth when Harry had gone. Because Harry was gone. But Harry would be back. And maybe Tom wouldn't remember him when his young lover turned back those years. But Tom would still be ready. He lay still as bullets continued to rain, closed his eyes, and went to sleep. When he woke up he'd see Harry again. And then, the muggles would pay.