Disclaimer: I don't own HP and any of it's characters.

Merope Gaunt stumbled down the lonely dark alleyway, her hands wrapped around her ever-growing stomach. The streets of London were dark and gloomy, and Merope slumped over a wall from exhaustion. She cuddled herself, holding her legs close to her.

"We're all alone, Tom," she whispered sorrowfully to her stomach. "I thought he loved me."

There was silence and there was no movement apart from a small kick from the fetus in her belly.

"Looks like I was wrong, wasn't I, Tom?" A lone, solitary tear rolled down her dirt stained cheek. "Now I've deprived you of a father, and I of a husband."

Her stomach rumbled.

"I'm so hungry, Tom," she sobbed. "My magic can't work anymore, it won't work." She lifted her grimy hand that contained a simple wand.

A grubby man stumbled down the alleyway, teetering towards the expectant girl.

"Hello, girlie," he slurred as he looked her up and down. Merope squirmed uncomfortably. "You been crying?" He asked her.

"Um, no sir. No," she wiped her eyes and struggled to get on her feet.

The man chuckled, stroking her cheek. "You're a lost sheep, my child, and I am your shepherd." Merope struggled against him but he held her down. He pressed her mouth shut and she desperately kicked him away.

In the dead of the night, there was a piercing scream.

"Oi, stop that!" A man's voice rung through the dreary alleyway.

The drunken man looked up. "Its n-n-none of you're b-business," he garbled.

The man looked to Merope who was sobbing and clutching her stomach. He walked bravely up to the man and shoved him aside.

"Are you alright? My name's Jake." He asked Merope, who stayed silent. "Lady?"

Merope whispered softly and he leaned in to hear what she was saying.

"Get me out of here, please. Get me out," she breathed in his ear. He nodded. He then leaned in and scooped her into his strong arms.

"W-w-where are you going?" The man stumbled forward. He tried to grab Merope back. "S-She's mine."

Jake stared menacingly down at the drunken man. "Back off, or I'll make you sorry."

The drunken man stumbled backwards and leaned towards a wall. Jake carried Merope and carried her out of the alleyway.

"We need to get you into a hospital," he said to Merope, clutching her in his arms.

She shook her head. "No. No hospital."

"You need it."

She shook her head again. "No."

Jake sighed and brought her closer to him. "Alright, my house it is then. It's just around the corner from here." He started jogging towards his house.

Merope opened her eyes and looked at her rescuer. He had messy blond hair and sad gray eyes. He had a kind face, though. She supposed that he was good looking, but nothing on Tom. She shut her eyes. She was exhausted.

Jake had finally reached his house. He looked down at Merope who was sleeping limply in his arms. He sprinted up the stairs to his doorway and rang the bell.

An elderly lady opened the door. "Jake? Who's that?"

"It's just a girl who needed some help. Get the guest room ready and call the other maids to help get her clean and fed."

She nodded. "Yes, sir." She whistled loudly and ten or so maids rushed next to her. She whispered the instructions to the other maids and two of them stepped up and Jake passed Merope to them.

"Take care of her, alright?" He murmured to the head maid.

She nodded. "Of course sir, I'll try my best."