The Last Hope (Tom Riddle Love Story)

The Hiding

The Golden Trio went town to town for what seemed to be months. They always stayed in their tent at night, concealed with all of Hermione's charms. They were in Ashford, still looking. They were in their usual disguises, walking through the streets together.

They saw a women getting pushed into a dark alley by some man and she fell. The man dragged her her out of sight.

"We have to help her!" Harry cried, walking over there, the hero in him reacting over the logical part of him.

"It could be a death eater, Harry! What are you thinking?" She quietly scolded.

"I'm not letting some man hurt an innocent women. Let's go," Harry decided, walking not caring if they followed.

Sighing, Hermione and Ron followed him to the alley after exchanging a look of exasperation. "Stupefy!" They heard Harry cry as they entered. The man (who carried a strong whiff of alcohol) was unconscious and the women was cowering in fear.

"Shhh.... We won't hurt you," Harry said softly. Her dark green eyes looked at us for a split second, full of nothing but confusion and fear, before she fell into unconsciousness.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked.

"I'll obliviate the guy," Ron said and Harry and Hermione nodded their heads in agreement. "Obliviate," Ron said, taking away his memories of ever meeting this unconscious girl.

"Now what?" He asked.

"We take her back to the tent," Harry decided.

"What??? Harry! We can't possibly bring her. Number one, she's a muggle! She'll be scared out of her mind. Number two, she'll slow us down. We need to find Jade!" Hermione exclaimed in protest, weary of keeping her voice down.

"We can't just leave her here to die, Hermione!" Harry fought.

"Fine, but if we get hurt because of her, it's your fault," Hermione once again gave in with a sigh.

They threw the invisibility cloak over her and levitated her behind them. Once they entered their tent, they set her on Hermione's side of the place, on the bottom bunk bed.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

"Now we wait until she wakes up..." Ron replied.

Hermione studied her face for a while. She looked so familiar...

Her hair was a long dark brown hair, all tangled up in a mess. Her flesh was caked with dirt. Her clothes were rags. Torn, colorless rags.

Then, her eyes fluttered open. Her eyes were dark green. They still looked so familiar. Did Hermione know this girl? Maybe an old muggle friend?

"W-Where am I? W-Who a-are you???" She asked frantically, eyes wide and alert.

"Don't worry. Your safe," Hermione replied soothingly.

It didn't seem to do the job. Just then, Harry and Ron walked into the tent. The girl sat up, alert.

"W-Who are you???" She asked, obviously not liking any men in her presence.

"They won't hurt you. They're my friends," Hermione replied. Harry and Ron attempted to move closer, but the girl huddled against her legs even more. Hermione shook her head and they backed off, going to their own side of the tent, keeping quiet.

"My name is Hermione," She said to the girl. The girl didn't reply. "What's yours?"

"Jade."