Mistaken Identity

Chapter 4 Troll

Hermione had been walking along side the river thinking of where she was going.
‘Just follow the river and keep you eyes open and listen from time to time.’

She followed the river for miles and miles on it’s curving trail towards the mountain. Before the young witch knew it, it was afternoon and the land started to slop upward. Hermione felt it was time to take some of the potion and she carefully flicked the cork off the bottle and drank it down sitting on the riverbank with her feet in the cold water, somewhere along the way she lost her shoes in the snow or the mud.

She started on her trek again following the water, which now had waterfalls with icicles and crystal clear pools of icy water.

Hermione came upon a camp. She stayed a distance away watching the activities going on from behind some large trees. Men in black robes and cloaks laughed around a fire that had came no smoke coming off of it, but she could feel the heat and smell the food cooking. Deatheaters, she thought and a rage bubbled up in her.

‘You bastards killed my parents and so many others.’ She couldn’t think very clear on how to attack them, so she kept on walking reasoning that Harry’s men came first and his army couldn’t be far now.

She walked a bit far up the river and came to a high waterfall. Hermione looked up but didn’t see any signs of life.

Hermione walked until she could find a place where she could walk up the slide of the mountain with the club dragging behind her. Just as she got to the top she could hear something. Voices and movement. She also felt it was almost time for the potion but if this was Harry army, she had found them and didn’t need to take it.

When she made it to level ground she saw three men looking very weary and shaky at her. Their wands were out trying to see if the troll in front of them was going to attack.

Hermione tried to talk to them but they just pointed their wand at her with unsteady hands. She sat down on the ground looking at them. They were in two words ‘ walking dead.’ They were pale, look like they hadn’t eaten in weeks and exhausted with no life in their eyes. Hermione recognized one of the boys. Seamus.

She sat on a boulder for while waiting for the potion to wear off. After about ten minutes the world spun a bit. Even as she sat Hermione felt the change in her body and she collapsed onto the ground. She was thankful her clothes changed a moment later.

The men slowly came upon her, wands still in hand.

Hermione took a deep breath and said,
“Seamus do you remember…” but Seamus interrupted.

“Oh MY GOD… this is Harry’s wife,” Seamus blurted out pointing at her with disbelief.

“Not wife just … never mind,” and she took out her wand and murmured a spell and the hidden cover was lifted off to show the supplies she brought.

“I brought food, blankets, a field kit … are many men hurt?” Hermione asked.

“You got food?” Seamus asked.
Hermione levitate the cauldron out of the club unsealed it and got a fire going.

“The stew will be ready in a few minutes. Where’s Harry? Is he all right? He’s… still alive?” Hermione felt a cold going through her chest as she walked back to the club for the bread.

“Yeah! He’ll be so glad to see you.” Seamus said, “but he’s in a cave we found. He’s looking to see if it leads anywhere. We’ve been trapped here for ages with no food but we got water and we did have some luck trapping a few rabbits but they were mostly bones.” Seamus told her.

“Where’s the camp?” Hermione asked.

“Right here. It’s under an invisibility charm,” Seamus informed her.

It was then Hermione felt her cold feet she looked down and saw that they were covered with something that looked like the troll potion. She put her hand in the pocket, two of the bottles were broken. She had one left.

She took some water and cleaned off her feet but they were still cold. She took two small blankets and wrapped them around her feet.

Men started to line up for the stew and the bread. Many came back for a second and third helpings.

“Who’s in charge of cooking?” Hermione asked Seamus.

“We all take turns.”

“Well there is oatmeal for porridge in the morning. There is also tea and a few bottles of High Spirits. Blankets, cloaks robes and field aid kit.” Hermione listed off.

“The wounded are in the tent…” Seamus told her.

Hermione grabbed the field kit and looked toward the tent as most of the men heard there was food and were lining up their bowls to get some. They broke off pieces of bread, sliced the cheeses and passed them around.

Hermione tended the wounded. A few had cuts or slashes, others had burns, and a quite a few had broken bones.

It took an hour or so to care for the wounded. Most were fine by the end of the treatment. Hermione got them some High Spirit and then took her patients to get some dinner.

The sun was setting and she could feel the men getting ready to fight the dark army down the hill from them.

Harry still was in the cave.

It had dawned on Hermione that she wanted to see Harry more and more, but just see him. She wasn’t sure how to talk to him. It was different corresponding to him in letters. She mostly planned what she was going to write. But to see him in the flesh made her more nervous as her stomach started to tense up. How would she see him? Would she see her attacker? Or see a brave soldier?

Hermione told Seamus that she saw the Deatheaters down the hill and if she encountered them on her way home she would try to signal them.

Seamus asked if she was leaving soon.
“Well my mission was to bring food and aid you. I’ve done that.”

“True. And I can feel a battle brewing soon. It would be better if you were a safe distance from here. I just feel bad you haven’t seen Harry.” Seamus admitted.

“I can’t take my time. I have only one bottle left. I just hope it’s enough to get me down the mountain safely,” Hermione commented.

“Well Hermione thank you for the food and … saving our lives; raising spirits.” Seamus said to her shaking her hand and pulled her into a quick hug.

Hermione took out the bottle of potion and untied the blankets from her feet. She gulped out some of the concoction and recapped it wrapping the blankets around it so it wouldn’t break if she fell again and put it in her pocket.

She, looking up across the sea of soldiers eating and drinking, saw a hooded figure covered in dust and dirt in the distance. The figure stopped for a moment in mid-step pulling off the hood. There, stand looking very surprised was Harry. Hermione heart jumped and her mouth opened with shock.

Harry stared at her as he walked towards her. Half way he started to run through the crowd of men eating. Pushing his way through the assembly of men, Harry shouted her name and she laughed out a smile at him relieved to see him safe and alive.

Hermione shouted back, “Harry!”

He was a few yards away when Hermione felt the effects of the potion. The ground started to pull away from her and she found herself in the branches again. But what was worse was the expression on Harry’s face and her remembrance of what she looks like in this state.

Hermione looked at Harry, who looked bewildered and was shouting something. But she couldn’t understand him and she didn’t want him to look at her this way. Hermione turned and ran toward the slope where she came up. She trotted down the hill seeing Harry shocked and horrified face flash through her mind.

Hermione came upon the Deatheater’s camp. She picked up a small tree out of the ground surprising the dark wizards, destroying their camp and batting them around like rag dolls. She didn’t kill any of them, but none of them were getting away from the army that would be here soon enough. Hermione removed the spell that was on the fire, added some wood to the bonfire and then doused it with water making smoke as a signal so Harry’s army could find them easier.

Then Hermione started trotting homeward. She looked up over the land and saw a light from the Melinda’s bonfire many miles off lighting her way home.

Hermione gulped down some of the potion half way there. She was still miles away when the troll potion wore off. She shivered as she walked in the freezing dark looking up from time to time to make sure she wasn’t going off track and getting lost. She got to the village just before midnight.

Melinda and Luna were sitting by the bonfire talking at the edge of the forest. Hermione exhausted walked up to them. The two threw their arms around her welcoming her back.

“Well I found them. They were not in a good state, but I patched up the wounded and everyone got fed and they’ll have a good hot breakfast in the morning too. I attacked the Deatheater’s camp. So they should be safer too.”

“Here drink this,” Luna forced her mug of warm liquid of something down Hermione’s throat. It warmed her stomach and then the rest of her. Hermione could barely stand.

“Hermione what have you got on your feet?” Luna asked.

“Blankets I lost my shoes in the snow.” Hermione said pained.

The two women walked Hermione to the door of the Inn and knock a few times but no one answered.

Hermione started to shake and her legs had cramps in them.

“Come on Hermione... Luna help me get her to my place. Someone has to keep and eye on our girl,” she said as they walked to the Mistress Inn.


* * *


The bed Melinda put Hermione in was soft and warm. Cho came in with a small tub of warm water and Melinda told Hermione to put her feet into it.

The blankets wrapped on Hermione’s feet were frozen there. So they soaked her feet until they could unravel the material off of Hermione skin. Her feet looked grey. Hermione cried out in pain as stabbing twinges shot through them as they warmed up.

Melinda told Hermione to keep her feet in the water. Hermione did and she laughed and cried at the pain and relief in her feet. Melinda gave Hermione a cup of soup and some bread and tucked her in for the night. The woman came into the room several times that night to check on her guest. Taking a peep at Hermione’s feet and feeling her head for any fever.

The next morning Hermione slept until well after the sun had risen. Hermione tried to walk but her feet were still aching and swollen as well as her other muscles and joints.

Melinda told Hermione to go back to bed and rest. Hermione would have protested but she was so weary from her adventures that she wanted to go back to sleep. So she did.

A few hours later she woke up to the girls looking at her giggling.

“What so funny.”

“You were talking in your sleep,” Bonnie commented leaning up against the doorframe Cho and Fannie behind her peeking in at Hermione.

“What was I saying that was so funny,” Hermione asked sitting up in bed trying to remember her dreams.

“You were shouting out that you were sorry that you were so ugly,” Bonnie told her pushing off the door way and walking over to her the other girls in tow.

“What so funny about that?” Hermione asked crossing her arm in front of her chest remember that she dreamt of her turning into a troll in front of Harry.

“Well you’re not exactly ugly are you?” Bonnie remarked.

“Well I know I’m not beautiful,” she murmured as she shrug one shoulder.

Bonnie put her hand to Hermione cheek and said,
“Yes you are, and extremely brave for what you did for our boys.”

Melinda came in clapping her hands together,
“All right girls, back to your French lesson.”

“They have lessons in French?” Hermione inquired.

“Of course, we have French customers and I like the girls to speak in a different language. Besides I’m looking at my house in Paris near the Seine River. The neighborhood is good and near the shipping ports. Bonnie loves the sailors and they LOVE her.”

“So you’ll be moving then?” Hermione asked disappointed.

“Well the town here has tolerated us for a while, but we get looks. It is time for us to move.”

“I’ll miss you.” Hermione said sincerely.

“You can always join us in Paris once your Harry comes back,” she teased.

“He won’t be back.” Hermione doubtfully.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that my dear. Now lay back down and rest.” She looked at her Hermione with some concern. “ I don’t like your color. If it doesn’t improve by tomorrow I’m sending for the doctor.”

“Melinda I’m fine,” Hermione said getting out of the bed.

Suddenly Hermione couldn’t move her legs.
“What the...” and she looked at Melinda who had her wand out and pointed at Hermione.

Melinda put her hand under Hermione’s chin and said, “If you get sick after saving all those boys. How will they feel if they found out you got sick and died?”

Melinda stood up and waved a few letters in the air in front of Hermione, “What are you going to say to all these boys?” She plopped the letters on the bed.

They were all thank you letters from the Harry’s troop and the one on top was from Harry.

“They were sent by owl?” Hermione asked.

“Actually bats. They moved their army down the side of the mountain. They couldn’t get to an owlery and had to use bats. Poor things it’s so cold out. Most of them are up in the attic recovering from their flight. It’s warm enough up there and we’ll clean the mess after they leave.” Melinda added as she looked at one of the letters, “The army will be tracking down the larger numbers of Deatheaters now that they are no longer trapped on the mountain.”

Hermione opened the letter from Harry.

Dearest Hermione,

How can I ever thank you for the food and comfort you brought to me and my men.
I’ve never tasted a more delicious stew in my life and the next morning the porridge was a warm welcome after a cool but comfortable night of sleep.

Part of me thinks that you were crazy and I should yell at you for doing something so foolish. You could have gotten yourself killed out here. But without your help we were doomed and I think you came in the nick of time. I just wished we could have talked. The letter you want I CAN NOT write. My men hale you as a saint and I would lose all their respect if I wrote it. Some still think we are married. I will not be able to keep our agreement just yet. We do have time I’ll be out fighting the Deatheaters and traveling about. Perhaps you will find a way out of our situation.
Take care your Harry.

Hermione folded up the letter.

Hermione was confused. She didn’t want the charade to go on but she didn’t want to end Harry and she’s corresponding. But the more they wrote to each other the closer she felt towards him. But it was all false closeness and she let herself get too involved especially going out and helping the army. The letters they wrote to each other was a pretend romance. They only wrote each to save their reputations and she was getting tired of the façade.

There was one thing to do. Get her references from Mr. Fudge and Mrs. Figg and leave. Find other work in London or somewhere else so she didn’t have this lie over her head. That way, neither of them had to play this game anymore.

Hermione looked around the room. It had very nice white walls with small flowers painted on. Everything had a soft warm feeling about it, simple but nice. It had a writing desk, a wardrobe, and a painting of mountains and pond or river. She wondered whose room this was and what their specialty was.

Hermione was stuck in bed for another day. Melinda enjoyed playing mother or nurse to Hermione. Making her tea, fluffing the pillows and bringing her mail and cursing the Minister’s Inn for not asking how she was doing.

“They are most likely busy and can’t spare the time to see how I’m doing,” Hermione said in their defense, as she got dressed.

“We’re not that far. Still, just a note,” Melinda said aloud putting fresh linen on the bed.

Hermione looked around, “By the way whose room is this? I hope I didn’t put them out too much.”

“This is one of our stare rooms, we have several here. We have only two in Paris house but three in London, well my partner does.”

“Partner?” Hermione pitched.

“Yes Mary Cattermole, she has a house in London and she is sending some of her girls to Paris for a change of scenery,” Melinda commented.

Hermione got dressed and had early dinner with the girls. It wasn’t long before the doorbell started to ring and they were open for the evening.

Melinda was suggested Hermione leave by the back door.
“Why, would it be bad for business?” Hermione teased.

“I don’t want to taint your reputation,” Melinda remarked.

“It might tarnish my reputation or improve yours,” Hermione countered.

“How?”

“You took care of me, that should make people judged you differently,” Hermione stated.

“People are going to judge me for what I do for men, not what I did for one little girl,” Melinda admitted.

Hermione left through the front door to the shock all the clients of the house. It took until noon the next day for the gossip to travel around the small town.

Mrs. Figg came up to Hermione saying, “Miss Granger there is a great deal of talk about you coming out of that inn yesterday. I don’t know how you walked out of the front door of that establishment. What were you thinking? I’m sure your soldier would be very upset if he knew you were strutting about there.”

“Mrs. Figg I owe Melinda a lot. She took fine care of me. My feet were nearly frozen stiff. She looked after me like her own.”

“HER OWN?” she asked and sneered, “Her own what?”

“Her own friend… family,” Hermione replied.

“Her own girl.” Mrs. Figg snapped.

“And she takes fine care of them too,” Hermione told her.

“Hermione she may have helped you where I couldn’t. I’m old and I don’t have to power or the energy you and Melinda have,” Mrs. Figg explained, “But that woman has designs on you.”

“Oh Mrs. Figg are you worried I might leave here?” Hermione asked.

“Yes and it’s so hard to find good help. But I have to ask you not be seen over there again. It makes us look bad as though we encourage this behavior.”

Hermione frowned at the old woman but nodded.

Mrs. Figg sighed, “We don’t want to tarnish this Inn’s good reputation or your own Hermione.”

~~

The next day there were letters from the soldiers. Hanna was bubbling over as she read her letter from Neville.

Hermione opened her letter from Harry and read it out loud as Hanna listened.

Dear Hermione,
‘We been walking and finally have reached London for supplies, hot meal and soft beds.’
There was a large spacing in between that and the next paragraph and his writing was harder, thicker, as though he was barring down on the pen.
‘It’s raining here of course and cold. I’ve gone to see my godfather, Sirius and I told him about you and how brave you are. He would like to meet you someday. I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t know whether or not to tell him about our situation. He had a strange look on his face so I told him you were engaged.’ Hermione read her voice going softer as she read.

“Why didn’t he tell his godfather about you two being engaged?” Hanna asked.

“We want to make sure we are right for each other. I’m not like you Hanna. I’m not ...”
What she was going to say she was beautiful or spontaneous. “I never thought I was ever going to get married. I’m not the type. I wanted to open my own shop. I’m still not sure if Harry and I are suited for each other.”

Hermione looked down at the letter.

“We’re heading to Paris next. There were a good number of Deatheaters there. You said you always wanted to go Paris. I shall tell you about it when I get there, as long as we win the fight.

I will look forward to your letter. Harry”

“Not the most romantic letter,” Hanna remarked.

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Figg said, “He just informing Hermione where they were going. Or maybe he’s wants you to meet him there?”

Hermione looked at Mrs. Figg and laughed,
“I don’t think he wants me there. There are Deatheaters there.”

But he was asking something.
I will look forward to your letter.

Hermione wrote him that afternoon.

Dear Harry

I hope you are safe and have an enjoyable time in London and Paris.
I do hope to go there when the war has ended and it is safe to travel again.
I’m thinking of moving to London to seek other work but that won’t be for a while they still need me here and I have to save up some money before moving on.
Paris is a wonderful place, I’ve read. Some people say they lose their hearts there.
Hermione.”

Hoping Harry would get the hint.

The next day Hermione got a package from London.
She opened it to reveal a book on poems with a note saying,
‘I thought you might like this. Harry’

The next day she got another package. It was box of lavender and vanilla bath oils, again from Harry.

Hanna got a box of rose oils. Hanna turned to Hermione laughing and said, “The boys must be shopping together.”

Hermione nodded, smiling at her.

The next day Hermione got pretty stationary with sealing wax from London.
The day after she got a small package of candy with no note.
And the day after that Hermione got a small package with a wood keepsake box and a letter separately.

Hanna looked at the box and said, “How sweet, now you can keep you ring in the box and know where it is.”

“Yeah,” she said as she opened the letter.
Hermione unfolded the letter and started to read it aloud.

“Dear Hermione,
I hope you like the candy and this box. I’ve been very busy getting supplies checking information for the other armies and I’ve had little time to write to you and to tell you I’ve met some one. She lovely, brilliant and beautiful.”
Hermione felt her face go red and continued to read it but she voice faulted and her voice pitch higher as she spoke and tears formed in her eyes but she kept reading.
“She and I met at an Inn and we started talking and before I knew it we were talking about our future.”

Hermione took a deep breath and continued,
“You and I both knew this could happen and we weren’t that sure we were right for each other. I’m sure you will find someone. I wish you the best of luck and good fortune.’ Take care of yourself. Harry.”

Hermione stared at the parchment wondering,
‘Why now? Why did he have to send the candy, the box and oils? Why didn’t he just send the damn letter. Why did he send the letter now with a gift?’

“That bastard!” Hanna shouted, running over to Hermione and hugging her, “How could he do this to you? After all you did for him … for his men?”

Tears rolling down her cheek Hermione snapped out, “It doesn’t matter. We weren’t right for each other. This letter proves it. He found a girl now. I’m happy for him,” Hermione said nodding her head.

Mrs. Figg came into the room.

“Are you mad Hermione?” Hanna asked. She turned to old woman and said, “Hermione just got a letter. Harry’s found someone else.”

“Oh Hermione, I’m so sorry. I was sure you two were going to get married.” Mrs. Figg said frowning at her.

“No I have my whole life ahead of me. I’m not going settle down, I’m going to live my life my way, and no one can tell me what to do. I don’t need a husband telling me what to do. I’m going to open my own bookshop someday,” Hermione said holding back the tears.

“But I thought you wanted to be married and have a family?”

Hermione breathed in deeply. Tears fought to escape her eyes as she shook her head. But she did want a family, and suddenly everything she said faded as she realized she did want to be married and have children and live her life too.
Between Hanna and Mrs. Figg the news of Hermione and Harry break up spread like a wild fire in the small community.

Hermione went up to her the attic that night and wrote a short note,
Dear Harry
Congratulations on finding the right girl I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Hermione.

She stared at it for a long while and knew that her life was now going to be the way it was before. Before that night they met and tears came again. She took off the copper ring and put it in the box and then sent off the note and she cried herself to sleep.

The next day Melinda came by and wished Hermione good luck as the Merry Mistress household was moving, some to London and others to Paris. Melinda gave Hermione her address in both cities and said, “If you ever need a job or place to stay… or ... just come and visit,” she said hugging Hermione and kissing her on her forehead.
~ ~ ~


Thank you ginnylovesharry07, doodle, Sondra (yes I working on the last chapter), meankitty69, wanker, Compulsive. Your comments/reviews help me a lot.