Mistaken Identity

Chapter 7 Waiting

There was a loud knock at the door and Hermione sat up in bed. Harry was already dressed looking very sleepy splashing water in his face. Toweling off his face Harry went to the door and told Seamus to wait downstairs for him and then closed the door.

“You’re leaving now?” she croaked with a very tired voice rubbing her eyes.

“Yes.” he said with his own weary tone his face looking unhappy as he glanced at her. “This room is yours for a ten days, I shouldn’t be much longer that. I’ve left money on table. If there is a dressmaker around have some dresses made. Nice ones and some very nice formal dresses. We’ll be traveling to London when I get back and you’ll move into my house there,” he laughed, “our house. We’ll be going to a number of parties and social events.”

Hermione started to get out of the bed. “NO! No, you stay in bed and get some more sleep.”

“But I wanted to say goodbye to you downstairs.”

“No. Hermione, I rather we say our goodbyes here. I’m having a hard enough time leaving you here. It’ll kill me if you come down,” his eyes were dark with the pain of leaving her.

“All right if that’s what you want,” Hermione said sadly looking down at the bed.

He walked over to her and cupped her cheek tilting her face to upward to his. “What I want is to stay and be with you. You do know that?”

“I thought you might, but men like to get away from theirs wives, go to taverns and hunting lodges to be with mates … comrades.”

“I don’t want to be with them. I want to be with you. This was not the way I wanted a marriage to start. Me going away to round up run away Deatheaters. But I’ll make it up to you.” His eyes drank her in and his mouth dipped down to hers in a soft wet kiss that grow more passionate with each of their heart beats.

Hermione’s fingers found their way into Harry hair and pulled him down on to the bed. He moaned letting himself fall on top of her. Harry mouth moved to her neck and he breathed in the scent of her hair.

“Oh GOD!” he groaned, “Give me strength.” He pulled back.

Hermione let out a little disappointing moan as his hair slipped through her fingers.
Harry stood and sighed, “I’ll write to you as much as I can.”

“I’ll write too.” Her lips curved in to a smile on one side of her mouth, a wicked feeling coming over her.

Harry pressed his lips together trying not to smile, wondering what she will write in her letters.

He gave her a quick, somewhat passionate kiss inhale a deep breath said, “Bye,” and flew out the door.

Hermione got out of bed wrapping the sheet around her and went to the window in time to see Harry running to Seamus and then they both swiftly raced down the block to meet up with the other leaders.

Hermione went back to bed drifting in and out of sleep.

She woke to hear a knocking on the door and Hanna’s voice on the other side, “Hello. Hermione? Are you awake?”

“Hanna?” she called out. Hermione got out of bed and pulled a sheet about her and cracked the door open, “Hanna what is it?”

“Oh good you’re awake. We’ll be leaving soon, Neville and I, and I just wanted to say good bye.”

“Hold on a moment and let me get dressed,” Hermione said as she started pulling her clothes on.

A few minutes later Hermione opened the door and Hanna walked in.

“So you will be leaving soon?” Hermione asked.

“Neville is putting our bags into the carriage now. Oh I’m going to miss you,” Hanna cried throwing her arms in the air and wrapping them around Hermione as she began to cry.

“Are you all right?” Hermione asked her.

“Oh I cry at a drop of a hat these days. It’s because of this little one,” Hanna told her wiping her eyes and cheeks.

“Do you want to sit down?” Hermione asked pulling up a chair.

“Oh no. I just came here to say good-bye and congratulate you on your marriage,” She said blushing, and then raised an eyebrow, “Rather fast decision on the wedding.” A smile was creeping on to her lips.

“Yes! We ... Ah, we were in a compromising position.”

“Compromising position?” she snorted out.

“Yes.”

“You were caught in a compromising position?” she innocently asked, “What position was it? On your back?” she snorted again. “Really Hermione I would have thought you would have closed the door …and locked it as well.”

“It wasn’t planned. It just sort of happened,” Hermione whispered.

“You took a big chance Hermione. What if he didn’t marry you after bedding you, not that I think he is that sort, but Hermione you were really lucky. I thought he found another girl? What is he going to tell her?”

“There wasn’t another girl.”

“Then why did he say there was?”

“Nerves I guess,” she said, “Cold feet.” Knowing damn well why he wrote the letter; she asked him too at the beginning of the engagement to save their reputations, to keep their good names.

“I heard he paid Mr. Fudge right then and there to marry you two.”

“He did. I think he wanted to save my reputation, and his.”

“Oh come on Hermione? You can’t be that naïve; a man’s reputation isn’t hurt by his lack of discretion, they only enhance his standing in their mates’ eyes. You ruin you in the process.”

“Well, he married me.”

“I say he’s the lucky one. And you said you didn’t want to be married. Well ... look at you now. A Misses. On her honeymoon.” Glancing around the room she asked, “Where is Harry?”

“He had to meet some leaders about scattered Deatheaters. He’ll be back in about ten days.”

“That’s no way to start a marriage. Apart.”

“Hanna, you and Neville did it.”

“Yes but we were in the middle of a war, I knew we only had a few hours together before he was off fighting. The war is over now.”

“Well I hope it will only be ten days,” Hermione said.

“Where will you go?”

“For now I’m staying here waiting for Harry to come back,” Hermione told her.

“And then where will you live?”

“Harry has a residents in London.”

“London? That’s where you were going to go to open a shop, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but now that I’m wed I will find it harder to find time to open a shop. Helping to run this place taught me that. It will be impossible to run his household and have a shop.

“Hermione, a house isn’t so hard if you have help, a maid, a cook and a butler.”

“I don’t know how big his home is … and there is his godfather. If he is very old it will be my duty to look after him as well.”

“And any children you have. Sounds like you will be busy for a while,” Hanna nodded smiling at her.

Hanna turned as Neville’s head peeked in, “Have you said your good-byes Hanna?”

“Yes.” Hanna gave Hermione a very motherly hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I will write when we are settled.” She said as she walked towards Neville.

“Bye Hanna.”

~ ~ ~


Hermione found herself back in the attic changing into clean clothes. She opened the box Harry had sent to her and pulled out the copper ring. She held it between her fingers and rubbed it feeling the texture of it. A dent here and a scratch there and the inside of it was green. She threaded it on a thin ribbon and wore it around her neck. She packed her clothes, brought them to Harry’s room, and then went downstairs.

Hermione wasn’t sure what to do. No one came to get her for breakfast. So she wasn’t employed there anymore as far as she knew and she had to stay there until Harry returned.

She sat in the dining room. Lavender stared at her.

“Hermione what are you doing?”

“What?”

“You’re on your honeymoon, you should be with Harry. It’s not proper to be here alone.”

“Harry had to leave on army business. He’ll be back in a week or so.”

“Well … then can you help me with breakfast? Hanna’s gone and I’m alone this morning.”

“Yes I can you, but where is Marietta?”

“She slipped and fell and hurt her ankle. It’s purple and all swollen.”

~~~

Mrs. Figg was in the kitchen mopping the ale that Marietta had been spilled. Hermione offered to help. Mrs. Figg blushed and reluctantly thanked her.

“Your husband should be with you Hermione,” The older woman said.

“He will be back in a week or so,” Hermione told her.

“I know, he has paid for the room and anything else you might need,” the woman explained to her. “ I don’t think he’d want you to work. But if you want to help out for Lavenders sake.”

It took Hermione two hours to clean the mess in the kitchen. The sticky ale was everywhere, the floorboards, the walls, and the somehow on the dishes. She then did her job of cooking and cleaning. She had to, there was very little else to do to keep her mind busy. At night she read her books. When she did sleep she dreamt of Harry. She missed him, his scent, his voice and his body lying next to hers. She craved his touch in the dark cold night and more than once cried herself to sleep. How she wanted him, needed him, when they were together for a night their wedding night.

The first letter from Harry came two days later in the morning.

Dear Hermione,

I’m sorry it took me so long to write to you. I miss you so much. We’ve been traveling nonstop in the hopes of finding some of the Deatheaters. This is the first moment I’ve had time to write but I’ve been thinking about you both day and night.
I miss being with you already and can’t wait to come back and bring you back to London with me so we can really start our life together.
I’m going to write to Sirius and tell him about us getting married. He will be disappointed that he wasn’t there, I’m sure, but given the situation, I’m sure he will understand.

I can’t wait to bring you home. We have a garden in the back yard and I can enlarge the library if you like, and when it’s time to, decorate a baby’s room. You can decorate the whole house if you want.
I remember you wanted to work or open your own shop. I can look into that with you if you like.

I miss the smell of you, your softness, your voice and the taste of your lips, your mouth. I can faintly taste you on my tongue and I want more. I miss the feel of you beneath me, the sounds you make when I’m loving you in bed. I want to bury myself deep inside your heat and never leave it.

I don’t know how anyone can survive being away from their lover. I’m going mad without you.
I will come back to get you as soon as I am able.
Take care of yourself and I will be there soon.
Love Harry


Hermione cried. This was very much like the letter Neville had sent to Hanna. The ‘missing you, can’t wait to see you’ and talk of family Hanna got in her letters. He mentioned her working in a shop. Did he really mean it? Yes. He said a woman with a brain could be a great asset to her family and her community.

Hermione wrote to him that morning after breakfast.

Dear Harry

I was so happy to get your letter. I miss you very much too. I hope you are well.

Please be careful tracking down the Deatheaters. I want you back in one piece, unharmed and in my arms, and ready to go home to London.

I’m very curious as what your godfather thinks of getting marriage so quickly after the war was over.

I’m keeping busy working at the Inn. With Hanna gone now and Marietta’s ankle injury they needed the help. Besides it makes the day go by faster, but not fast enough.

I wish you were here already and we were in a carriage on our way to London. Well not much more tell you. I see you in my dreams. You are in my heart and can’t wait to feel you in my embrace again. Love Hermione

Hermione sent it off that hour and then went back to work. That night she read the letter again several times before she went to sleep.

~ ~ ~


Early the next day Hermione got a special delivery. It was a pair of silver and pink crystal flower earrings with a note. ‘I think this pink would look stunning on you; get a gown or two made before I come get you. We’ll get the rest of them made in London. I hear the fashion is changing; the gowns are cut different now in London and Paris. I wish to make your life in London as smooth and pleasant as possible.’

Hermione went to the village seamstress that day after breakfast and got her measurement taken. She picked out a light pink and a dark purple cotton fabric and the style of dress. The seamstress suggested something a little less matronly as Hermione wasn’t over seventy years old.

“But that’s the style that’s around here.” Hermione commented.

“No, that’s what you wear at the Inn, your uniform, your station, your position in life, servant. But you’re married now. You’re Mrs. Harry Potter, your husband is very famous. He could have had any number of girls, and here he fell head over heels for you,” the seamstress said with pride smiling at her.

“I know he’s famous for helping to save our village and all…”

“Miss! I mean Mrs. Potter. He saved many villages and many many lives. I just heard he’s the one who destroyed the dark Lord. He did not want any one to know it was him, for he would fear for his family and close friends. They would be easy targets for the Deatheaters. But since the war is over the news is spreading.”

Hermione suddenly felt as if she fell into a life that was not going to be as simple as she thought. Harry was the hero of the war. But what did it mean to her and them being together?

“That would make a difference?” Hermione pondered out loud.

“Yes. He will be looked up to by everyone and mostly likely be honored in London. They may even name a bridge and park after him or celebrate his birthday as a holiday.”

Hermione took a deep breath and looked at the woman.

“You will probably be a guest to many formal dinners and be hosting quite a few yourselves.”

Hermione felt dizzy and her blood drained from her face.

“Are you all right?”

“Just a little overwhelmed by the news.”

“He most likely didn’t want you to worry. Men don’t tell their wives everything. They think they are protecting us.”

“Are you married?”

“Yes. Well I was, lost him a few months ago. But he died bravely saving a group of his mates on the battlefield. I only knew him about a week before we eloped. Me, barely eighteen and now widow,” she sadly laughed as her eyes welled with tears.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Well life goes on. He told me if anything happened to go on. Be brave and in time things will be better and one day, he wanted me to get married again.”

“And you will.”

“Maybe. Would be nice to have family of me own. And how about yourself,” nudging Hermione,” planning a big family?”

“Don’t know. Harry seems to want a child.” Hermione commented.

The seamstress leaned over and whispered, “Well it’s still a bit chilling at night. And you do have to keep warm. It seems only natural to cuddle up to him after a glass of wine after dinner. That should get things warmed up for you ... and him,” she giggled.

Hermione gasped and blushed, “Really the things you say!”

“When you’ve been married and widowed; a door opens up. You can talk to others who have been in the same situation. That’s one thing I can say. It’s like being in a club or something. Did your mother tell what to do on your wedding night?”

“My mother and father died months ago in an attack. So we didn’t have time to talk about anything like that. I didn’t know what to do… Harry and I … I mean… we didn’t,” stumbled over the words. Trying to not to say the wrong words, “It all happen so fast you know,” she took a breath and simply said, “I was looking up in to his eyes after bandaging his leg one moment and then next he had his hand reaching out to me.” Hermione hand mimicked her words. She looked at her hand in a dream like way. “He pulled me to him and put the ring on my finger and we were married all in a blur,” she said as if she couldn’t believe her own story.

Hermione felt herself grow warm.

“He was gentle and patient with you?” the seamstress asked.

“I think he was more gentle and passionate,” Hermione answered.

“Well that’s a very good start. You just have to keep it going,” the seamstress told her.

Hermione was reminded of the wicked grin she had given Harry as she said she was going to write to him. A little heat in a letter will remind him of her in the cold nights. Her letters help him last time. This time he will have something to look forward to. She hoped he would think of her even when he was with his mates drinking and whatever else men do when they were together.

The seamstress got out a book and showed Hermione more fashionable dresses; a circular cut that exposes the chest showing some cleavage. A gown that looked like something a Greek Goddess would wear.

“That is what they are wearing in Paris and London now,” the seamstress told Hermione.

“Then that’s what I shall order.” Hermione said.

The seamstress smiled “Very good Mrs. Potter.” She nodded to Hermione, “They will be done in couple of days.”

~ ~ ~

Hermione went back to Harry’s room, their room and sat down and started writing.

My dear Harry,

As I sit here writing to you I wonder what you are doing. My thoughts are never far from you and I wish to see your handsome face again, not only in my dreams but in the flesh.
I wish to touch that flesh, the skin on your back, your chest. To kiss your lips with my own and feel the depth of your passion. To have your tongue teasing mine. I feel my body heat up with just the memory of your touch and am reminded of how cold the nights are here all alone.

In the dark of the night I remember your body over mine and inside me, in my core as we are one body, one soul for a brief moment in time and I miss it, our joining all night long. And after, the way you hold me in your arms, I feel warm safe and sated, but so ready for more in the morning.

Even now as I write to you I grow warm and wet. I am ready to give you myself to you over and over again. There is an ache that you left me with that only you can take away. As you said I stole your heart, but you’ve won mine and my body as well.
Love Hermione

She sent it out before the sun was up, as she started getting the porridge cooking for morning meal.

After breakfast Hermione was tired so she went back to her room and lay down on the bed. She hadn’t changed the pillowcases since just the sheets were stained. Hermione buried her face in the pillow with Harry’s scent on it and she fell asleep nuzzling the pillow to her cheek.

Waking up to the lunchtime crowd of hungry customers wasn’t as gratifying as laying in bed dreaming of Harry making love to her.

Lavender was still chopping up the lamb and pork for the pies as Hermione came through the door.

“You haven’t started lunch yet? The Pies will take too long to bake at this rate Lavender. Let’s cut the bread up into slices and warm the meat with vegetable and add the sauce to it instead. The pies will take as least an hour to bake and we have hungry people waiting now.”

Hermione sliced the bread and mixed the meat and vegetables together with the sauce in a large pot over the fire. In no time the bread was toasted and the pie filling was poured over the toasted bread. A bowl of shredded cheese was put on the tables as well.

Lavender hugged Hermione in thanks. “The customers enjoyed the lunch.”

The rest of the day went normally. Hermione helped clean the rooms and served dinner. But as night fell Hermione found herself staring into the fire instead of reading her book wondering what Harry was doing that very moment. Was he safe? Did he find the Deatheaters that he was looking for? Was he thinking of her?

Hermione climbed into bed and nuzzled her face into Harry’s pillow. His scent was beginning to fade.

Hermione rose the next morning and started her day early making the porridge and making the rolls for breakfast. It was dark out, clammy, and cold. It seemed the winter would never end as her hands felt the warmth of the fire that baked the rolls but didn’t reach her bones. She poured herself a cup of tea to chase the cold away but it only barely warmed her belly and the bitter tea stung her tongue.

Hermione stoked the fire in the kitchen and started on the dining room, but the dampness in the wood made it difficult to get the fire going. Getting wood from the kitchen she finally got the hearth lit.

No one was stirring in the Inn and Hermione felt as though she the only one on this world and felt very much alone.

Getting the jams, butter and honey out of the root cellar Hermione heard Mrs. Figg come into the kitchen. With an arm full of jars, Hermione emerged from the cellar and noticed that Mrs. Figg had her head in her hands.

“Are you alright Mrs. Figg?”

“OH! Hermione. Yes, yes. Just too much celebrating last night. The Boots and the two Creevey boys came home yesterday. They were wounded but they’re recovering very nicely. Very big party to welcome them home … I had too much to drink,” she said waving her hands in the air.

“I didn’t know anyone was still making there way home.” Hermione commented.

“Oh the wounded and the men who were in Italy and Spain are still making their way home.”

“I wonder how long it will take for Harry then? He’s still gathering the scattered Deatheaters.” Hermione wondered out loud.

“I would think that would take him a while. One in a city is easier to hide than hundreds. They might be looking for weeks? Months?”

The room seemed to grow colder with that news. Weeks? Months?

During breakfast she tried to think of things other than Harry and the wedding night. Hermione squeezed her legs to dull the ache but it didn’t help. The memories and thoughts of Harry flooded her mind all the while.

~ ~ ~

As the girls were cleaning up dishes from the evening meal Mrs. Figg called Marietta to dining room as Hermione was putting things back into the root cellar.
Hermione heard Marietta gasp and faintly say, “Oh my…” when she left the cellar.

Curious, Hermione quickly put the jars away and came out into the kitchen turning to the doorway to the dining room. She focused on the male figure in front of it and walking toward her.

Before she could utter a word Harry made the short distance between them disappear snatching her up in his arms and kissed her quickly on the lips as he let out a moan and then a little laugh of relief as he held her even tighter.

Hermione arms were around his neck and breathing in his scent, not believing he was there. Tears came to her eyes as she tried to pull him tighter to her.

Harry looked into Hermione eyes. His smiled wide that reached his eyes. He kissed her once more slowly.

The tears in her eyes rolled down her cheeks as a smile curled her lips. His smile faded as his eyes darkened and fire flickered in them as Hermione felt his need for her grow. Hermione felt a burning in between her legs for him. He brushed her tears away with his thumb as he brushed some loose hair way from her face.

Hermione wanted him right then and there in the kitchen, but she heard someone coming and feeling wicked she pulled him into the root cellar.

With the cellar door closed and locked Harry’s trousers were on the floor in mere seconds. He hiked up her skirts a moment later and hoisted Hermione onto an edge of the shelves whispering,
“Are you ready for me?” Yanking off her underwear.

“Yes,” she breathed out and with that she felt him at her entrance.

He slid inside of her easily, and he groaned in the dimly light room.

Harry’s lips covered hers again as he started to move in and out of her. Her fingers felt the fabric of his cloak as she held onto it feeling the tense muscles underneath it. Her legs wrapped around his waist feeling the warmth of his skin against her one moment and the cool air the next. She welcomed his lips and the taste of him on her tongue as they kiss wildly. They knocked the shelves loose but not before they sent a number of jars to the floor. A bottle of apple wine popped its cork after if rolled out of its holder. Wine exploded like a fountain soaking the floor.

Harry plunged into Hermione a few moments and then he exploded bringing her to orgasm as well.

Hermione looked down and saw Harry’s pants in a puddle of apple wine around his ankles. Jars scattered on the floor, some broken. The shelves swayed back and forth from their momentum.

Harry blushed as he took in the damage they had done, still panting trying to catch his breath,
“Oh this wasn’t the plan I had in my mind as I was coming here. I was going to recite a poem to you on how much I missed you and when I saw you all thought went out of my head and all I wanted was …” he spread his hands out towards her, “you.”

Hermione blushed and looked down from embarrassment,
“All I wanted was to be alone with you.” She lowered her skirts to cover her legs as
Harry pulled up his wet pants.

Harry pulled out his wand from his cloak, which he was still wearing and pointed it to the mess on the floor then pointed to his pants cleaning them with out saying a word.

Harry took her hand and unlocked the door. They walked out of the kitchen with Mrs. Figg and Marietta eyes following them and bolted up the stairs.

They made it up to their bedroom, closed the door and locked it.


Thank you for your comments/reviews you have no idea how much they help…
Anon I want to answer a comment but I don’t want to gave anything away.
CuteDATSexie218..half the fun of have babies IS MAKING THEM. LOL
So glad you are enjoy the story, hope I don’t disappoint you. ( or any of you)
missmonet Harry didn’t fall in love with anyone. It was the letter he was supposed to write so they didn’t have to fake being engaged any more.
kajlima.. Harry leg was hurt but Hermione cleaned and put some healing ointment on it healing it… and if you know boys/men a little pain won’t slow them down in having sex ( Kevin Smith had a sore in his penis and still made love to his date/ now wife).
angeles I’m glad you are enjoying the story.
Emch this was my update..hope you like it.