Of Horses And Waterfalls

21. Progress Shared

Harry had taken the time to talk to Toni and Teddy respectively.  For all the years that she had been cleaning the cottages, not once had she walked away with wages.  That in itself was disgusting, but he understood the reason.  In essence, she hadn't been working for Miss Bella, but for the workers themselves.  And their wages were too small to be giving her any of it.  In return, she was awarded a cottage, with free board and food.  Harry vowed that he would rectify this as soon as possible, but it could mean that her duties were going to change.  She accepted this with a smile.

Teddy on the other hand had told him that he had been working on the ranch for years.  He had started there even before Miss Bella bought the property.  It had belonged to a man named Elphias Dodge, and when he had passed away, Miss Bella told him he could stay.  But when Miss Bella had changed, becoming a different woman, the ranch went to ruins.  She loved the place, but she had loved her husband more.  The day she lost him, she lost her sanity.

It was time to leave he said, and Harry said he respected that, and asked what his wages had been while working here all those years.  He told him, but it was when Harry asked if he had taken out a policy to earn him money for all his hard work over the years, that Teddy didn't know what he was talking about.  

"I mean like a pension, for saying thank you for your years of service", said Harry.  Teddy looked at him as if he had grown another head.  The look on his face told Harry that there had never been a pension plan discussed with him or with any other staff member for that matter.  Harry would have to do his homework and see what he could do about that.  He didn't know Draco Malfoy that well yet, but he was of the opinion that because Teddy hadn't worked for him personally, he would not be held accountable for paying him when he left.  

Harry knew what he had to do.  And so it was, on the day that Teddy was leaving, Harry went with him to the house to say his goodbyes, and walked with him to the front gate.  Harry could see that the years in the sun had taken it's toll on the man, but now was the time for him to go and relax and just enjoy his grandchildren.  He shook Teddy's hand, and shoved an envelope in it afterwards.

"I wish you could have stayed, I have a feeling that I could have learned a lot from you Teddy", said Harry with a smile.  Teddy felt the thick envelope and asked what it was.  Harry told him that it was his pension.  One weeks wages for every year completed, which brought the total to just under two hundred thousand pounds.  There was two thousand in the envelope, along with a bank card, and an account number that housed the rest.  Teddy had no words.

He gave Harry a tearful hug, and said that he wished that he had met him sooner, he seemed to be a good man, making Harry blush.  They waved at each other until Teddy was out of sight, and Harry made his way back towards his job.  

The progress that was happening at the ranch was mind blowing.  Gabe who was in charge of the horses, had never been one to enjoy his job, until Harry had him change his routine.  At first it was him rising up, sweeping out the stables, releasing the horses so that they could walk inside an enclosure, fill their feeding buckets, and then take them back.  Now, what he was doing was much more exciting.

He let the horse out early in the morning, and groomed them with the soft brushes, being careful not to pull at their manes.  Harry showed him how to hold the brush properly and it was important that you talk to them.  They had feelings just like people, he said.  After their grooming, they would be put in the huge meadow, where they weren't enclosed, giving them a bit more freedom.  While they were outside, their stables were swept and disinfected every other day.  Fresh hay was thrown down for them lie on, and their food source now had added apples and sugar.

There were three horses.  Biscuit, Trinity and Bullet.  They had all been racehorses before, and had come to the ranch to live out the remainder of their years.  Biscuit and Trinity were brown and white Pinto horses, while Bullet was a black stallion that had a mark between his eyes in the shape of a bullet, hence his name.  And they were majestic animals, so patient and seemed to enjoy the new change in their daily routine.

Harry also suggested that perhaps they needed to be taken for a ride, but would confirm with Mr Malfoy if this was allowed.  Gabe was terrified, because he wasn't really a fan of the new owner, and he had never ridden a horse before.  Harry laughed at the revelations.  

Warren had also been paying more attention to his duties ever since Harry had stepped in, helping him and guiding him as to what would look better where, and what to get rid of.  The lawns of the ranch had to be watered every day, for two hours on a continuous run.  Sprayers were installed, and with the turn of a tap, this was done.  Two hours in the morning, then they were turned off.  Two hours in the afternoon, and again two hours in the evening.  The grass would grow thicker this way, and the ground would become healthy and saturated.

The weeds had all been removed from the gate right up until the end of the driveway.  New flowers were going to be planted, once the paving from the gate to the house had been redone.  Harry and Warren were doing this project together, and it took a full month before they were finished, but when they were, the results were astounding.  

The flowerbeds along the drive from the gate were removed, and Harry put in small white gravel and stones.  It looked clean and inviting.

The flowers needed to be close to the house, to bring out it's beauty, and more than roses had been planted.  The flowers that he and Warren had gone to purchase were sunflowers, lilies, tulips, orchids and carnations.  Including the roses in their beds, had the garden overflowing with color and scents that Draco had only imagined of.  Waking up to the new look every morning was amazing.  

He was so glad, and thought for the first time, that he was going to win this bet with his father.  Potter sure knew what he was doing.  He had seen him helping all the staff members with their duties, and he was pleased.  Potter was also spending a lot of time with the man called Lee, where they could be seen together discussing what they had to do to repair the damage done to the structures on the property.

Potter had given him a list of goods to purchase in order for them to start on the renovations, from screws, board, paint, brushes, the works, and Draco had yet to give it to him.  No time like the present, he thought.  Taking the bags of purchases, he started his walk to go and find Potter, who seemed to be having a laugh with the young man, Warren.  It looked like they were laughing on his time, and thought that maybe he should put a stop to it.  

But thought otherwise, when he heard the young man Warren ask, "Anyone special in your life Harry?", to which Harry replied, "God no.  I don't think there's anyone out there crazy enough to want me", making Warren laugh.

Draco came around the corner, happy and sad at the same time for that reply, and handed the bags to Warren, asking him to put them in the barn.  He needed a private word with Potter please.  Warren smiled and did as he was told, and Harry turned his attention to the man standing in front of him.

With a faraway look in his eyes, he focused his attention on the pastures at the back of the house and cottages.  "I've been meaning to thank you Potter", he said sincerely.  Harry blinked and asked in that husky voice, "What for?".

"For everything you've achieved", he said, finally looking into those gorgeous green eyes.  They kept looking at each other for a while, and Harry had to admit, he had never seen eyes as silver as the ones he was looking into right now.  He smiled at his boss, and licked his lips and then started talking.

"Thank you, but it's not just me you know.  Warren, Lee, and....." he started.

"Yes well, I am thanking you Potter.  Share it with them if you want", he said in a huff and left before Harry could say anything else.  Stupid idiot!  Warren this, Warren that, why couldn't he just say thank you and leave it at that.  Fucking prick, thought Draco.  And now he had been rude to his ranch hand, and wondered how the hell was he going to fix that?

Harry in the meantime was shocked.  His boss had come to say thank you for the first time ever, and then he had gone and pissed the man off.  He couldn't win, it seemed.  He was going to have a serious talk with him, and find out what exactly it was that was bothering him.