Of Horses And Waterfalls

22. A Lonely Ride

The days were long and the sun was brutal, but Harry made it his daily mission to get up early, give himself in to his daily exercise, eat a hearty breakfast and deliver his best at his job.  He had tried to talk to his boss about what had made him angry that day, only to be told to get back to work, and not to think on it anymore.  Which is exactly what Harry did.  He wasn't going to dwell on it.  And oh boy, he was missing Sirius badly.  

They spoke to each other every Friday night, relaying the stories of how their week had gone, and how much they really wanted to get together even if it was for a couple of beers.  But Harry was so engrossed in the ranch, and Sirius was still busy with Number 12.  Their reunion would have to wait for both of them to be ready.  And that was okay, at least they still had each other to talk to.  

"Break any hearts yet Har?", his godfather asked him one night while he was sitting outside on the steps of his cottage.  He was leaning with his back against the railing, in just his jeans, and no shirt, enjoying his beer.  Harry laughed out loud at that, totally oblivious to the eyes that were watching him from behind the trees.  

"I told you I don't break hearts", he replied and took a sip of his beer.  "If anything, people break mine", he stated with a chuckle.

"And, how has your week been then?", asked Sirius.  

Harry took a deep breath and exhaled.  "It's been great actually.  Busy as hell, but I don't think the boss likes me that much", he pouted.

"Why do you say that?", asked his godfather.  Harry shrugged as if his godfather could see him.  "I don't know.  Just a feeling I get", he answered.  "Although he has the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen on a human being, Jesus", he croaked.

"Ah, the famous Malfoy eyes", said Sirius, making Harry smile.  "Anyway, the reason I'm calling you is not only to tell you how my week has been and ask about yours, but to let you know that I am leaving town for a few days.  I have to go and collect something, so if you did manage to get a day off, I won't be at home".

"Is everything all right Pads?", he asked.  Sirius assured him that everything was fine, he had gone to the liberty of purchasing a very antique dresser, and had to go and pick it up himself.  Harry smiled at that, and wished him safe travels.  They ended the call with Harry saying, "Look after you", and then hung up after hearing the same words from Sirius.

He sighed and took another swig of his beer.  He had spoken to Draco about taking the horses out for rides and the answer had been a resounding yes.  Why is it then, that Harry felt the sudden need to do just that.  He wasn't feeling tired, and he promised himself only one beer a night, so maybe a horse ride would relieve the tension that was in his shoulders.  He stood up, finished his beer, and after throwing the bottle away in the bin, made his way towards the stables.

The eyes watching every move he made, the way his throat had worked when he drank his beer, the way he had been holding the bottle.  The way that his jeans hugged his arse, and were low riding, showing off his V line, and a dark trail of hair leading into his pants.  But when Harry turned around, his back wet with sweat, because it was hot out, the outside light making him shine like an angel, was when the person watching him let out a gasp.  

The phoenix tattoo was absolutely beautiful, and he knew, he just knew there was a story there.  What he wouldn't give to hear it firsthand, and to get a closer glimpse of the artwork.  He crept closer in silence and watched as Harry placed a saddle on Bullet.  He tilted his head, and smiled.  Potter was going for a ride it seemed.  The man couldn't sleep, and Draco had to wonder what was keeping him up at night.  

He heard as Harry kept talking to the horse as if to keep it calm, telling him that they were going for a little ride.  He would be gentle, so please don't throw him off, and so on and so on.  When he climbed on, he grabbed the reins, clicked his tongue twice in quick succession, and the horse started to gallop away.  He was quite breathtaking in his manly beauty, and Draco wondered if he would ever have the courage to tell him that.

Harry in the meantime, was working up a sweat because yes, he couldn't sleep.  He kept playing the scene over and over in his head, where Malfoy had come to thank him and then saw as he got pissed off at the mention of Warren and Lee.  Then he pictured how he had gone to his boss to apologize, with Malfoy saying that he should get back to work, and not to worry about it.  But the thing with Harry, was that he would worry about it.  Ever since he had been privy to what his foster family were doing to him, made him scared to upset people, because he never wanted to be in the vicinity of such people again.

Not that Malfoy was abusive, but he did seem to have a huge chip on his shoulder.  Perhaps he should just leave it, and carry on as if nothing had happened.  It didn't seem to be bothering Malfoy, and so it shouldn't bother him.  And Harry kept on riding.  He pushed that horse until they were both breathless, and when Harry came to a spot that he had never known about, he stopped and just looked with wide eyes in front of him.

The waterfall.  It was stunning, and the sounds that came from it were thunderous.  Crashing down into the rock pool below, and Harry was mesmerized.  He would definitely be coming back here, he thought to himself.  He wondered if Malfoy knew about it, that's how big the property was.  He wondered at how cool the water was, and climbed off the horse.  He bent down to feel it, and it was perfect.  He should come here again tomorrow night, but earlier.  He would stand under the water, and just lose himself.

Mounting the horse again, they made their way back to the stables slowly, but Trinity was impatient and he started his gallop towards home, making Harry laugh out loud at the action.  When they finally reached the stables, Harry was out of breath from laughing, and he dismounted him and removed his bridle and saddle.  He led the horse back inside, and started grooming him.  Talking to him all the time, he still had no idea that his every move was being monitored.

"That was fun, thank you Trinity.  We should do this every night.  But tomorrow we, meaning I, will go for a swim.  It'll be our secret yeah?", he said while he kept brushing the horse to cool him down, and get him relaxed before he lay down for the night.  The horse neighed his response, and Harry kissed him on his forehead, and said thank you again for the ride, and led him inside his cubicle.  Then he locked up behind him, and went back to his cottage to shower and retire.  He heard a sudden noise of a scuffle just to the left of him, and tilted his head in an effort to hear it again, but it never came.

Draco had made the mistake of making a sound at seeing Harry again, semi naked with that fucking tattoo on his back, and almost fell over onto the grass.  He saw when Harry tilted his head, hoping to God that the man wasn't going to come any closer to see who it was who was hiding behind the trees.  He didn't and when Harry entered his cottage, he bolted back to his own house, knowing that he was in deep shit.  And he didn't know what he was going to do about it.

Harry Potter had gone for a lonely ride, and Draco hoped that the next time that happened, he would either be prepared, or be able to accompany him.