Home on the Range || H.S

Part 3

He couldn't stop thinking about her. It was a problem. Driving her to breakfast and seeing her soft and still slightly sleepy face, her morning voice as she yawned and spoke to him about bubbles? He was fucked. Harry knew he had been in trouble but this? He hadn't realized that she would be taking over most thoughts. Thinking about how she would like this view or how she would think the thing the cow did was funny? He was a mess. At breakfast, he sat across from her and stayed quiet even though they'd chatted in the car. He wasn't feeling all that up to having huge conversions with his family, but Y/N got answers and his attention. She'd proved she wasn't here for judgement. It made it even more difficult to keep himself from trying anything.

After breakfast, Y/N had felt herself getting all giddy at the prospect of hanging out with Harry. It was a Sunday, so Anne told Y/N to just relax. Well, she wouldn't exactly be relaxing but she would be doing something that wasn't work but beneficial for work. Harry and Y/N made their way to the barn, making small conversation about how they felt today and how nice it was outside before they really got to business.

"Now... I know generally how to ride a horse, but I know that it's much more complex." Y/N said and bit her lip. "I've also never put a saddle in a horse, but I'd like to learn." This was all stuff Y/N had dreamed about learning to do. She was very excited about riding a horse, and was also really excited that it was Harry who was teaching her. Anything to get his hands on her a little bit more.

"We can definitely do that. Come with me." He decided to get shadow saddled first, so he could show her once and then help her with Lily. "Alright, so. We get the saddle blanket, place it down like this." He placed the green blanket down and showed her where on the back to position it. She looked very intrigued with it all, which made him feel pretty good. "Alright, next is getting the saddle on. It's pretty heavy, so I always take it from the underside instead of grabbing the horn. There's a few types of saddles but this is a western. The horn is used for stability and keeping on back when you're doing more intense stuff." He murmured, getting the saddle up to Shadow's back. "Now we let down the straps... like this. Now, something a lot of horses do is puff out their bellies so they don't get the strap right. That's bad for us, because it will slide right off and you'll go toppling down. I always fake 'em out. Hook it one part, and then wait a moment. They have to let go of the breath— then I get it tight." He made sure she had the right view of it. "Then we secure the straps. Am I goin' too quick, darlin?"

Y/N watched in awe as he placed the blanket down and then picked up the saddle. She was listening, yes, but definitely a lot of her attention was focused on how his arms flexed when he picked up the saddle. His voice was all low and slow and he was really doing a good job at explaining it.

"N—no, you're fine. Blanket, saddle, straps but fake 'em out before tightening. Got it." Y/N nodded her head, giving him a nod and a smile as she watched him. Shadow seemed ready and prepared for a ride but she knew there was one more step. The reigns. After Harry explained that she felt like she was ready to do her own, so she walked over to where Lily was and greeted her. Y/N gave her a carrot the way Harry had taught her and even went as far as to kiss her snout before starting with the saddle process. For the most part, Y/N was better than the average beginner. She was proud of herself for getting it on right with minimal help.

"Great job. You're a natural, sweetheart." He was in awe of her. Every turn, it was further proof that Y/N was in fact, superior to all the girls he had known before. The way she had easily taken it on. How she was happy to finally get hands on with the horses— Harry was proud. "Alright, why don't we walk Lily over to the mounting block?" It was used for beginner riders, and he was going to show her how to use it. Lily already knew the drill, standing still when Harry demonstrated how to get on. "In the field I'll have to help you up if we decide to dismount, but it's good to know how to do it." He explained. Once she was on the horse though, she looked natural. Like she was happy to be there, her hand on the saddle horn and the other holding the reins up. He felt his heart stutter a little bit. It was like a snippet of his dream right in his face.