Someone to Watch Over Me

Someone to Watch Over Me

Chapter 18: Ginny Learns How to Ride a Horse

Joyce was making breakfast the next morning when Ginny entered the kitchen.

"Smells good," she mumbled, heading for the coffeepot.

"Thanks. It'll be ready in a few minutes."

Ginny poured herself a cup.

"Are you working today?"

Joyce sighed.

"Blaise doesn't want me to, but I do. I really need to get out of the manor, and I miss my patients," Joyce admitted.

"I wish I had something to distract me," Ginny said.

"You just wait 'til those babies are born, believe me, there'll be plenty to distract you then."

"I had planned on baby shopping with Hermione today, but now that Snape is back, they'll probably want to be alone."

Joyce nodded in agreement.

"Draco is out on Order business. Who knows what time he'll be home," Ginny whined.

Blaise came into the room, and walked over to Joyce. He gave her a kiss, and then helped himself to some coffee.

He sat down beside Ginny, and inhaled the delicious aroma from his steaming cup.

"Good morning Blaise," she said, unnerved by how quiet he was.

He gave her a hostile look, and let out a small growl while pulling his coffee cup closer.

Ginny raised her eyebrows and scooted her chair away from him.

Joyce laughed.

"Don't mind him. He's never civil until after his third cup of coffee," she explained, ruffling his hair affectionately.

The look he gave her was one of pure adoration as she refilled his already empty cup.

Ginny sighed.

"I'm going to be so bored today!"

Joyce set a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"Do you like horses?" Joyce asked.

Blaise choked and nearly spilt his precious coffee.

"Absolutely not," he said, shaking his head at her.

"Oh, come on! You're going to the mansion today, and I know you'll be taking the horses out for some exercise. Ginny could help," Joyce said, giving her husband a pointed look.

Blaise sighed and turned to Ginny.

"Would you like to come with me?"

It was the first time Blaise had ever really spoken to her directly. She was suddenly struck by how handsome he was. He was no Draco, but still. She really didn't know much about this man who'd been living in her home for almost three months now. She had been under the impression that he didn't like her because he never spoke to her. Joyce, Draco, and surprisingly, Harry were the only ones he seemed to have full conversations with. But maybe he just wasn't a big talker.

"I really don't know much about horses," Ginny admitted.

"Blaise is an excellent riding instructor," Joyce gushed.

He shot her a look, and then turned back to Ginny.

"You should come, it will be fun," he said, sounding sincere.

"Okay, I'd probably go mad if I were stuck here by myself all day."

"You could just pick up a book," Hermione said, waddling into the room.

Ginny glared at her.

"Snape let you out of bed?" Joyce asked teasingly.

Hermione blushed and Blaise got to his feet.

"I've got some things to do before we go. I'll meet you in the parlor in thirty minutes," he told Ginny.

He grabbed Hermione's arm and helped her to sit in his abandoned chair.

He then gathered Joyce in his arms.

"You could always come with us," he said huskily.

"Blaise. I need to see my patients," she said, continuing their earlier discussion.

He frowned, but nodded.

Joyce stood up on tiptoe to give him a kiss.

"I'll be back no later than three," she promised him.

He nodded again and left the room.

Ginny and Joyce practically pounced on Hermione.

"So?"

"What happened?"

Hermione turned even redder.

"I knew it! I'm so happy for you, Hermione," Joyce said, giving her a hug.

"You mean, you guys actually had sex?" Ginny asked, concerned.

"We're married Ginny, why shouldn't we?"

"It's just that you're so pregnant, wouldn't it hurt the babies?"

"No, not at only five months along. In fact, they can have sex up to a few weeks before the birth. That's when the baby drops. Of course, sex will be the furthest thing from Hermione's mind at that point," Joyce explained.

"I'd appreciate it if we could quit talking about my sex life. And if I don't get something to eat right now, I'm going to die of starvation!" Hermione exclaimed.

Joyce gave her a look, but quickly went to get her a plate of pancakes.

"So, you're going with Blaise today?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Oh, I hope that's okay. I mean, I assumed that you'd want to spend some time with Snape."

"That's fine, Ginny. I'm going to do my best to guilt him into shopping with me. I think I can do it, especially if I have no one else to go with me," she said confidently as she tucked in to her pancakes.

"Well, I better get going. You guys have fun today," Joyce said and left.

"Blaise is going to teach me to ride a horse," Ginny said.

"How well do you know him?" Hermione asked between bites.

"Not very well. He's kind of quiet, you know? But Joyce is great, and he obviously adores her so he can't be that bad can he?"

Hermione chewed thoughtfully.

"Probably not. What do you know about Blaise and Joyce? How did they meet? And why don't they have any children? She rarely talks about herself."

Ginny hesitated, unsure if she should reveal what she knew.

"Remember on my wedding day when I had that anxiety attack?" she asked, deciding that secrets between them would probably not be a good thing.

Hermione nodded.

"Well, I asked her how they met, and she said that the first time she saw him, he saved her from being raped by her ex-fiancé."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Ew, Hermione! Swallow first!" she said making a face.

"Did she say anything else?"

"No, she just got this haunted look in her eyes."

"Speaking of her eyes, do they look familiar to you?"

"Yes, but I can't think of who."

"Dumbledore," Snape drawled as he entered the kitchen.

The two women jumped.

"Joyce is related to Albus Dumbledore?" Ginny asked in shock.

"Yes, but she's actually Aberforth Dumbledore's great grand daughter."

"Why didn't she say anything? And why on Earth would a relative of Dumbledore's marry a Death Eater?" Hermione asked.

"She doesn't speak to him anymore," he explained, starting to look uncomfortable. "You should really ask her if you want to know more. I'm sure that she'd tell you."

"See if you can find out anything from Blaise," Hermione whispered to Ginny while Snape glared at the empty coffeepot.

Ginny nodded and left to meet Blaise.

"Severus?" Hermione asked as she watched her husband whip up another pot of coffee.

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any plans today?" she asked, nonchalantly.

"Yes."

"You do?" she asked, upset.

"Yes, I intend to spend every second of today making up for lost time with my lovely wife," he said, giving her a smoldering look.

She beamed at him.

"Good! I'll need help shopping for baby things. We're going to need four of everything..." she trailed off as he gave her a horrified look.

She burst into tears. She couldn't help it!

Snape rushed to her side and started rubbing her back.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked anxiously.

"N-nothing," she stammered, trying desperately to stop crying.

"You can tell me," he said.

"W-well, it's just that, the babies will be here before we know it and we haven't bought a single thing for them. I'm going to be too big to do it if I wait too much longer," she said sniffing.

"What have you been doing while I was gone?" he demanded.

She looked at him intently, allowing the tears to fall fast and free as she whispered, "Waiting for you."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ginny laughed in delight as Joyce's horse, Baby, raced across the pasture. The wind whipped at her unbound hair, and Ginny felt as if she were flying. Horseback riding was a lot easier than she'd thought it would be. Blaise had seemed very impressed with her.

All he'd done was explain the basics, and then helped her on the horse. Ginny had taken off as if she'd been riding all her life. She was definitely going to talk to Draco about getting some horses. A part of her felt ashamed at the thought of spending so much money, but then another part felt defiant. She was living a dangerous life as the wife of a Death Eater spy. Why not make the most of it?

"Are you sure you've never ridden before?" Blaise called as he and his horse, Dragon, caught up with her.

"I never have, but it feels very natural."

"You're lucky. I had many bruises and even a few broken bones before I could master it," he admitted ruefully.

"I was just thinking about asking Draco to get some horses of our own. I had no idea they were so much fun."

Blaise smiled.

"Draco's not very fond of horses. But I'm sure he'll let you have one if you ask."

Ginny nodded.

They trotted along in silence for a minute and then Ginny remembered what Hermione had told her to do.

"So, does Joyce enjoy riding?" she asked.

Blaise gave her a calculating look.

"Sometimes."

When he didn't elaborate, Ginny changed tactics.

"How did you and Joyce meet?"

Blaise visibly stiffened, then seemed to ponder the question.

"It's a really long story."

"I don't mind."

"Look Ginny, I think you're a really nice person and all, but I'm not really comfortably talking to you about some things."

Ginny gave him a hurt look.

"My husband and his father insulted me and my entire family the first time I met him. How could your first meeting be any worse than that?"

Blaise sighed in defeat. Ginny was not easily intimidated.

"Let's just say that the circumstances of our first meeting were unusual, and a little dark. It led directly to our marriage, and it was a very hard time for both of us."

"Okay, but why..."

"Ginny, if you want to know more, ask Joyce."

Ginny pouted but stayed quiet.

"Come on, I'll race you back," Blaise said, then took off like a bullet toward the barn.

She immediately raced after him. It was hard to stay mad as she and Baby flew across the pasture, easily over taking him.

End Chapter 18