A Friendship Blooms {Sterling & Dominique}

His smile grew bigger as she mentioned she'd want to be a seeker. "Oh really? Well, in that case, I could most definitely be of some help in practicing." He almost mentioned that he was the best at Hogwarts but stopped himself, remembering he was forced to retry-out for the team, due to his cockiness. "Quidditch is something I can see myself having a future in someday," he said instead. There; that sounded more modest, right?

"So what's your favorite magical flower or plant? Well, what's your favorite non-magical plant as well?" He inquired, hoping to keep the conversation going, so that he would have an excuse to stay, and talk, and not have to go back to his own plant or leave to get some of his dreaded schoolwork done.

He was a bit stiff and nervous when he first started playing. He didn't play for people one-on-one, other than his sister. But as he looked at the girl and saw her smile at him he relaxed a bit. And took a deep breath as he finished the first verse of humming, glancing at her once before starting to sing.

"The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there"

He dove into the song, singing "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Hollies.

Dominique told him that she wanted to be a seeker. Which she knew that she would be really good at since she is small. She hoped that she was good enough to get on the Gryffindor team. She nodded her head when Sterling said he seen Quidditch in his future. “ So you want to be a professional Quidditch player?” Which was something that she didn't think she would do. Playing it for fun was alright, but being a professional was a different story. “ I have a good while to think about what I want to be.”

Now he was asking her what her favorite magical plant was. “ Well I actually love the Alihotsy tree. My father is really good at potions so he uses the leaves to make the laughing potion.” Now he had asked her what her favorite non magical plant was. Seems like Sterling had a lot of questions for her. Which she didn't mind answering. That actually was a hard one to answer because there was so many. “ That is really hard because there are so many. But I do love Iris and Roses.”

She was smiling as Sterling was singing for her. It didn't matter what he was playing. Dominique knew that she was melting as she was listening to the song.

He hesitated and shrugged at her question. "Well, I'm not entirely sure yet. Like you, I still have time to think about it. But, yeah, it's an option. It'll partly depend on my music as well. I've considered being a musician, maybe in a band, or maybe as a solo artist, I'm not sure." The boy had thought about being in a band before. He hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet anyone that was in a band yet, let alone someone who had an empty spot in their band, for he was barely out of the house other than school and the weekly guitar gig.

Sterling nodded, pausing for a moment as he tried to dredge up his extremely limited knowledge of the Alihotsy tree. Like he had told the girl, Herbology was not his favorite subject. He didn't really know much about plants and had had to do extensive research to even figure out what to plant for his sisters.

He knew that, as the girl had mentioned, the leaves of the tree were used for the laughing potion, but he didn't know much more about it, other than the fact that many candies were made with a slight Alihotsy flavor to give the snacker giggles as they ate. "I've never quite understood the practical point of the laughing potion, I mean sure it's fun but what is it really used for?" Sterling said as he thought out loud, "I suppose, however, it may be useful for cheering people up? What does your dad usually use it for?"

He nodded as she named the two flowers. "Yes, those do seem to be popular flowers. I'm more fond of lilies myself, especially the Asphodel. It's one that the muggles know as well, but is also used in various potions!"

He missed a chord and winced as he hit the wrong notes, glancing up at the girl quickly, shaking his head ever so slightly as he reminded himself to stay focused. Goodness, it was much more nerve-wracking to make a mistake in front of one person than it was in front of several, especially considering he didn't know Dominique very well. He took a deep breath as he continued, forcing himself to get past his nerves and relax, focusing on the mistake wouldn't help anything.

"For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another"

At least they both had no idea what they wanted to be. But that was ok as they both had time to think about it. “ Yeah I am not really sure what I want to do either. But I have time and things can change.” At least it seemed like Sterling had a general idea. Which was something that she had no clue. But she wasn't going to let that get to her. “ At least you have a general idea.” Dominique knew if all else failed, she could ask a good family friend for a job. “

Dominique had a good knowledge of Herbology. As her father was really good at potions. Which was something that she was really good at too. She knew that Sterling said that Herbology wasn't his favorite subject. But it seemed like he was doing alright as he was growing plants for his sisters.

She then told him about the Alihotsy. And how her father used it to make the laughing potion. “ I am not really sure, but I love to sneak it into the food when my parents have a serious dinner party. But then never underestimate the power of the muggle whoopy cushion.” It was something that she has pulled off once or twice. And still makes her laugh.

Dominique then told him some of her favorite flowers. “ I love lilies as they are so beautiful. But doesn't help that I am allergic to them.” As they would make her eyes itch and she would be sneezing a lot. It would even affect her voice.

She could tell that he messed up, but that didn't bother her. The fact that he was playing for her meant something. She continued to watch him as he was playing. Hoping that it would help calm him down.

He shrugged. "Exactly. We have time and you'll get a general idea as you learn more about yourself and about your interests. You have years before you have to know." He laughed as she mentioned slipping the potion into food and the whoopie cushions. "Yes, I can see how that would be entertaining." While the pranks seemed a bit childish to Sterling he could also remember him and Mathilde pulling off pranks like that a couple years ago with his father and couldn't help but laugh again at the memories.

He nodded. "Well, in that case, don't go over by my plants. I wouldn't want you to have an allergic reaction and have to go to the hospital wing anyways after everything we went through to keep you out of it." He grinned at her, slightly amused by the prospect. "Besides, you still need to tend to your plants, yes?"

He closed his eyes as he played, letting himself slip into the music. The song was one that he knew by heart, as he played it a lot. It held personal value to him and reminded him of how his own brother used to be. He remembered when he was little and the two of them would have the rare occasion of playing outside together. They would occasionally be permitted to go down to play in the village, as long as they didn't talk to anyone they didn't know.

At one point he was around seven, his brother fifteen and he fell on one of the village paths, twisting his ankle enough that he hadn't wanted to walk on it. Christoph had carried him all the way home on his back, talking to him and soothing him, even though the boy must've been heavy.

"It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share

And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy he's my brother

He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother, he ain't heavy"

As the song ended Sterling played a couple more chords before pausing for a moment, hand still poised over his instrument and eyes still closed. He took the time to shove down the feelings the familiar song had drug up before opening his eyes again, smiling at the girl.

Seems like they both had time to figure out what they wanted to be. “ Yeah are right about that, and I might find something that I never had an interest in and love it.” Dominique then told him about the sneaking the laughing potion in the food. And her whoopie cushions. Which was something that was priceless, she knew that some think that pranks are childish. Dominique would disagree with them are they were worth it all. And she didn't think they went too far.

At least he was looking at for her. Telling her that she shouldn't go near his plants. “ All I would have to do is take a potion. It is like an antihistamine that muggles use.” He was right about everything that he did to keep her out of the hospital wing. And he did catch her when she fell off the stool. Sterling even pointed out that she needed to tend to her flowers.

Dominique was listening as he was playing, but also singing. It was a beautiful song, her mother was the one who gave her the love of music. But she looked as Sterling was smiling at her. Yes she was melting and didn't care that she now had a crush.

He nodded as she spoke of the potion. "Yes, well, I don't know how to make that potion, and would likely insist on you going to the hospital wing to get it. Therefore, let's just stay away from that side of the greenhouse." He chuckled before going to retrieve the hose. "Here, you want me to fill your watering can?"

As he played he was surprised to hear another voice join his. The smile on his face widened as he played, sang, and listened to the girl. She was good! Sterling couldn't help but be impressed. He wondered how she had known the song, and if it held the same value as it did to him, though he doubted it. Their voices harmonized and blended with the guitar and... they sounded pretty great. He was surprised at how different the sound was with even just the one voice added.

A moment later, after the song had ended he felt like he had to ask. "Wow, you have an amazing voice!" He started, grinning at her. "How did you know that song?"

Dominique then gave a small laugh when he said that he didn't know how to make it. “ I have a protective father who made a bunch just in case I need them.” As she knew all the horror stories from her parents about the hospital wing. Sterling then went and grabbed the hose.” Sure you can fill my watering can if you want.” She was enjoying spending time with Sterling.

She could tell that his smile got wider when she joined in. Dominique had never told him that she could sing. It had to do a lot with her mother. As she knew that she had the music bug because of her. She had gotten lucky with the school. Even though she didn't know it, she was able to follow him. It was something that she had picked up from her mother.

Dominique was grinning when he said that she had an amazing voice. She knew that she was good, but wasn't going to brag about it. “ Thank you, but you sound amazing too.” Now Sterling was asking her how she knew that song. “ There is a trick my mother taught me. When singing with someone and you don't know the words, just hold back. So I was able to pull it off from listening."

The girl's laugh made Serling grin immediately. He nodded as she mentioned her dad had made a bunch. "Well, good. And trust me, I understand overprotective fathers." He shook the thought away and focused on the girl in front of him.

He filled the can enough that she could water her plants, but not enough to make it overflow and put the hose back where he found it. He returned to the girl with the long brown hair and gave her a small smile. "So where are these thirsty plants of yours?"

He nodded at the compliment, for like her he was confident with his singing ability. Unlike the girl he was one that would be likely to brag about it, but lately, he'd been working on his "humility". "Well thank you! I would kinda hope so. I've been singing my whole life, so I like to think I may have gotten steadily better." He chuckled.

As she explained her trick Sterling's eyes widened, he should have recognized it from the get-go. His own mother had taught him that trick when he was even younger than Dia, but for some reason, in his head, nobody else knew the trick. "Oh, wow! Yes, I'm familiar with that trick. It's great for listening to the radio and such, is it not?"

"My mom is really into music as well, she's the one who taught me the guitar, but I sorta picked up my singing by myself, just from singing everywhere. It used to annoy my dad and sisters so much and I will always remember my brother screaming at me from the other end of the house to be quiet." He smiled and laughed at the memory, shaking his head slightly. "But my mom never got angry when I sang. She still doesn't."

Dominique knew that her father was very protective of her. As she was his only girl, but she was an only child. So it was something that she understood. “ I guess I can understand because I am at Hogwarts. So this is my time where I can be away from my parents.” She then watched as he filled up the watering can and was smiling. As he asked where her plants were. Dominqiue then pointed to a corner. “ They are over there. I think they should be poking just a bit.”

Domingique was one who didn't like to brag about herself. But her mother taught her that there would always be someone better than her. But then she would always be better than someone else. It was something that played a big part. And this would keep her humble. “ Yeah I have been singing for a while.”

Dominique then gave her something that her mother taught her. And from the looks of it, he didn't think that anybody else knew that one. “ Radio? You mean like what a Muggle listen too?” She wasn't sure about that as she was a pureblood. But it seemed like they were both into music. Which was a good thing.