A Friendship Blooms {Sterling & Dominique}

The boy nodded. "Yes, my mother insists on staying in contact with me and my sisters while we're here. We all end up sharing Mathilde's owl. The poor thing ends up carrying like three letters at a time on the way there and back. We, of course, make sure we give him plenty of treats each time to make him happy. The only reason he's not fat is that he gets so much exercise. Letters take forever to get to and from home though, cause we live in Germany." He stopped talking before he started rambling. He hadn't even meant to say all that, but there it was. All spilled out for the first year to hear.

The boy smiled at her. "Should we go check on them?" He didn't want to take up too much of the girl's time. He knew she probably had stuff to do, including taking care of her flowers. He only hoped she didn't mind him hanging around but also knew he shouldn't be there too long. He had plenty of his own work that needed to be done, yet he didn't really want to leave yet.

Sterling nodded as she asked about the radio. "Yes, it was invented by muggles. It's truly extraordinary what they create without the help of magic whatsoever. My family uses certain muggle things. All except for my dad really. We each have a laptop, cellphone, we even have a radio in the family room, though I listen to most of my music on my phone. I only wish my house had wifi, or that my family used some sort of unlimited data plan." He shrugged. "But I still brought my phone with me, mainly for music purposes since I can't text my mom. I also brought my laptop since there's wifi here."

Dominqiue then listened as Sterling said that he was always writing letters. And how he was sharing an owl with his sister. “ Oh wow that owl must be getting overworked.” She then learned that he was from Germany. “ Yeah that is far away.” She then was wondering why he was going to Hogwarts. But that was really none of her business. “ I know my parents like to write and make sure that everything is fine. And I really like writing and telling them all about Hogwarts.”

She smiled when she suggested that they go check on her plants. That only made sense as she was down here to do that. But she was enjoying spending time with Sterling. “ Ok then let's make our way to the Irises.” She really had no idea what she was going to do after this.

Sterling said something about a radio. Dominique knew that it was muggle. She knew a little bit about their technology. Mimosa was one that was into all of it. Dominique only had a phone to keep in touch with Mimosa. “ Yeah that only muggle technology I have is a cell phone so I can keep in touch with Mimosa."

Sterling nodded. "Yes, he does. But he's a strong little guy and Momma always makes sure to keep him for a bit and let him rest up a while before sending another letter back." He smiles at the thought of the owl. He should be getting a letter back from his mother in the next couple days. "I really wanted an owl, but instead, my father got me this little runt of a kitten." His smile widened at the thought of the little cat. "She's pretty great though. Her name is Stella."

He nodded and follow her over to where she had supposedly planted the flowers. He squinted at the patch of dirt. There was hardly any evidence of the plants, but after a moment of searching, he was able to find a couple small tendrils of green poking out. He knew the time in which you had to wait for the little plants to try and make their way through the dirt was just excruciating. He remembered not too long ago agonizing over how long his own stupid plants had taken to show themselves. He'd been ready to try and dig down and find the roots of the plants to see if they were growing yet when he had finally seen the tiny green bits.

He nodded as the younger girl spoke about her cell phone. "In that case, you should give me your number. We would be able to keep in touch better that way, especially over the summer." He wasn't sure why he would automatically assume she would want to keep in touch with him, but he could always pull the card of him having caught her, and he figured that made them friends. That was complete crap, of course, he wasn't sure if he would consider the girl his friend quite yet, but he knew he'd like to get to know her better and maybe they could be friends at some point.

Dominique listened as he was talking about the shared owl. “ My parents bought me my own owl before coming to Hogwarts.” She was actually glad that she didn't have to share an owl with anybody. But she then listened as he said that his father gave him a kitten. “ Kittens are really cute. I know my parents got me a kneazle.” But she knew that her parents meet over a kneazle. So it meant that they would get one for Dominique. She was hoping for a ferret for her birthday.

They then went over to the flowers and she was so proud of herself. As the tiny flower was making its way through. It meant that she had the magic touch. Seems like she was like her godmother, even if she never got to meet her. As she passed when Dia was really little.

Sh then told him that she had a phone. As she only would text Mimosa during the summer. “ Of course I will give you my number.” She then started to ponder something and had an idea. “ Maybe you can come visit me in the United States?"

He grinned. "Well, in that case, we should have a playdate! Stella is super friendly, though shy at first and she's never really met any other animals other than the ones in my household, but she's good with them, so I'm sure she would have no problem with your kneazle." His grin widened at the idea. "Yes, it would be great! It could be in one of our common rooms, or by the lake, or something. We could even bring lunch and have a picnic!" He realized he seemed a bit eager and backed off a bit, not wanting to scare her away.

He gazed at the tiny things and nodded. "I don't know much about flowers, or plants in general, but they sure are looking great!" He smiled at her and almost said something like, just like you, or something but stopped himself. This girl was several years younger than him. What would his dad think? On second thought, who cares what his father thinks? He really doubted his Mom would have a second thought as long as she was a nice girl. Still, the moment was gone, ruined by the thought of his father and he looked back to the mini plants.

He thought about her question for a moment, and about how he could convince his father. "I mean... possibly. If we planned it out it is a possibility."

Dominique then grinned when he said that they could have a playdate. “ I think they we are going to have to do this. As I know Nova would love it.” She was really excited at the thought of meeting his kitten. As Dominique really loved animals. She then listened to all the ideas that they could do. “ I think wherever we do it, will be perfect.” But she did like his idea of a picnic by the lake

She then listened as Sterling said that he didn't know about plants. Which was something that she already knew. “ Yes this is an amazing site, show all the hard work I put into them.” The Iris was looking good. And she was proud of herself. Now she was bonding with Sterling over her flowers.

Dominique knew that he had to come visit her. “ I am sure that my parents wouldn't mind paying for the trip.” She was hoping that this would help convince him more.

He nodded. "It's decided then. Kitty playdate and picnic by the lake. And Nova is a zauberhaft name. Wait, erm.. in English I really mean it's adorable. Zauberhaft directly translates to enchanting, but I really meant adorable. Or, niedlich maybe? Cute? Is adorable and cute the same?" He sighed. He was pretty good with his English, having taken lessons since he was about 10 just enough time for him to learn the basics before heading to Hogwarts, but he still got confused sometimes. The language was just frustrating for him, though many he met were relatively impressed when they learned English wasn't his first language. Sterling's sisters surely weren't as good as him with their English, not that it mattered.

As Dominique looked at her plants, Sterling couldn't help but look at her, especially considering he didn't really care about the flowers. The sparkle in her eyes as she looked at her flowers made a small smile spread across his face. She obviously had a love for gardening and herbology, and he had no doubt she would do something wonderful with that passion someday. He tore his gaze away, he barely knew the girl, why was he trying to act like he did?!

He laughed. "Well, I appreciate the offer, but money will not be an issue. My only concern is trying to convince my father. Like I said, I suppose it would depend on the date. Maybe there will be something I can convince my father to let me go to near you, and I could visit you while I'm there. I guess maybe I could make something up, but he would likely try to research it... Just talk to your parents and get me a date over the summer and I may be able to work it out."

Dominique was excited for this kitty playdate. It meant that Nova could be around another kitten. But she would get to spend time with Sterling. She then listened as she said that this would be cute and adorable. “ Yes cute and adorable is the same thing.” But she was excited that she was going to spend more time with him. Even invited him to come to America. Which she hoped that he would, if not they could always text each other over the summer.

She couldn't help but get excited over her plants. They were finally pushing through the dirt. It meant that she had the magic touch. And it seemed like her hard work was paying off.

Dominique offered to pay his way to come and see her. And she knew that her parents would, because it wasn't like they didn't have the money. “ Well I can tell you that my birthday is in August if that helps.” She then started to think about it more. “ Oh my parents have dinners with a bunch of important people.” She hoped that this was enough to get me to come visit. “ I think Mr. Jackson Blake might come and visit us? I know that he is running for a political office."

He smiled and nodded, glad he got it right, though slightly embarrassed he had to fumble like that in front of her. "Ok, then. Niedlich it is then." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. Goodness, he was rambling. Why was he rambling? He shook his head.

He sighed when she said her birthday was in August. Of course, it had to be over the break. He smiled at her and nodded. "Well, in that case, Fräulein count me there. And I'd love to come to a couple dinners. Maybe my dad would even come. Though I would have to stay with him to communicate. He speaks very little English."

He stepped a bit closer and pointed to a little plant that was a bit taller than the others. "Now this one, this one is the strong one. No matter what happens to all the others, this one will make it through," he murmured, gesturing to the plants with a small smile before looking back at her.

Dominique was smiling as the kitty playdate was going to happen. She really wasn't on who spoke a different language. “ Niedlich means cute or adorable ?” But she wasn't going to let that stop her. As her knezle, Nova was going to have another friend.

She had to tell him about her birthday. And she hoped that her parents would buy her a broom. It was something that she was hoping for. When he said that he would come to America she was excited. “ I am thrilled!” And he even said something about bringing his father too. “ Yeah my parents are very important people. As they own a network.” Something that she doesn't tell a lot of people. As she knew some would treat her differently.

Sterling then pointed out which one was the strong plant. Dominique was then smiling as she was talking. “ I think that you are right about that one. As I am sure that he is doing whatever he can to grow."