Child of Earth

Sweet Sakura Curls

Chapter 4

"Dmitri...how would you feel about coming to live with me?"

"For how long?"

"Well...forever. I would like to adopt you. Would you want me to be your new mommy?"

"My kaa-san is dead."

"I know, but she would want you to have a new kaa-san, so that you have a family."

"Could I have a garden?"

"Oh, yes of course."

"You really want me?" His voice was so heart-breakingly innocent and afraid that Hermione could just feel love and protectiveness welling up inside her.

"Yes, I really want you."

"Ok."

one week later

Hermione walked up to her house with little Dmitri's hand clasped tightly in her own. The child's extraordinary eyes were wide with wonder at the sight of her house.

"Dmitri, this is your sisters' home. Are you ready to go inside?" She didn't want to rush the boy, who was grasping his little plants like his heart would break should they be dropped. She could tell he was very frightened.

"Hai." His voice was quiet and solemn.

"You're new sisters and their husbands are in there. You can meet them."

"Really?"

"Yes. They can't wait to meet you."

"Where is my garden?"

"It will be at Hogwarts, that is were we will live."

"What's Hogwarts?"

"That's the school I teach at."

"Oh. We can go inside now." He was shaking slightly, but seemed determined. Hermione noticed that one of the bush's he was holding had suddenly sprouted some nasty looking thorns. That explained the sudden bout of confidence.

Hermione knocked softly on the door, which was quickly flung open by a woman in her early twenties, followed by a woman who must have been her sister. Then came two men who looked exactly alike. And were colored blue. The color contrasted strangely with their red hair.

"Raven! Lily! What did you do to Fred and George?" Hermione asked, scolding them gently,

"I asked you to be presentable when we came home."

"But Mom it- Oh! There you are!" It seemed that the black-haired woman had noticed the little boy clinging to her mother's hand. She bent down and extended a hand to him.

"Hello, I'm Raven. I'm your sister. What's your name?"

"Dmitri." His voice came out soft and shy.

"Really? Well now, that's a nice name. Are those flowers yours?"

"Hai. I grew them. Would you like one?" He sounded a bit less shy now that they were talking about his flowers. Before Raven had a chance to answer, the boy gently extended the arm which had the flowers curled around it. Hermione noticed that the thorns were mostly gone now. His other hand left Hermione's and reached into the thicket. When his hand returned to sight, it was holding a beautiful dusk colored flower.

Without a word, Dmitri handed it to his new sister and then found a soft white and gold one for his other sister. Both women were stunned by the beauty of the flowers, and accepted them with awe.

"They won't die." Dmitri's voice was still soft, but now had more confidence.

"As long as I am alive, they will be too."

He got strange looks all around for that statement, but he didn't notice as he turned his attention back to his Raven.

"They like you. Your plants are happy." He looked up at Lily, "They don't like you though. You don't grow flowers well."

Lily laughed at this statement, "Yes, that's very true. I seem to have a bit of a red-thumb."

Dmitri watched Lily carefully for a moment, then nodded and turned up to Hermione.

"Okaasan, my plants need water. Can I feed them?"

"Of course, let's go inside." Hermione paused a second, "There had better not be any pranking, understand?"

"Yes mom!"

"I mean it!"

The twins looked at each other carefully and then waved their hands slightly.

"There. Happy? No more pranks." The twins pouted slightly before grinning again.

As they walked inside the house, Dmitri looked around with wide eyes. The walls were all bright primary colors and the furniture big and fluffy. When the reached the living room, Dmitri saw the garden out in back. He quietly tugged on Hermione's sleeve.

"Okaasan, can I see the garden?"

Hermione looked out the window at the garden.

"Yes, but don't go anywhere but the garden."

"Hai!"

Hermione watched as her son walked carefully outside and knelt down in the garden.

"What do you girls think?" Hermione turned to look at her daughters.

The girls exchanged long looks with each other.

"He seems very sweet, but so shy."

"I wonder what happened to his parents." Raven looked thoughtfully at the boy in her garden.

"I was told they were killed a year ago." Hermione's eyes were sad. She had finally decided to adopt another child because she desperately wanted another child, but was still too in love with Harry to even consider marrying another man. It was, in fact, because of Harry that she had decided to adopt. She wanted to be able to help a child that would have otherwise had a bad childhood. She had wanted to help a child like Harry.

"He seems to love plants." Lily observed musingly.

Hermione smiled proudly.

"Yes, he is so strong! He can control and grow plants magically!" Her eyes were glowing with maternal pride and love.

Fred and George were whispering together quietly and then crept outside without Hermione noticing them, so immersed was she in bragging to her daughters about her son. The men crouched on either side of Harry.

"Hello little brother." Fred spoke in a friendly voice.

"Hello. What's your name?"

"I'm Fred. This is George."

Dmitri nodded solemnly, he pointed to Fred,

"You are married to my sister Raven, and you," He pointed to George, "Are married to my sister Lily."

Fred and George looked at the child in shock.

"Hey that's right. How'd you know?"

"You feel the same, but not the same."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone feels like something. My sister Raven feels kinda soft and hard and bright. You feel soft and ticklish and bright. Kinda."

Fred and George exchanged confused looks and decided it was best to just agree.

"So kiddo, you want to play a small prank on your ma?"

"What?" Dmitri looked up at George, confused.

"A prank, you know, like a joke."

"Will my Kaa-san like it?"

"Oh...she'll yell a lot, but she'll really be enjoying it."

"Are you sure?"

The twins frantically nodded their heads.

"Ok...what should I do?"

The twins bent down and whispered in his ear, and the little boy laughed delightedly.

"Ready kid?"

"Hai!" He smiled up at his new brothers happily.

The three of them crept into the house quietly, with Dmitri frequently stifling his giggles with his tiny hand.

"Do you remember what to do?"

"Hai!"

Dmitri separated from the twins and ran up to his new mama. Carefully, he dropped a small amount of a potion into her cup.

"Did you like the garden Dmitri?"

"Hai! My sister Lily grows the garden!"

Lily looked down at him in surprise,

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I told you already, the plants like you." He spoke in the aggrieved tone of a child how had already explained something to a simple adult.

"Oh of course. How silly of me for forgetting." She smiled down at her new little brother, but then had to jerk her head up at the sound of a loud pop. Sitting where her mother used to be, was a small owl that was flashing in neon colors. At the sound of the pop, Fred and George entered the room

"Great job, little man! You did it!" Fred bent down and hoisted Dmitri into the air, tossing his several feet above his head before setting him down again. A few seconds later, Hermione returned to her normal state.

"Fred and George Weasly! How dare you! After you promised no more pranks!"

"We didn't do it! Dmitri did!" they chimed in prefect unison.

"Did not! It was their fault Kaa-san!" Dmitri's eyes twinkled in delight.

"Nuh uh!"

"Uh Huh!"

"Nuh- Oof!" At this point, Raven and Lily had had enough of the bickering and Lily leapt of the back of her husband.

"Oh fine. Me and Fred and Demi did it. Are you made mommy?"

"Oh honestly George. Do you really need to teach my son bad habits already?"

"You know you enjoyed it. Besides, how will the kid have any fun without knowing how to prank?"

"He will have fun doing other things!"

"You know you won't win this argument."

Hermione huffed irritably,

"I don't want my son turning into a troublemaker. Pranks are good in there place, but not at school, and not on his mother!"

"Woah! Simmer down Hermione! Alright, we will teach him the finer art of Prank Etiquette."

Dmitri, who had been watching the proceedings carefully, turned his mom's robe.

"Kaa-san, you didn't like it?" His eyes were filled with unshed tears.

Hermione took one look at him, and hurriedly knelt next to him.

"Sweetie, I did, but there are some rules about pranking. One is that you can't prank your mother without permission. Your brothers forgot that rule. It's not your fault, and besides, I did enjoy it."

Dmitri sniffled and then smiled,

"Ok, Kaa-san." He threw his arms around his new mother in slight apology and then sat on the floor with a thump.

Raven leaned toward Dmitri and smiled at him, "Are you hungry, Demi?"

"Hai!" The little boy nodded his head seriously and his stomach rumbled.

"Well the come on. We have dinner all ready for you."

The family sat down to dinner, which was loud and filled with laughter and warmth. When dinner was done, it was time to take Dmitri to Hogwarts, home.

TO BE CONTINUE...

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the long delay in getting the chapter up! I'm having almost constant writer's block with this story! Please please please give me ideas if you have them! I have one small idea for next chapter, which I'll include, but after that I have no idea!

I want to thank everybody who reviewed, but I want to get the chapter up even more, so I'm only going to answer reviews with specific questions from now on! Thanks and please review, reviews are this stories life-blood!

Mistress Bookworm: You mentioned that it would be weird to have your best friend adopt you in a different body. I assume you mean Hermione adopting Harry, however, they were married in Harry's past life. This story is a sequel to Lord of Fate. It is necessary to read that story before this one. I hope you will continue to read the story and tell me what you think of it.

Drizzt of the 203-SAW: You mentioned that I was misusing some of the Japanese words. I am lifting the terms directly from my Japanese dictionary, where Okaa-san is listed for mother. In addition to that, I asked a Japanese exchange student at my school the word she uses for her mother, and she said Okaa-san. If you could tell me where you are getting your info on the language (ie: Are you Japanese? Do you take Japanese classes? Are you a major in Japanese? Using a dictionary like me?) I would be happy to compare notes. I did attempt to e-mail you, but the e-mail wouldn't go through. I'm glad you are liking my story. Hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Please excuse my poor use of Japanese! I'm trying

Ecavi: Well, Raven and Lily have entered now. It's not coincidence that Hermione was at the orphanage. The reason she was there is somewhat explained in the previous chapters, but will be expanded on next chapter. Thanks for reading!

AthenaKitty: Glad you're liking the story! Yes, Harry is at an orphanage for magical children. Yes, Harry was adopted by Hermione. You'll have to wait and see about Harry have past life flashes, and as to a wand? I think you'll be surprised! Please keep reading and reviewing!