Behind Closed Doors (ch9)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR MY HIGH-PLEDGING PATRONS!

More Blue Team winter things!

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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															Chapter 9.

It isn't that Diana despises the wintertime. She's merely indifferent towards it.

In her younger years, she enjoyed and got excited about the snow just as frequently and genuinely as any other child. And even now when it snows, though she'll never admit or show it, she still gets a little trill of joy upon seeing the first flurry of the season.

In fact, it had been her own suggestion to Hannah and Barbara that they all get dressed and go for a brief walk this Saturday morning to welcome the winter. The other girls had bundled up in hats, gloves, scarves, and thick jackets, while Diana only slipped into a trench coat and coiled a white scarf around her neck. She'd never needed much more than that to brave the snow.

Now, as she steps outside into the first gusting winds of frigid air, she wonders if that's part of what had gotten her one of the less pleasant aspects of her reputation.

Behind her, Hannah and Barbara squeal and cling to one another as they step into the snow, but the smiles on their faces haven't changed since their first snowfall sixteen years earlier.

There are already several other teams of witches outside this morning embracing the weather. Off in the courtyard, Akko's and Amanda's teams are having a lively snowball fight in the traditional style, without using any magic.

Hannah and Barbara make sure to avoid the fray as they stroll hand-in-hand beside Diana. Only a moment later, their joyous giggles turn into a brief conversation.

"Hey, wanna make something?"

"I was just thinking the same thing!"

They both turn to Diana, inviting her to join them.

Diana isn't really sure why she refuses. She knows she wants to join them, but she doesn't feel like she should.

Perhaps it's that reputation of hers again.

Either way, something prevents her from going, and she sends them off with a smile.

As all the others enjoy themselves in the snow, Diana clears off a seat on the nearest bench and settles in, tilting her head back to gaze up at the soft gray sky. Flakes continue spiraling down at an easy pace, gently reenforcing the layers already on the ground, speckling hair and eyelashes.

As laughter and merriment fill the air, Diana closes her eyes and lets out a long sigh, white air that rises up to join the atmosphere.

She can't explain it. But she just doesn't enjoy the winter as much as she used to. Somehow she's come to rue it because of what other people say.

"That Cavendish girl. She's so aloof!"

"She keeps to herself, and whenever someone talks to her she's so cold!"

"No wonder she looks like a snow woman."

"Whenever she looks at me, I always get a chill!"

"I bet her heart's made of ice."

It had only been a single instance when she'd overheard a group of children talking over a decade earlier. But perhaps she is much more sensitive than she cares to admit, because she still remembers every single word and sneer and glare even to this day.

The accusation that she was cold and uncaring eventually caused her to dislike winter, the season responsible for all the things they'd mentioned.

The more she remembers the comments from those children, the more she sees the same disgusted looks in peoples' eyes as the years progress.

And sometimes she thinks they might be right.

Even now, there are no gloves on her hands, and they feel perfectly content just to curl up bare in her pockets. She doesn't sense or get bothered by the cold quite as easily as other people do, which certainly hasn't helped her case.

She doesn't even shiver now as the wind blows, dragging icy fingers through her hair. When she parts her lips to let out a breath, it almost feels like there's no source of warmth for it to come from.

Drawing one hand up from her pocket, she presses it over her chest. She can barely feel her own heartbeat, but she can't tell if it's warm or if there's really a layer of ice over it.

Another sigh, heavy and thick as the blankets of snow on the ground. In the distance there's laugher, but where she is there's only silence...

"Diana!"

"Dianaaa!"

She lifts her face, opening her eyes in spite of the crystals on her lashes. Hannah and Barbara are running toward her, hair and scarves whipping out behind them, breathless laughter on their lips and a magically-sculpted snow unicorn behind them.

They reach her in a matter of seconds and collapse on the bench on either side of her, throwing their arms around her with vigor. Confused and a little startled, Diana frantically hugs them each in turn.

"Girls...?"

"It's cold!"

"So cold!"

They huddle up even closer to her, burying their faces into her hair and shoulders. Diana curls her fingers into their jackets.

"I would imagine so. It is winter."

The comment earns a small chuckle from each of them.

"Yeah," Hannah says. "But it's fine."

"Cuz you're so warm, Diana!"

The comments catch her off-guard in the best of ways. No matter what anyone else has ever said about her, with these two it's always the truth.

Hannah and Barbara have never lied – not to her. Never to her.

Their friendship runs far more deeply than any scathing comment could ever scar. They always know just what to say, just what she needs to hear, even without her telling them.

"You really are warm, Diana."

"So warm..."

They close their eyes and sigh, each nuzzling into her coat. Their arms are wrapped tightly across her stomach and around her back, keeping her at the center of the thawing heat.

Diana doesn't know if she has much to give back. But she tightens her hold on their jackets and pulls them both close, almost defiantly, daring the world to try and take them from her.

These precious, sharp-tongued girls who've been by and on her side for as long as she can remember.

They may lash out at others, but Diana knows it is only because they themselves were once bullied solely because they chose to associate themselves with her.

So many things are Diana's fault.

But they never let her think that way.

Even now, they tell her the opposite of what everyone else had always said.

Warm...

And just as if they'd cast a spell, their words are ones she thinks she can believe in.

As they hug her tightly, the warmth spreads inch by inch, penetrating whatever barrier of ice that had formed around her heart over the years. Little by little it begins to melt, until she can feel it beating again.

It is their warmth that finally allows her to feel the contrasting cold around them, and she begins to shiver lightly.

Inadvertently, Diana lets out another sigh, but a bit of her voice creeps in, which makes it sound like a small sob. Instantly her teammates are easing back to look her over.

"Diana?"

"Are you okay?"

Diana closes her eyes to keep back any potential tears that might try to slip free, but a smile forms on her lips. She pulls Hannah and Barbara in to her, holding them close with her quivering fingers.

"I am just fine. Thank you, girls."

The pair share a glance, slightly puzzled but ultimately happy.

They stay there for a moment longer, huddling up to Diana until the shivering stops, until the only thing left between them is warmth.

Finally, they stand and stretch, shaking the snow off themselves and brushing if off of each other. Hannah and Barbara are prepared to head back inside, but to their surprise Diana makes another suggestion.

"What say you girls to showing those buffoons what a real snowball fight is like?"

The surprise turns into eager anticipation as a spark of light comes into their eyes.

"Yeah!"

"Let's show 'em!"

With this, they each grab one of Diana's hands and scurry toward the others.

Diana runs with them, feeling her heart soar as she breathes in the crisp snowy air.

She curls her bare hands around each of theirs, tightening her hold.

She won't need her own gloves so long as she has theirs.

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A/N: I just... love them so much okay.