Just a little idea I got (that turned out expanding too much, as usual). Takes place after episode 4. I just threw in some tiny headcanon details here and there.

I tend to give Barbara the "like" and "totally" speech pattern, so if you don't know who's speaking, look for those words or an absence of them to determine which girl is talking lol

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 1.

Hannah and Barbara were just making their way through the hallways after their unexpectedly interesting Saturday out in town. They each carried one shopping bag on each wrist, looking forward to the relief they'd soon achieve upon putting them down.

"Geez," Hannah was saying. "Can you believe those three? Going out into town when they were specifically told not to. What a bunch of idiots."

"Like, seriously," Barbara snickered. "But somehow I'm not surprised. That's exactly the kind of thing I'd expect from Akko's team. Though I'm a little surprised Lotte won that quiz show..."

"Oh yeah," Hannah turned to her teammate curiously. "You knew a lot of those answers too, didn't you?"

"E-Eh? Not at all!" Barbara quickly made an effort to shift the conversation topic. "S-So... what do you think Diana did without us today?"

"I dunno. What does she usually do?"

They both pondered for a moment, then came to a simultaneous answer.

"Study." They both smirked. "Jinx!"

"I said it first!" Hannah insisted.

"No way! I totally did!" Barbara countered.

Both girls chuckled a little bit as they continued on their way. When they arrived at last at their dorm room, Hannah knocked once before trying the door.

"Diana? We're back." She was hardly surprised to find it locked. Whether Diana was away or had cooped herself up to study, she couldn't tell.

"Locked?" Barbara guessed, biting her lip. Her arms were shaking with the weight of the bags by now.

"Yeah. Maybe she had to go somewhere. Gimme a sec." Hannah scrambled around the bag straps for her wand.

Each team had their own assigned spell that would unlock their dorm room's door. People on other teams didn't know anyone's spell but their own. It was a clever and effective method that prevented mischief and unwanted intrusions.

Hannah cast the one-word entry spell now.

"Asurae."

The door unlocked on the spot, and the girls pushed in.

"Diana?" Hannah called out. "We're ba-"

"M-My arms are gonna break!" Barbara whined, pushing lightly against her back. But Hannah didn't move. "H-Hannah-!"

"Shh!"

Barbara quirked an eyebrow at her before she saw what Hannah was indicating.

Across the tidied room, past the neat beds and pristine dressers, was the nicely-kept study desk near the window. There was a single chair there, and in that chair was a familiar person.

But she wasn't studiously sitting up straight like they'd always seen her do close to a million times since they'd become a team. This was one of the few times they'd ever seen Diana hunched forward with her arms folded on the desk, fast asleep.

When they both realized what they were looking at, Hannah and Barbara clammed up and began moving with extreme caution. Barbara lowered her bags to the floor as quietly as possible, then panted with relief once they were off her fingers. Hannah placed hers down next to them.

Then, they both began making their way slowly across the room.

They could each count on one hand how many times they'd seen Diana fall asleep before lights-out. And even then, she was typically the last one to actually fall asleep. But it was rare indeed for her to fall asleep while studying.

As the two of them approached the desk now, they could see an open textbook beneath Diana's folded arms. To her right side was a notebook and feather pen. The open page of notes was undoubtedly one of many she'd taken today, and every line was written in flawless cursive.

To her left was a familiar white teacup settled on a matching coaster. There was still a bit of cold Darjeeling left in the cup.

Diana never left her tea or her notes unfinished, nor her work station unkempt. All of these things were indication that she hadn't intended to fall asleep there today.

Hannah and Barbara shared a glance from either side of their teammate.

"Geez..." Hannah sighed. "For someone so responsible, she sure has a habit of forgetting to take care of herself."

"She was tossing and turning a lot last night," Barbara mentioned. "I don't think she slept well."

"Then she should wake us up and talk to us."

"I wish she would..."

Both of them fell silent for a moment.

They both truly loved and admired Diana. Who wouldn't? After all, she was a prodigy, and the pride of Luna Nova Academy itself. She was highly skilled in her magics, and highly uninterested about what other people thought of her.

There was something about her charisma and confidence that drew in people like Hannah and Barbara.

Diana would always defend them with her magics in dire situations, putting herself between them and the danger. In return, they were always quick to defend her verbally, and to boast and brag about her, because in a way, making sure people knew how amazing their teammate was allowed them to vicariously experience some of Diana's confidence.

But at the end of the day, when they all would come back to their dorm room, there was an undeniable gap between the three of them.

Diana tended to keep to herself as often as possible. She didn't necessarily ignore them, but she wouldn't often bother them if she didn't absolutely have to.

Hannah and Barbara had been close since childhood, so naturally they stuck together like magnets. But it had been a struggle since day one to surpass the position of feeling like Diana's 'subordinates', and achieve their goal of becoming her friends.

For all her pride and certainty outside the dorm room, Diana tended to be reclusive and quiet when she was in her own space. They knew she had a lot on her shoulders, and the weight of her responsibilities only seemed to get heavier every day. All they wanted was the courage to ask her to open up a little, to trust them.

But neither Hannah nor Barbara were that confident in themselves yet. It wasn't jealousy or fear, but simply... the feeling that they weren't good enough for her yet.

It was this self-imposed assumption that prevented them from taking that next step past Diana's reenforced boundaries.

They knew Diana didn't actively try to push them away. In fact, she seemed to be entirely neutral. She gave off the vibe that they could intrude if they wanted to, that perhaps, she might even welcome them if they did.

But they just weren't there yet. They hoped that one day they could be.

Presently, they both looked her over. It was extremely rare for them to be standing while Diana wasn't. It didn't feel right, but... at the same time, it sort of felt nice in a way. It felt like, for once, they could be the ones to look out for her.

Unlike her usual strong and supported voice, Diana's breathing was quiet and even now. The way the sunlight was slanting in through the window and making her hair glow gold gave her the appearance of a doll.

They knew firsthand just how tough she was, but it was moments like these that reminded them of her fragility, her humanity.

Hannah began un-buttoning the shawl she'd worn to go out to town. Once it was off, she carefully slipped it down over the back of the chair, and draped it across Diana's shoulders. Barbara tried to do the same, but she couldn't get her top button unfastened. Hannah scurried around to do it for her.

"Thanks!"

Barbara then laid her shawl over Diana's back as well. After that, she picked up Diana's tea cup and brought it to the bathroom sink to wash.

Hannah retreated to the cupboards where Diana kept her old-fashioned little tins. Inside were tea bags, neatly organized. She picked out Darjeeling and met Barbara in the center of the room.

With a bit of magic, they formed some heat, and combined the water and tea bag together. As the fresh cup was prepared, Barbara cast a spell that would keep the tea heated, even if it sat in the open for a while. She placed the tea cup on the windowsill near the desk, just so if Diana woke, she wouldn't risk accidentally bumping her elbow into it.

In the meantime, Hannah tackled the painstaking task of collecting Diana's perfect notes without rousing her. In the end, they had to let her keep her textbook pillow, though.

Relieved that they hadn't woken her, the two of them quietly went about the rest of their duties. They unpacked all of what they'd bought in town today, being very careful not to rustle the bags.

They'd purchased a few magic stones for class purposes and for personal use. These they carefully laid across the bookshelf and dresser, making sure to arrange them in a specific order.

The rest of what they had purchased were mainly more books, which they organized on the shelf, except for the one Diana herself had specifically requested. This one, they placed on her bed, separate from their own bunks across the room.

A neatly-folded pile of clothes at the foot of Diana's bed told them she'd already done her own laundry. So, rather than tread on eggshells in their room and strive not to wake her, Hannah and Barbara sifted through their drawers for their own laundry. The gathered it in separate baskets, then quietly slipped out into the hallway, and locked the door behind themselves.

Once they could speak at a normal volume again, they did so.

"Gosh..." Barbara sighed. "It's so stressful to be around her as it is, but like, it's even worse when she's sleeping!"

"I know what you mean," Hannah agreed. "We know she won't be mad if we wake her, but... I'd just feel bad. She's obviously exhausted."

"Yeah... I wish we could help..."

But as they shared another glance, they saw their own nervousness reflected in each others' eyes. They still weren't on a level of comfort that would allow them to do that. What's worse was that they both knew it was no fault of Diana's. They'd simply have to figure things out for themselves somehow.

They found themselves alone in the laundry rooms, and each girl chose a machine for her clothes. They decided to stay there on the bench and chat to their hearts' content for a while.

"So..." Hannah grinned. "This Nightfall stuff. Tell me about it~"

"E-Eh? I don't know what you're talking about!" Barbara blushed and shyly looked away. Hannah nudged her side, making her yelp.

"Aw, c'mon. I can't believe I've known you all this time, but I didn't know you were into it. You should've told me!"

"W-Well, I'm not that into it... I've just read some of it online..."

As Barbara got to explaining and describing the series, Hannah sat back and listened. She did her best to follow the storyline, ask questions, and stay engaged.

Once Barbara knew this wasn't a hobby she needed to be embarrassed about, she got a lot more passionate and expressive about it. Hannah did her best to keep up.

"W-Wait a second..." At one point, she needed to put a hand to her forehead and rub her temple. "You're telling me this girl caught a nuke with her bare hands?"

"Yes! It was so thrilling!" Barbara squealed. "Oh, and then-"

But just as Hannah believed she wouldn't be able to comprehend anymore, the machines stopped. Barbara was willing to save the rest of her rantings for another day.

They collected their laundry from the dryers now, sighing happily as they pressed their faces into the warm bundles they packed into their baskets. Hannah pulled out one of her scarves and wrapped it around Barbara's neck for her. Her teammate gratefully snuggled in.

By the time they got back to the room, the sun had all but set. Hannah knocked once more, and this time they got a response.

"Come in."

At the very least, Diana had woken on her own.

Hannah and Barbara pushed through and placed their laundry baskets on the floor.

Diana had since cleaned up the textbook and stood from the desk. She was likely grateful for the fact that they hadn't been present to witness her waking up groggily and discovering she'd fallen asleep so irresponsibly. Their shawls had since been removed from her shoulders, and now sat folded on the chair she'd once occupied.

"Welcome back, you two."

"Thanks!" they chanted.

"Did you manage to find everything you needed in town?"

"Yup!" Hannah replied. "Down to the last pebble!"

"Did we get the book you'd wanted?" Barbara asked a bit more timidly. "There were, like, three different versions of it so we weren't sure..."

Diana's naturally-stern expression softened.

"Yes. This is exactly the one I needed. You two have my thanks."

"D-Don't mention it!"

"Yeah! It was no problem, Diana!"

They both smiled and chuckled a little nervously, and started shoving their clothes into the drawers a bit more sloppily.

Diana's presence never failed to intimidate them, even just a little bit, and even though it had never been her intention to do so. She retreated to the windowsill and retrieved her now-empty tea cup. Without so much as another word, she headed into the bathroom to wash it.

Even now, Hannah and Barbara could consciously realize how relieved they felt when she left the room. They didn't mean to get jumpy around her. It just happened.

But Diana could clearly sense their emotions, and took it to heart. That was why she never bothered to come to them whenever something was troubling her. Their nervousness around her made her nervous around them. At this rate, it would just continue to be a never-ending cycle that benefitted no one.

As Hannah and Barbara finished putting away their laundry baskets, Diana came back into the room. She placed her tea cup in its spot on her section of the bookshelf, then took a seat on the edge of her bed. She pulled out her hair brush from her nightstand and began to comb through.

"Now then, what did you girls do in town today?"

"O-Oh, you know-"

"Just shopping and stuff."

"I see. Have you eaten yet?"

"Yeah," Barbara replied. "We stopped by a cafe for supper."

"What about you?" Hannah asked her.

Diana continued brushing.

"I haven't. It appears I must've gotten distracted."

They both knew she was referencing the fact that she'd fallen asleep, but wasn't going to admit it aloud.

"Well, like, that's not good!" Barbara cried. "Let's go to the cafeteria!"

"C'mon, we'll come with you!" Hannah agreed.

They both went over to Diana and sat on either side of her.

"Eh?" Blinking in surprise, she made an attempt to dissuade them. "There is no need. I'll be fine."

"No good!"

"Denied!"

They each took one of her arms and stood her up.

"You've gotta eat, Diana!"

"You don't wanna, like, get sick, do you?"

"Girls, I assure you-"

But this time, Diana stopped herself. She realized what was happening, and both Hannah and Barbara seemed to come to the same realization.

This... was all they'd ever wanted. To act normally with each other, as friends would. To not be nervous or on-edge. To not feel intimidated or hesitant.

Most of the time, they thought about things too much.

But when it came to looking out for one another, they didn't have to think at all.

There was no pressure when it came to simply getting something to eat together.

"Come on, come on!"

"Maybe they'll still have some of that lemon tart you like!"

They ushered Diana across the room and to the door, giving her little choice in the matter.

"Hannah, Barbara..."

It was one of the few times she'd ever addressed them specifically by name. Both of them instantly froze and turned to her.

"Yeah?"

"Like, what is it?"

They were more excited and nervous than ever.

Diana looked to them each in turn, then heaved a small sigh.

"I presume I can't argue with you two. Very well."

Their faces absolutely lit up.

"Great! There's our Diana!"

"Let's go!"

But before they headed out, Barbara had them all pause. She unraveled Hannah's scarf from around her own neck, and passed one end back to its owner. Hannah smiled and accepted it. Together, they both curled it around Diana.

"Wh..." She only got out half the word before she fell silent. Hannah and Barbara smiled back at her, and Diana couldn't help but do the same. Her voice became soft once again. "Thank you, girls."

They each hugged her arms a little tighter.

"Don't mention it."

"It's totally our pleasure."

And Diana blessed them both with a tiny chuckle.

"Let's be on our way, then."

"Right!"

"Yeah!"

As the three of them headed down the hallway, Hannah and Barbara kept close to Diana's sides.

And Diana was content to keep them there.

A/N: I really want to see more of these three together, but not in their usual mean girl stance! I wanna see them have a normal day together, studying and talking and getting ready for bed.

I hope it was clear what I meant about their relationship here. How Hannah and Barbara are drawn to Diana's confidence, but still don't know how to act around her normally/as friends/equals. In turn, Diana is cautious, because she doesn't want to impose the necessity to do so upon them. She wants to be independent, but at the same time wouldn't mind getting closer to them on a personal level. She just doesn't know how to express herself, and neither do they.

Small, but possibly-significant details!

I feel Hannah gets bottom bunk bed and Barbara gets top. Diana gets the solo bed across the room. She probably has nightmares and trouble sleeping from time to time, and the others don't know what to do about it. Diana keeps her favorite teas from home in little tins. Also, she totally likes lemon-flavored things to match her 'sour' personality.

And their "password" is just a word I made up. Sounds like "azure" because they are Blue Team haha

I might be adding in more to this fic! Likely just Blue Team stuff!

Please review!