Sort of Sleepover

[April Ward]

After what happened during the holidays, April Ward had realized one thing: she needed to be better at being a sister. It wasn't really strange she wasn't very good at it yet, as she had been an only child for 13 years. But now that her dad and October's dad were getting married, she really needed to learn. Especially with how hard a time October was having lately. So today, April had a plan.

What she had really wanted to do was have some sort of sleepover in one of their dormitories. In movies, that was the sort of thing sisters did. The problem was that she couldn't sneak into Ravenclaw, and October couldn't sneak into Hufflepuff. Even if it was possible, the older girl would surely not go along with any plan that involved breaking rules. Which was why April had organized the 'sleepover' in an abandoned classroom, in the middle of the day. It wasn't much of a sleepover anymore, but she knew that October would appreciate the lack of rule-breaking. And it being day just meant they had more time to talk and hang out, they didn't have to go to sleep anytime soon. Though April had still insisted on wearing pajamas. With her hands on her hips, April surveyed the room. She had brought as many pillows as she could, spreading them around. A quick trip to the kitchen had secured her some snacks, and she had borrowed several girly things from her roommates. Like nailpolish, which was arranged neatly in a row on a nearby table. April hoped October would like this. They really had to spend some time together, and April thought this was the perfect time.

 

[October Alcott]

October somehow felt both drained and refreshed after the holidays. After so many years struggling to meet unrealistic expectations, she felt like she had used up every bit of strength she had within her, but the rejection of her father's standards had filled her with a new drive and energy. She wanted to do the things she liked because she liked them. Her life wasn't going to be about her father's standards any longer. It was going to be about her own passions. And she was going to change too. Realising how deeply her perception of her father's judgement had affected her, October had decided not to judge others anymore. She had always been so deeply, harshly critical, even of the people she was supposed to love, and it was exhausting, it was unhealthy, and most of all it was a person she no longer wanted to be. She didn't want to make anyone else feel the way her father had made her feel, and the people she owed the most apologies to were the ones she was supposed to love the most. She had never given April and Matt a real chance, but when everything came out, they had been the people to support her the most regardless. After how she had treated them, especially April, it was difficult to feel as though she deserved the family she was being offered, but October desperately wanted it anyway.

Making her way into the classroom April had asked to meet her at, October looked around in surprise. "Oh, wow..." October hadn't really known what her stepsister meant by a daytime sleepover, but looking around now, April's intent was clear, and it warmed October's heart. This was exactly what she needed, maybe. A nice day to just... hang out and have fun, and get back to why they had been friends in the first place, before Hogwarts. "This looks amazing, April, did you do all this?"

 

[April Ward]

April had been excited about this idea, but once the door opened she felt a wave of nerves. What if October hated all this? What if she thought it was childish? April had often been admonished for her childishness, but she really thought this was a good idea. October needed cheering up, and if the two of them were going to be sisters they had to start doing sisterly things. She gave October a hopeful smile, that transformed into a grin as it was clear that the older girl liked what she saw. "I did do all this! Look, we can paint each other's nails." She said, gesturing to the nail polish. "That seems to be a thing teenage girls do on sleepovers, right?" She shrugged, taking October's hand and leading her to a nearby pile of pillows. "We can just relax here today. No homework." She paused. "Unless... you really want to, I guess." She added with a sigh. October liked school work a lot more than April did, so maybe it was something she would want to do even at a sleepover.

 

[October Alcott]

October chuckled softly at April's enthusiasm. It was heart warming, and made her feel comfortable. This was what they should always have been like. Sisters. "Painting each other's nails sounds good." She said happily, following April over to the pillows. "This all looks so cosy, I can't belive you did all this." She settled down in the pillows, looking around. She was wondering what they should do first, when April's comment about homework made her heart sink a little. Was that really all April thought she liked? "Definitely no homework." She said firmly. "What do you think we should do first?"

 

[April Ward]

April was happy October seemed to like what she had planned, but then she realized she had forgotten something. With a groan, she face palmed. "Wait! Can we start over? I was going to say hello in French when you came in!" She said with a sigh. "I could say something in French now but I only know how to say hello, bye, and how to introduce myself." She had meant to study up on it more, but it was difficult for her. Learning another language was hard. "Bonjour October." She said a little sullenly, sad she hadn't done that immediately. April tried to look on the bright side. At least October didn't actually want to do homework. "I think the nail polish could happen first!" She said with a smile. "I looked up some cool designs when we were still at home and had internet. I'll try to paint daisies on yours, okay?"

 

[October Alcott]

April's outburst startled October first, but a moment later it warmed her heart. She had definitely been cruel about it in the past, a fact she regretted, but it still did make her a little sad that half of her family didn't speak her first language. April making an effort meant a lot, and a warm smile spread across her face. "Bonjour, Avril. Comment ca va?" She responded, taking the opportunity to make this a teaching moment. "That means 'how are you'. And then you would say 'Je vais bien, et vous?' which means 'I'm good, and you?' and that's sort of the start of a basic conversation." October smiled, hoping April would be able to take it in. It was a lot of work away, but it would be nice to be able to have even simple conversations with her sister in French.

The idea that even when they were at home April had already been planning this slumber party was so sweet, and October was filled with a fresh rush of gratitude for her sister. How could she have been so mean to April for so long? "That sounds perfect, I love daisies." October smiled, settling into the cushions. "Can the background behind the daisies be blue?"

 

[April Ward]

April giggled as October answered in French, happy her stepsister didn't seem angry she had forgotten before. "Does my name change in French?" She asked curiously, leaning forward. "Is it because it's also a month? What is your name in French?" Her stepsisters explanation of the basic conversation starter didn't leave as much of an impression on the Hufflepuff, but she nodded anyway. "Je vas ben." She said, hoping it was at least close.

Glad the daisy idea wasn't bad, she happily picked out a blue nail polish. "Sure! Then I have to do the blue first, and add the daisies when it's dry." She said as she unscrewed the cap. Taking one of her hands, she started to paint the nail with a determination and focus unlike her. "You know, if you were a flower I don't think you'd be a daisy." She said as she finished the first nail, "I think you'd be a rose, something elegant like that. Maybe I'd be more like a daisy." She glanced up at October. "But I don't know how to do roses." She clarified before she gave October any ideas.

 

[October Alcott]

October laughed softly, pleased to hear April taking a genuine interest. "Yes, Avril is the month and the name in French. My name would be Octobre, though it isn't really a name in France. Dad just picked it because he liked it." She smiled warmly at April's attempt to copy her French, nodding happily. "Good! BIen though, biiiiien. It means good." She smiled encouragingly. "Which is what that attempt was. Bien."

October got comfy in her seat, holding a hand out for April to paint. "Alright." She said happily, watching her sister work. The level of attention and care wasn't something she was used to seeing on April's face, and she watched appreciatively. April's comment surprised her a little, but October smiled. "Really? I don't know..." She said slowly, thinking about it. "I've never thought about what flower I'd be, but I think I'd be a forget-me-not. If you're a daisy, a forget-me-not would be about the right size." She joked. October didn't often joke about her short stature, but it felt especially pronounced around April, who just seemed to keep growing and growing.

 

[April Ward]

April was glad to hear October laugh, and it seemed to be a nice laugh and not one that was really a mean one. "I see. I'll just call myself Avril now." she said with a grin, though she was aware that she would probably forget to do so quickly. "Biiiiiiien." She said then , giggling. "You're bien." She added with a grin.

October's nails were slowly turning blue as April worked on them, and she glanced up at her stepsister. Her words made April smile, but she shook her head. "No, definitely a rose." She said stubbornly before returning her attention to the older girl's nails. She had finished with the blue layer now. "Flap your hands." She told October, turning to find a bottle of white and a bottle of yellow nailpolish next. The words that came out of her mouth came unbidden, and she was a little embarrassed as soon as she said it. "I bet all daisies wish they were like a rose." She muttered.

 

[October Alcott]

October laughed softly. "Avril is a nice name, but I think April suits you better." She said gently, with a warm smile. It was nice to laugh with April again. It felt almost like things had felt when they were children, friends from ballet class. Things had been awkward beforehand, but it struck October that it had really been the year that she had spent alone at Hogwarts that had driven them apart and wished, for the first time, that she and April were closer in age. "Oui, bien." She smiled, trying not to let her thoughts show on her face. "You're very bien."

Watching April painting her nails, October was impressed with how careful April was being. She disagreed that she was anything like a rose, but it wasn't really worth arguing over, especially when they were finally getting along, for once. Once April finished she lifted her hands and flapped them obediently, blowing on the polish as well to try and get it to dry faster. She almost missed April's next words, freezing in shock as she processed what April was saying. October had spent so long cruelly thinking so little of her stepsister, it had never crossed her mind properly that April might want to be like her, but that was exactly what April was saying. "Well... I bet there are roses who wish they were a bit more like daisies too..." She said a little nervously, looking up at her sister.

 

[April Ward]

April smiled at October, nodding. "And October suits you! It's funny how we are both month names, it's almost too much of a coincidence." She leaned in and grinned. "Maybe our dads started dating because we matched so well." She said with a small giggle. "They couldn't resist." It was so nice to talk to October like this, without anything in between them. October wasn't berating her for being childish or correcting her grammar. It was just... nice. "You're..." She frowned, thinking hard of the little French she knew. "Treb bien?"

Her words to October about the flowers had embarrassed April a little, and she pretended to have a hard time picking between two shades of yellow to keep her gaze averted a little longer. She finally realized she couldn't delay looking back at October any longer when she heard the older girl's words. They struck her, and she glanced at her in surprise. "What?" She asked, frowning slightly. "You're better than me at a lot of things! Not dancing or Quidditch..." she paused. "Well, maybe dancing but that's only because you're older. But you're better at studying and a lot smarter. You're also more polite and beautiful." She said with a small shrug. "I think dad likes having you around because you get his nerdy jokes and are smart like him..."

 

[October Alcott]

October giggled softly at April's comment. "Maybe they did." She said with a smile, considering it. "It was probably one of the first things they talked about at least, they probably realised when they were dropping us off at ballet..." It was a little strange to think about. October had been too young to really pay any attention to her dad as a person. She wondered what it had been like when he and Matt met. Listening to April's attempt at French, she giggled softly. "Tres bien." She smiled. "Good job though."

Listening to April's outpouring broke October's heart a little. She had disregarded her sister for so long, and all this time April had thought such sweet things of her, had looked up to her. She swallowed, blinking back unexpected tears, and shook her head. "I always have to work so hard to be as good as you at anything..." She said a little shakily. "I was... always jealous because I was... working and stressing and pushing myself so hard and you were just... having fun, and everyone just... loves you no matter how hard you work." She swallowed, looking down. "I always felt like dad would only love me if I worked harder and harder..." She said a little weakly, staring at her knees. Bringing up everything that had happened over the holidays with April was painful, but April had seen as well as anyone else what had been going on, if there was anyone October could talk to it was her sister.

 

[April Ward]

April faltered slightly, frowning a little at October's words. "Not at everything. You are better than me at a lot of things." She said slowly, hadn't she just listed a few? "I have to work hard too. Quidditch and dancing aren't just coming to me naturally. I train a lot too." she knew sometimes October felt like April didn't really do anything, and with things like schoolwork she really was a slacker, but not with everything. "But you don't need to work hard to be good. Your dad was being silly and I'm glad you told him he was wrong. You're good the way you are in a lot of ways. And everyone loves you too, especially your dad and my dad and me." She gently put down the nail polish brush and touched October's arm. "I think your dad does love you a lot no matter what, but he made you feel like you needed to earn it. Which was wrong."