You're Not Afraid to Break Out

[April Ward]

April was always excited to go to parties the school hosted. They were always a lot of fun! As far as ranking them went, she figured the Halloween party was definitely the best one. What was more fun than dressing up and also getting a chance to win a prize for the costume? But the Yule Ball wasn't bad either. She didn't really enjoy getting dressed in anything fancy, but she knew she could have just as much fun in a simple dress she happened to have. As long as she got to dance, April knew she would have a blast. She wasted no time getting to the dance floor, happily moving to the music on her own. As she danced, she kept an eye out for any of her friends. She pulled a face at the sight of Kauri with that slimy older boy that had asked him and quickly turned away from them. She had other friends she could hang out with while he was busy on his stupid date.

 

[Norton Gillespie]

Norton loved the yuleball....well....he loved all the celebrations that Hogwarts had to offer, but the Yuleball was growing on him with every passing year, it was just a fun event that he could dance to. He loved it. The boy bounced into the room, wearing a brand new outfit he had gotten for exactly this occasion! It was simple, he had gone for a slightly more casual look to it, not feeling the need to wear a tie when he wasn't having to go to classes. It was as he moved around the room that he spotted April within the crowd. Norton hadn't brought anyone with him to the yuleball, he had thought about it, but had in the end decided he could have as much fun without anyone and he usually ran into them anyway, so what did that matter. He smiled and waved excited as he went over to where she was dancing, "April!" he exclaimed happily and loudly attempting to speak over the music, "Mind if I join you?" he asked, though he was already dancing, opting for a series of uncoordinated movements that could barely be called dancing but that's what he thought it was. He was certainly planning on enjoying himself, and if he could enjoy himself with his good friend April then that was always a bonus.
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[April Ward]

April was happily dancing, moving to the music with no shame. Just doing whatever she felt like. Even her silly moves were graceful, her dance training made sure of that. When she heard someone call her name, looking up to see Norton smiling and waving at her. April felt relieved to see he still looked like the same old Norton and seemed happy to spend time with her. He didn't have a stupid date. "Norton!" She said happily, jumping up and down as he approached. "Of course not! Let's dance!" Impulsively, she grabbed his hands and spun them around with a laugh. "How are you?"

 

[Norton Gillespie]

Norton was happy that April seemed pleased to see him, though they always did get along, there was never a doubt in Norton's mind that he and April weren't good friends, they were also good teammates and really he just super enjoyed all the fun they had. He gladly allowed her to take his hands and spun with her happily. Oh, goodness these days were fun. "I'm great! Exams are over, the semester's done! I'm having a blast at the ball, I couldn't be better!" he exclaimed gleefully, "How are you?" he returned the question to her, "What did you think of the electives?" he knew they had had care of magical creatures together, which he had loved. It had been everything Norton had wanted and more from an elective magical class. It had just amazing. It had jut been the best. He had seen so many new things about the magical world. Norton wondered what other classes she had taken, if she had enjoyed those. Norton would of course be happy to dance without the conversation but he was also happy to catch up with April. This was the sort of occasion that would allow him to do that.
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[April Ward]

April beamed as they spun around and then let go of him with a giggle. "I'm so glad the exams are over too!" She said brightly. "And Christmas is soon! OH! Let's open a present under the tree later!" She said, pointing at the tree. She hopped up and down. "I bet there's sweets in there!" But she would wait for Norton to agree before running off, first answering his question about the electives. She shrugged. "Care of Magical Creatures was fun, but I didn't follow any others." She said, unsure if Norton took more electives than her or not. "What about you?"

 

[Norton Gillespie]

Norton nodded happily, "Yeah! The exams keep getting worse! And studying for them is just the WORST!" Norton's ability to study had improved over the years, but he was still struggling quite a lot to keep himself engaged in it. He got distracted very easily, "Oh yeah!" he agreed, he would love to open a present that had been under the tree, especially if it was candy. He loved candy. He would enjoy any of it. He did wonder if he should've perhaps gotten April a present for christmas, he hadn't be he thought perhaps this was a good time to, they were good friend, but he didn't think he would need to get her a gift just yet. "Oh me neither, not during this semester," the boy said, "Just care of magical creatures during this semester, which was awesome! Care of magical creatures was the best!" he had thoroughly enjoyed every part of it. It had lived up to everything he had thought it would be. "It was exactly what I had imagined the magical world's creatures would be like, I ever really liked the worms we helped grow!" Norton could talk about the class for hours as he danced with April. It had been such an enjoyable addition to his semester.
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[April Ward]

April laughed as she had to agree about studying. It was so hard to sit still and stare at a page for long periods of time, especially with the weather outside becoming nicer and nicer the closer they got to the holidays. It had just called for her to go outside and spend the day exploring and playing around, but instead she had to read her books and her notes. "Let's find out what's inside!" She started leading Norton to the tree with the presents as they talked, still moving to the music. "It really was the best! I think it will only get better too!" She said about Care of Magical Creatures. "I hope we get to work together again in the future!" She said excitedly, jumping up and down at the thought. "What electives did you pick for next semester?" She asked him curiously. She doubted he had muggle studies like she did, as he was a muggleborn. Even for her it was strange to take that subject, but she figured it would be easy and fun. She wasn't all that concerned about learning anything new in it.

 

[Norton Gillespie]

Norton nodded at her, definitely keen to find out what was inside at least one of them. He couldn't help but nod along as they talked about care of magical creatures. It was perhaps one of the better classes that they had at school. He had always enjoyed animals, but this was just the best sort of animals in the best setting, at the best school in the world. He nodded, "Yeah me too!" he had enjoyed working with her, she was someone he knew and got along with it was easier to spend time with her than it was with others. Though Norton attempted to make friends where ever he went. "I picked Divination!" he told her excitedly, "I thought about muggle studies but it seemed boring since I was raised in a muggle family, what could it tell me that I don't already know," he exclaimed, though perhaps the class would be interesting. He just didn't want to learn anything, "What did you pick?" he asked her. As they reached the presents under the tree he looked for a small one, "What about that one," he pointed at one, that he was sure April would see, it seemed fair in size, so hopefully it would be the sort of present that could be opened.
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[April Ward]

April was glad Norton agreed about the presents and didn't seem annoyed to be dragged away from dancing. If anything, they could go back to dancing with some energy from the sugar they were hopefully about to consume. She was glad to hear Norton had enjoyed working together with her in Care of Magical Creatures too and gave him a wide grin. He really was one of her best friends, and she as glad she could spend the night with him with Kauri too busy. She glanced in the direction of where she had seen the Gryffindor last and saw him kissing with that other boy. Pulling a face, she quickly focused back on Norton. It was a little sad that they would have different electives next semester. "Aw man, I didn't pick Divination and I did go for Muggle Studies. My mom's a muggle so I sort of figured it would be easy." She said honestly. "And I kinda miss the muggle world, you know? So I hope it will be fun." Under the tree, April's eyes immediately went to the biggest present she could find. But then Norton pointed out another one and she nodded with some reluctant. "Sure!" She said, picking it up. "You can open it, if you want." She said as she held it out to him. "Merry Christmas!"