I think I may be the only person over the age of twelve who likes Room in the Heart by Sonia Levitin enough to write fic for it. Whatever, I'm a history nerd and a YA book nerd...which never leads to anything good. D:
Small Miracles
When Niels first kisses her, Julie can't even be sure it is really happening.
They are standing in Emil's grandfather's kitchen, after Bella has woken up. The adrenaline is ebbing away, and Julie feels exhausted. She thinks she would like to curl up and sleep for a few years.
"Julie, how did you know what to do?" Niels asks, and Julie gives a vague response - she's not even sure how, to be honest. Did she read it somewhere? Did she hear it in school? Was it just one of those bits of knowledge that everyone knows?
And then Niels says, "You are a miracle," and he is looking at her - something about the way he's looking at her is making her heart pound all over again.
And then he kisses her.
His mouth is cold from being outside - she's sure hers is too - but there is a heat in the kiss that makes the cold go away. Julie is barely sure of what to do - kiss him back? push him away? - but then the door opens and they spring back from each other. Julie's not sure, but she can swear her mouth is burning a little. She wants him to kiss her again.
And then Jens tells her that she has to leave for Sweden, tonight, and they load her onto - into - the boat, where she replays the kiss over and over, warmth for her in the dark, a small miracle for her to cling to in the cold.
She carries the memory across the sound and across the borders of countries, holds it close until the day the war is over and she can return.
Because she has one more thing to return to, now.