A/N: welcome, dear reader, and thanks for giving some of your time to my very first work. Nothing to say about it, it's just a little fluffy thing, loosely inspired by Andersen's tale, I came up with on a lazy (and cold) sunday afternoon.

Anyway, there are some people I want to thank, since without them this short story would have never been born.

Phoenixnext: thanks for dragging me into this strange world of writing (and for your great work as beta). You are the best weird friend from the net I could ever hope to meet.

Lena K.: thanks for kicking my butt when I needed it. Now, this is my work, where is yours?.

Disclaimer: I don't own Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, its characters or anything relate to it.

The little match girl

The market square was full of life on that cold December morning. Voices resounded from one side to the other, coming from sellers, peddlers, from people busy buying food and supplies or just passing by.

Under a sky covered by gray clouds, a vivid voice could be heard throughout the square, "Matches! Matches for your stove! Matches for your fireplace. Matches."

Nanoha repeated its call. Every now and then she approached a single person to repeat her offer. Sometime they bought them, sometime not. She took a look at her wicker basket, garnished with flowers: there were still a lot of boxes to sell, and the weather was posing a serious threat, promising snow before the end of the day.

Not the type of person to lose courage, she resolved herself to redouble her efforts, and looked around to find another prospective customer. And then she saw her. She was walking with long strides in her direction, a sober black cloak highlighted her figure. Her blonde mane reminded Nanoha of summer days and fields of sunflowers. Burgundy eyes, of wine she will never taste. But there was sadness in those eyes, so deep that it made her own heart clench like it was being held in a fist.

Only when the woman was a few steps away from her Nanoha regained her senses and with a timid smile approached her.

"Do you need some matches ma'am? This will be a cold night, surely your family could use some matches to start the fireplace and light the candles."

Taken aback by the sudden offer, Fate turned her sight to the girl. Ragged clothes that could do very little against the cold of that winter gave away the poverty of the girl in front of her. And yet her blue eyes were sparkling with life and her smile was sincere, as if it was coming straight from her heart.

'Almost my polar opposite,' thought Fate, captivated by the radiance of the girl.

"There's no one but me in my house, I don't need candles to light empty hallways. And there's no point in lighting up my fireplace, since I am way colder than my room."

Fate was almost surprised by her own words, but even more by the unexpected reaction of the poor girl.

"This is very sad, ma'am. Please, accept this."

Still smiling at the woman, Nanoha untangled a flower from her basket and fixed it on the collar of the cloak.

"Here, it is still fresh, the florist gave it to me this morning. It's a small thing, but maybe its color and fragrance will bring you a bit of joy."

Then with a bow she excused herself and once more gave out her call to the crowd.

"Matches! Buy some matches! For your stove and fireplace! To light your candles! Matches!"

-ooo-

The night that fell early that day found Fate sitting in her armchair in the living room. No candle was lit to fight the darkness and there was no fire in the fireplace to warm the silent room.

For the umpteenth time Fate turn her sight to the flower that was now resting on the small coffee table. Why she didn't throw it away was a mystery even for her.

'Maybe I could have bought some of those matches.' The thread of her thoughts brought up from her memory the image of the girl. Her sparkling eyes, as blue as the sky on a summer afternoon. Her radiant smile.

'How come? How can she, who has nothing smile from the bottom of her heart and me, who has everything... I cannot even remember the last time I smiled.'

A gust of wind made the windows rattle and drove her sight from the flower to the dimly lit street outside. Snow was falling softly, covering the town with a soft blanket.

'This will be a freezing night, there's no way that those ragged clothes can keep her safe from the cold. Maybe I should have bought those matches.'

All of a sudden, a surge of restlessness ran up her spine. She gritted her teeth and smashed her fist on the armrest. Almost jumping up from the armchair, she quickly strode through the silent house up to the door and then out into the snowy night.

-ooo-

Nanoha was sitting in a niche between two buildings, trying to find shelter from the wind, but nothing could defend her from the cold air and the snow. Trembling, she blew over her hands to warm them a little, without much comfort. Looking into her basket, she took out the last remaining box: only three matches inside it.

She gathered some pieces of paper and sticks she found around and lit them with the first match. The little fire was warm, but soon there was nothing more to burn and the flame dimmed until it died.

The freezing night was winning over Nanoha, who was feeling tired. She was ready to succumb to the sleep, only the chatter of her teeth kept her awake. Her numb fingers took out the second match. She lit it and kept it in her cupped hands.

'My skin should be burning,' she thought with a resigned sigh, 'But I don't feel anything.'

Then the little flame burnt out and the night grew darker again.

With the box still open, Nanoha stared at the last stick inside it.

Her thoughts became erratic. The unnatural sleepiness she was feeling was draining off her last strand of life.

'Only one remains, then I will finally sleep. How sad.'

A single tear drew a line down her cheek.

With trembling fingers Nanoha was about to take out the last match, but two hands clad in soft gloves stopped her own, while a gentle voice spoke to her.

"Don't. Please, stop."

With a great effort, Nanoha raised her head: a blond mane was swaying in the wind and burgundy eyes met her sight.

"M..Ma'am?"

"Is this your last one? I would like to buy it, because even my room is too cold for such a night."

Nanoha didn't hear the woman, since her mind, already hazed by weariness, was mesmerized by those eyes that were looking at her. A trembling hand rose to cup Fate cheek.

"Your eyes. So beautiful. And yet so sad," said Nanoha, her voice nothing more than a sigh she whispered, "I would do anything to fill them with happiness."

They were just words, said to her from a stranger, a girl she had never met before that day. Nonetheless Fate felt her inner, cold self melt with emotions she had forgot.

Without thinking, she quickly took off her coat and draped it over the girl, the sudden movement took Nanoha by surprise and made her regain her senses.

"Ma'am, no! It's cold, please, you will freeze!" She plead, putting aside her own predicament.

"It's strange," replied Fate, "you say I will freeze, but I haven't felt so warm for a long time." Then, after a moment, she added "My name is Fate, what's yours, girl?"

"I.. It's Nanoha, ma'am."

Nanoha. That name sounded like music for Fate, a melody full of promises that made her throw away any reasoning, any common sense. She scooped up the lithe body of the girl in her arms, and with words pouring out from her heart she asked.

"Nanoha, my fireplace has been cold for so much time, I need help to light it again. Would you come with me? Would you help me make my home a warm place again?"

Nanoha knew that she should have been in fear, terrified, but then she looked again into those eyes. The sadness was still there, but there was also a spark. There was light. There was hope. She felt her heart clench again, but this time it wasn't a fist. It was a tender embrace, like the gentleness of a mother, like the passion of a lover.

And Nanoha found that there was no doubt, no hesitation in the smile that was lighting her face, the same radiant smile that took a hold onto Fate that very morning.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be with you. As long as you want, as long as you need me, I will be by your side."

"If you really mean it, be prepared," said Fate, with the first smile in so long time, "because I will keep you with me forever."

Still carrying Nanoha in her arms, Fate started to walk away from the cold square, toward her old home, toward a new life.

Soon the steady pace lulled Nanoha to sleep. She cuddled a little more into Fate's arms, and let herself fell into a slumber, dreaming dreams of summer and sunflowers.

In her basket, the last match rattled inside its box.

-ooo-

While slowly raising from her sleep, Nanoha took in her surrounding bit by bit. First the warmth of her own body, not plagued by cold anymore. Then the warmth of another body behind her, with its slow breath and strong heartbeat. Last, a sensation of warmth all around her.

And finally she opened her eyes: she found she was sitting on the floor in an unknown room. Under her a soft rug was keeping at bay the coldness of the flooring, a warm blanket was draped all around her… and the person behind her.

Turning her head, she met a sleeping face crowned by blond hair, a faint smile was lingering on the woman's mouth.

The woman - Fate, she recalled - although fast asleep was still keeping Nanoha in her lap, an arm embracing her protectively.

Feeling her eyes becoming heavy again, Nanoha smiled at the woman and whispered "Merry Christmas, ma'am" then closed her eyes and let the sleep surround her once more. With the last strand of consciousness, Nanoha realized that a lively fire was dancing in the fireplace.

Next to it, an empty box of matches.