After the Troll incident, life seemed to have returned to its usual calm.
Having survived a life-or-death crisis together, Harry and Ron grew closer than ever before. Hermione, by taking the blame for them, had completely integrated into the trio, turning it into a group of four.
The first snow of the year at Hogwarts arrived quietly.
Overnight, the world outside the windows was painted a pristine white.
The canopy of the Forbidden Forest wore a thick cap of snow, a thin layer of ice had formed at the edges of the Black Lake, and the pointed towers were draped in a silver frosty coat.
The temperature inside the Castle plummeted. Even though holly and mistletoe adorned the armor in the corridors and the fire in the fireplace crackled brightly, a damp, pervasive chill still seeped into every corner.
Lia reacted most strongly to this change.
Her first life had ended from freezing and starvation in the wilderness. The fear of gradually losing her body temperature and consciousness in the snow was an inescapable psychological trauma.
Even though she was no longer afraid of temperature changes after that, she still instinctively sought warmth.
Lia became more clingy than ever.
In the common room, she was no longer content just lying on Hermione's lap. Now, like an expensive white fur coat, she clung to Hermione's body, fitting herself perfectly against her.
Whether Hermione was reading or discussing homework with Harry and Ron, Lia stubbornly nestled half in Hermione's arms, her fluffy tail even wrapping itself around Hermione's waist twice.
"Merlin's beard, Lia, you're going to strangle me."
Hermione had tried more than once, in vain, to untangle that increasingly tight tail.
Lia would just nuzzle against her chest, letting out an innocent purr from her throat.
"But, Hermione, it's comfortable." A soft, sweet voice escaped from within the embrace.
Hermione was immediately defeated.
In the damp cold, her hands and feet were always like blocks of ice, especially during nights when she had to hold a quill for long hours writing essays. The cold in her fingertips almost made it impossible to concentrate.
It was another cold night. In the Gryffindor Common Room, most students were huddled around the fireplace for warmth.
Hermione occupied a desk away from the crowd by herself, a complex Potions essay spread out on the parchment.
She had only written a few lines before she had to stop, bringing her icy fingertips to her mouth to breathe a white puff of warm air, then vigorously rubbing her hands together.
No matter how brightly the fireplace blazed, its warmth couldn't reach her corner.
"Hiss..." Her cold fingers could barely hold the quill.
Just as she was about to rub her hands again, the fluffy white ball that had been curled up peacefully on her lap suddenly moved.
It was Lia the Cat.
The kitten stepped elegantly around the inkwell and piles of books, heading straight for Hermione's right hand.
Under Hermione's puzzled gaze, Lia curled up, using her own warm, soft body to completely and snugly envelop Hermione's right hand—the very hand that was cold and about to be rubbed for warmth.
A wave of warm, comfortable heat, as if from the very heart of the fireplace, instantly began flowing continuously from that fluffy body.
The warmth was so perfectly balanced, carrying the feel of fluffy fur and a reassuring weight—neither scalding hot, yet quickly dispelling the stiffness and cold from her fingertips.
Hermione was completely stunned.
Only then did she belatedly remember Lia's first ability—[Constant Body Temperature].
This little creature was like a self-navigating, constant-temperature heating pad.
Lia seemed quite pleased with her handiwork. She rested her little head on her front paws, adjusted to a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and let out a soft, contented purr from her throat.
The warm heat continued to output steadily, enveloping Hermione's entire hand.
Hermione's heart contracted slightly, stung by this sudden warmth.
She looked at this self-delivered "living hand warmer" who blinked at her with a tilted head.
But there was still half an essay left to write. After a moment's hesitation, Hermione made a decision that felt like betraying her ancestors.
Carefully, using the hand wrapped in warmth, she pulled out another quill. Then, she began practicing writing with her left hand on a scrap piece of parchment.
"The... stability... of Potions..."
The wobbly handwriting looked like that of a first-year just learning to write. Hermione couldn't even bear to look at it herself, but the corners of her mouth uncontrollably turned upwards.
The firelight from the fireplace cast a soft glow on her profile. The whole world seemed to grow quiet, leaving only the scratching of the quill on parchment and the steady, peaceful breathing of the little heater beside her.
When Hermione dragged her tired body back to the dormitory, the cold was even more piercing.
The sheets on the bed felt like they had been taken straight from an ice cellar. She had just lain down when a shiver from the cold ran through her.
Before she could even warm the bed with her own body heat, a corner of the quilt was pushed open. Lia the Cat expertly slipped in and pressed herself tightly against Hermione's body.
Instantly, a source of scorching heat appeared in the icy bed.
Immediately after, Hermione felt the kitten's body in her arms rapidly changing.
Soft fur turned into smooth skin. The small feline body stretched into the lithe, soft form of a girl.
Hermione's body stiffened for a moment.
The next second, she was wrapped up by a warm, large octopus-like figure, limbs clinging to her, the warm, soft, smooth body pressing tightly against Hermione's cold back.
Two slender arms encircled Hermione's waist, and two legs wrapped around hers. Finally, that fluffy, warm, and puffy long tail actively draped itself over Hermione's lower abdomen, which was always prone to catching a chill.
A perfect, all-around "Human-shaped Temperature Control System" was now in place.
The girl's sweet, light fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose. The soft sensation pressed against her back, the slender arms around her waist, and the fluffy tail on her lower abdomen... all of it made Hermione feel like her brain was short-circuiting.
"Little liar, you promised not to turn into human form in bed," Hermione said, somewhat helplessly.
But the warmth that dispelled all the chill and brought such reassurance was so undeniably real.
Lia seemed to have already fallen asleep, her breathing even and long, letting out a contented murmur in her sleep: "Mmm... Hermione... so comfortable..."
Hermione's stiff body relaxed at this whisper.
She tentatively turned over, facing Lia.
The human-shaped heater in her arms immediately adjusted her position, burying her face in the crook of Hermione's neck, nuzzling contentedly, her warm breath spilling onto Hermione's skin.
Hermione felt a bit flustered. Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks uncontrollably warmed.
In the end, she gently returned the embrace, holding the source of warmth in her arms, and closed her eyes.
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains.
Hermione opened her eyes, her consciousness still a bit hazy. She moved slightly, feeling as if she were sealed in place by something.
Looking down, she saw Lia still wrapped around her just like the night before, sleeping soundly, a string of glistening drool even hanging from the corner of her mouth, landing precisely on Hermione's pajamas.
Hermione let out a helpless sigh, but her eyes were filled with an indulgence and amusement she herself hadn't noticed.
For the first time in her life, she felt the urge to stay in bed.
Instead of getting up immediately as usual, she carefully adjusted her position, pulled the covers higher, letting the little creature in her arms, who was still smacking her lips in dreamland, sleep more comfortably.
Her fingertip gently stroked Lia's soft, pinkish-white cat ears, feeling the fine fur.
For the first time, Hermione felt that Hogwarts' cold winter might also be... unexpectedly wonderful.