With Hermione holding her arm while watching the cartoon, Amanda completely gave up trying to understand the animation called tom and jerry using her original mode of thinking.
Instead, she adopted a completely new perspective, as Hermione had suggested: if it makes people happy and relaxed, then it's good.
Although she didn't know what happiness was, after watching several episodes in a row, Amanda genuinely felt as if something inside her had loosened up.
Watching the cat and mouse jumping around in the cartoon, it was as if they were reflections of herself—free and carefree.
Was she not free? Did she have worries?
Amanda posed new questions prompted by the subconscious thoughts that had emerged from the depths of her mind.
As a student, all she needed to do was study. Freedom... what was that? Why did she think of freedom? This was inappropriate; it would affect her studies.
Students only needed to accept the management of the school and their parents: the increasingly high walls of the school, the intelligence systems monitoring how many times students raised their heads, the prohibition of students leaving the classroom during breaks, the Electronic Ankle Monitors restricting student activity... Everything seemed traceable, gradual, slowly crushing the students' spirits and molding them into the desired shape.
As for worries, she couldn't even understand what worry was, could she? So how could she possibly have any?
Amanda tilted her head and tossed these two thoughts to the back of her mind.
Do not think about things that should not be thought about, or it will consume time needed for studying.
"Dinner time."
Mrs. Granger placed a large pot of stewed vegetables on the dining table and cheerfully called out to Amanda and Hermione on the sofa.
"Coming."
The two girls answered simultaneously, stood up, and went to the kitchen to help set the dining table.
Sitting by the dining table, Mrs. Granger served Amanda a plate piled high with stewed vegetables.
"Eat more, you're really too thin."
Amanda stood up, took the plate back with both hands, and politely nodded in response, "Okay, thank you, Mrs. Granger."
Sitting back down, Amanda lowered her head and slowly ate the stew.
Next to her, Hermione was trying to maintain some elegance while wolfing down her food; she had been petrified before Christmas.
She hadn't even made it home for the Christmas holidays.
She hadn't eaten her own mother's cooking for a whole year, and now she was incredibly hungry.
"Hermione, don't eat so fast." Mr. Granger handed Hermione a napkin, smiling.
"Mhm, okay."
Hermione nodded in agreement, but her action of diligently eating did not slow down in the slightest.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger shook their heads indulgently and said nothing more.
After finishing the meal, Hermione leaned back against the chair, her little stomach visibly bulging.
Amanda glanced over and quickly analyzed Hermione's current condition.
"Hermione, you've eaten too much. Stand up and walk around the house a couple of times."
Hermione coughed awkwardly twice and stood up, steadying herself on the table, "I'll help you wash the dishes first."
Amanda shook her head, stood up, swiftly gathered the dishes, and held them securely in her hands.
"No need, I can wash them myself. You should walk around twice, or your stomach might feel uncomfortably bloated later."
Amanda, speaking without inflection, carried the dishes into the kitchen and quickly began washing them.
Hermione pursed her lips and began walking laps around the house as Amanda suggested.
One lap, two laps... After walking for a while, Hermione clearly felt much lighter in her stomach.
Once she felt better, Hermione quickly walked into the kitchen.
"Alright, I feel much better. I'm here to help you."
Amanda reached for the cloth, dried the table one last time, turned around, and said expressionlessly.
"They are all washed. Hermione, go chat with Auntie and Uncle."
Hermione leaned sideways and saw the dishes, indeed washed and stacked neatly.
"Fine, then I'll wash the dishes after the next meal. You're not allowed to help."
After saying that, Hermione turned and walked toward her parents, who were watching television in the living room.
Regarding Amanda's true past, she really needed to give her parents some explanations.
Moreover, she also had to tell them... about her feelings for Amanda.
She couldn't wait until she had "snatched" Amanda before telling them.
Although Hermione had suspected that her parents had already sensed her feelings for Amanda—perhaps even before she herself realized them—after learning that the Christmas gift they gave Amanda on her behalf was her own childhood photo album.
But their sensing it was one thing; Hermione openly admitting it herself was another.
Thus, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching television, were greeted by their daughter, who sat between them, a faint blush on her face as she looked at them.
"Oh dear, oh dear," Mrs. Granger looked at the faint pink on her daughter's face and couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek, "Is our Hermione feeling shy? What are you shy about?"
The faint blush on Hermione's face deepened, "Ahem, Mom, stop teasing."
Reaching out and moving her mother's "mischievous" hand away from her face, Hermione looked at her earnestly, "Mom, Dad... I, I like Amanda, the romantic kind of like."
Hermione's eyes darted nervously across the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Granger; she wasn't sure how her parents would react to her feelings.
"That's wonderful," Mrs. Granger affirmed with an immediate nod, "Amanda is truly a good child. If you can really win her over, your father and I will definitely be happy for you."
"That's right," Mr. Granger smiled and gently stroked Hermione's hair, "As long as you like her, and she is indeed a good person, your mother and I will support you."
"Mhm!"
Hermione broke into a brilliant smile and nestled back into Mrs. Granger's embrace.
"Before, Amanda told us about her past at Hogwarts."
Mr. and Mrs. Granger both lowered their heads to look at Hermione. They had always been concerned about Amanda's situation.
The abnormality in her brain forced them to pay attention. Now, hearing Hermione say she knew about Amanda's past, they immediately took it seriously.
Hermione pursed her lips and told her parents as concisely as possible that Amanda came from another world.
She also briefly mentioned the conditions of that other world and what Amanda had experienced there.
"How could they treat children like that, force them like that! That's truly, truly insane."
Mrs. Granger frowned severely, her face clearly filled with anger.
"Treating children like this is absolutely outrageous. Whether it's that world that burdens children with everything, or Amanda's parents, they are all the same."
Mr. Granger took a deep breath and turned to look at Amanda, who was sitting by the dining table.
After seeing Hermione chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Granger, she had sat down by the dining table, showing no intention of coming over to listen or participate in the conversation.
Hermione needs private time to reunite with her parents, Amanda thought, without a doubt.
"Guide her well. Amanda is worth cherishing."
Mrs. Granger gently stroked Hermione's back and spoke softly.
"I will, Mom."
After communicating with her parents, Hermione emerged from her mother's embrace, knelt on the sofa, and waved to Amanda.
"Amanda, come sit with us."
"Okay." Amanda stood up, walked over, and paused while looking at the spot next to Hermione.
Hermione and Mr. and Mrs. Granger were sitting on the same sofa; would it be inappropriate for her to sit there too?
Amanda thought this without any emotion, merely trying to analyze the situation through the rules of etiquette.
However, it was clear that Hermione had no intention of letting Amanda overthink things; she leaned back against the sofa.
Without even giving Amanda a chance to sit beside her, she reached out and pulled her onto her lap.
Amanda stiffened instinctively when Hermione pulled her onto her lap.
"Hermione, if I sit on your lap for too long, your blood circulation might be poor, causing your legs to go numb. I should not sit on your lap."
Amanda stated the conclusion she had reached in a calm voice. Hermione reached out and hugged Amanda tightly, pulling her to lean back into her embrace.
"No way. You're so light. Even if my legs do go numb, it's just numbness, and I want you to sit here."
"Or," Hermione leaned her mouth close to Amanda's ear, "do you not want to sit on my lap?"
The warm breath tickled her ear, and Amanda felt her brain suddenly heat up. Her ears visibly began to turn red.
"I did not think that."
Amanda's tone and inflection remained unchanged, but her instinctively reddening cheeks and ears showed Hermione her true reaction.
Hermione gently curled the corner of her lips and, somewhat possessively, tightened her arms, "Then sit."
Amanda nodded indifferently and sat quietly in Hermione's arms.
When it was time to sleep that night, Hermione became even more "uninhibited." After Amanda had dried her own hair,
Hermione, who was already lying in bed, reached out and pulled Amanda into her embrace, burying her face in Amanda's neck and gently inhaling Amanda's scent.
This time, Amanda didn't say anything, because this would not affect Hermione's body.
As for whatever else Hermione wanted to do, she could do it.
Although she didn't quite understand why her brain, cheeks, and heart were heating up in waves.
"Goodnight, Amanda." Hermione rubbed against Amanda's neck and whispered softly.
"Goodnight, Hermione." Amanda replied in a flat tone, closing her eyes simultaneously.
Amanda spent the first three days of the summer vacation amidst Hermione's frequent "Clinging."
Mr. and Mrs. Granger would show a look of gratification every time they saw this.
On the fourth day of the vacation, Amanda, accompanied by Hermione and Mr. and Mrs. Granger, embarked on a journey to Country F.
Boarding the airplane, Amanda sat in the window seat, with Hermione right beside her.
Just as she sat down and fastened her seatbelt, Amanda's hand was grasped by Hermione.
Amanda turned her head to look at Hermione expressionlessly. Hermione smiled and poked Amanda's cheek.
"This is my first time flying, and my first flight is with you."
Amanda allowed Hermione to poke her cheek and nodded blankly, "Mhm, it's my first time flying too."
Hermione nodded, holding Amanda's hand a little tighter.
"Since it's your first time flying, do you feel nervous? Like... worrying about what if the plane falls down, feelings like that."
"No," Amanda answered honestly, while quickly retrieving relevant information about airplanes in her mind. "The probability of a plane accident is actually very low."
Her brain quickly converted the maximum weight she could lift with the Levitation Charm, comparing it to a fully loaded civil airliner, and Amanda said calmly:
"Even if that extremely low probability occurs, there's no need to worry. According to Ministry of Magic regulations, Young Wizards may use magic for self-rescue in life-threatening situations."
"My Levitation Charm is sufficient to safely land this fully loaded civil airliner."
"With me here, Hermione, you don't need to worry."
The last sentence instinctively came out of Amanda's mouth, completely without deliberation, not even passing through her brain.
It was as if it were etched into her DNA, something she was born to say.
Just like how the ability to love others is etched into human DNA from birth.
Hearing the words she wanted to hear, Hermione's eyes sparkled as she hugged Amanda's right hand.
"Mhm, even though I know you didn't mean it that way, just hearing you say that makes me very satisfied."
Seeing Hermione's eyes curved in a smile, Amanda concluded after thinking that she must be satisfied because she heard that Amanda could ensure the plane's safety.
As for the line about knowing she didn't mean it that way, Amanda couldn't understand its specific meaning.
Mechanically looking out the window, the airplane had begun its slow taxiing.
At the same time, the plane's speed, acceleration, and the upcoming upward thrust all began to form calculations in Amanda's mind.
The plane slowly ascended, and Amanda continuously calculated various data points as she watched the ground recede.
She only stopped calculating the data once the plane reached stable flight.
This would be suitable for a physics or math problem, Amanda thought, in her formatted way.
"Little one, little one? What would you like to drink?"
The Flight Attendant pushing the trolley leaned over and gently asked Amanda, and Hermione also lightly patted her hand.
Amanda turned around and apologized to the Flight Attendant, "I apologize, I was just performing a calculation and did not answer you promptly."
The Flight Attendant was stunned, clearly not expecting a passenger to apologize for that reason.
"It's alright," the smile on her face became more sincere and gentle, "Is there anything you'd like to drink? Nothing alcoholic, though."
She added the last sentence deliberately, as if teasing Amanda.
"If you have Coke, I'll have Coke. Thank you, older sister."
Recalling the experience when Hermione took her to the Amusement Park, Amanda unhesitatingly asked for the Coke she had drunk before.
She really liked that unique mouthfeel—liking it more than any other beverage.
Of course, a large part of the reason might be that Hermione was by her side during that happy memory.
Even though Amanda hadn't realized it yet, her body instinctively made her feel the difference between Coke and other beverages.
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