Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

What If.....?	By : valkyrie136 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 4465 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I Do not own the rights to Pillow Book or to Harry Potter or anything in that universe nor do I not make any profits from it. J.K. Rowling does. Please support the author by reading her books.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
The Pythons.
It was a moonless night. A few stars dotted the sky. The secret tunnel Charlie created half a month ago could still be used. After getting lost last time, she learned from experience and carefully followed along the path straight to the Blood Spring this time.
The Spring was a crystal-clear blue stream. The tree standing on the bank resembled a cluster of billowing cloud. In the middle of that cloud was a gleaming gold fruit. The four pillars stood quietly around it; it was uncertain when the four pythons would break free from the stone.
Lucius once asked if she was afraid to go out during the night because she had fallen into a snake nest. Yes, she was afraid of the night, and out of all animals and beasts, she was especially afraid of snakes. But standing here right now, she didn't feel that same fear. Fear arose when people had something they worried about.
On the way here, however, she already thought of the worst case scenario. Everything else was now but an ephemeral cloud to her. This spot was about a hundred meters away from the tree. It was impossible for her to defeat the pythons in a distance of 100 meters, then take the fruit. She planned to transfer her own life energy onto the protective barrier. Let the pythons attack on the outside all they want, she would only single-mindedly barrel ahead for the fruit. After she picked it, she would turn around to fight the pythons. This would test her speed. If she was fast, the barrier might buy her enough time for the fruit. Although she was using up all her energy now, she could always get it back later. It wasn't of great consequence. But if she wasn't fast, the shield wouldn’t be able to hold out long enough for her to escape from the pythons' territory.
It was hard to say what the consequences would be at that point.
At the same time, Lucius had said the bracelet he gave her was very powerful and offered protection itself. Although it was a magical object, since it was on her body, it should automatically protect her in dangerous moments. No matter how dire the situation became, she wouldn't lose her life. There was nothing overly grave to worry about.
Night wind howled. Hermione cast a spell from her fingers and chanted an incantation to conjure up a protective barrier around her body. She suddenly wondered what would happen if she somehow got the fruit, but Maddy became upset and Lucius made her return it? But even so, she would never return it. Worse comes to worst, she would break off relations with Lucius, which he seemed to have no issue doing after all.. Yet she felt weak at this thought. It would be nice if he could be a fraction as good to her as he was to Madeline, or een Narcissa.
She didn't need much, just a fraction. How good would it be if all she also had to do was persuade him to let her have it. But if this didn't happen in the time before she travelled through time, or when she actually time travelled, or when she returned, then currently wasn’t that still a fantasy?
Hermione couldn't help but be saddened by that futile dream.
She inhaled deeply and looked out to the quiet night sky full of perils. Then she closed her eyes and transferred all of her fairy energy into the protective shield. She was beginning to fade away along with her energy. Her face paled gradually as the protective shield turned from red to blinding gold.
This golden flash of light shot toward the Blood Spring. The ground instantly shook. Four pythons leapt out from the stone pillars. Their mouths opened wide as they breathed out venomous smoke. Long sharp fangs stabbed at the golden light. The flash of light bore the python's attacks and kept barreling ahead for the Spring. The four pythons' eyes glared angrily. They hissed to the sky, fire and lightning blasting from their bloody red mouth. In waves, they shot out at the golden light. The golden light's speed gradually slowed down, but it was still dodging, still sprinting toward the tree.
When it reached the tree, it instantly hid into the tree's thick canopy. Afraid they could harm the sacred tree, the pythons' assault grew less offensive, they could only stay outside while thrashing their tails furiously, capsizing the water inside the spring. Hermione’s lips were pale; she wiped cold sweat from her temple then tremblingly picked the fruit off its tree.
The enraged pythons attacked the thief. She hastened to stick close to the tree to avoid their fangs. Her barrier was starting to crack under their onslaught. They were more menacing than she had imagined. It would be difficult when she turned back out. Although fire and lightning from the pythons' mouths were only pounding on the shield, her body still couldn't escape from damage. There was no wounds, but her bones and tendons ached all over. She never thought such pain was possible.
Now that she got the fruit, the pythons hissed in increasing fury. They attacked more fiercely when she turned back. As black clouds pulled in, thunder and lightning struck down onto her protective shield. Her body experienced a burst of sharp pain as she felt the barrier cracking around her. Her body hurt as if it was cut by blades; her feet began to slow. The barrier changed from gold to red then gradually weakened to a silvery light. Ten more steps and she'd be out of the python's land.
Suddenly, she heard a loud explosion - the magic shield had shattered into pieces. She looked up in fright. A lightning bolt was aiming for her head from above. Lurking behind the voltage was the python's burning red eyes which resembled two flaming fireballs. Sharp venomous fangs dove at her. She instinctively dodged. The fangs only grazed her sleeve but she was thrown ten meters backward from the wind force. In the distance, another large fireball was now shooting from the python's mouth, swerving in her direction. All of her energy now depleted; what she had left would not be able to withstand the attack.
In this second, she thought it was the end. Her heart plunged into the snowy abyss. She closed her eyes in wait when, only one meter from reaching her, the fireball suddenly ricocheted backward. It was the bracelet. At the very last moment, it indeed came to her rescue her.
She struggled to get up. Several meters in front of her again emerged a python. She held the magic fruit and took a few steps forward, then instantly retreated. The bracelet was beginning to vibrate and crack. She realized at this time how close she was to death.
The ground surrounding the Blood Spring shook violently. In an instant, there were people swarming out to watch. She had thought about the consequences if the fruit were to be lost.
She must leave this enchanted zone at any cost. Hopefully, she would be able to make the ten-pace long escape. She must remain unafraid. She only needed her eyes to stay bright, her mind to stay clear. Then, if she used the last scrap of her energy, she didn't believe she couldn't escape,
Hermione encouraged herself. Her eyes began to blur from sweat but she calmly observed the four pythons' movements. After continuously attacking the bracelet’s barrier, the pythons were also tired out as they took a second to breathe. She seized this opportunity to abruptly dart out. Like a flash, she sprinted to the matrix's border. There remained only a couple more steps to get out. Her feet suddenly tripped. The pythons' thunderous hiss boomed over her head. The last thing she saw was a raging flame which then strangely extinguished in the python's burning red eyes. Those blood-red eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Having never seen a python's tears before, she watched in stunned silence for some time.

In the void, an extremely low and cold voice called out chokingly, “Your Highness Ariana.” She clearly heard it to be the sound of a python. She had listened haphazardly to the tale of Ariana, but she never gave much thought over it. With this voice, coldness started to take over her body. Pain increasingly spread all over her, ending in a tearing shock. From the time she stepped into the pythons territory, pain never once let her go. But she endured it without uttering one word. At last, she could no longer bear the agony and let out a cry. Her consciousness gradually gave way to the excruciating bout of pain.
- 13
- 14
- 15
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

What If.....?