A/N: Here is the next chappy, hope you like:

Chapter 30: Surprises

Eleven o'clock came as slow as possible for Ebony.

Figures she sighed as she dressed herself. She moved as slowly as possible so that time would seem to rush by. Unfortunately, her plan didn't work. In silent impatience, she waited.

When eleven o'clock finally arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief, then hopped down the stairs towards the Common Room.

Draco was waiting for her. His palms were sweaty, yet he tried to ignore it. In his arms was a picnic basket. Inside was food, drinks as well as the poison. The dagger was magically hidden in Draco's pocket.

"It is time." He stated.

"And you brought a picnic basket!" Ebony exclaimed brightly.

"Yes, do you like?"

"I love."

"Well, then, let's go."

Draco led Ebony to a small clearing in the Forbidden Forest. The trees had thinned a bi so the brightness of the moon could be fully observed. The spot Draco had chosen was calm, cozy and quiet. Just what he needed.

Silently, Draco spread the blanket he had been carrying. Next, he took Ebony's hand, "Sit." He told her and she willingly did so.

Then she went to open the basket, her engagement ring glittering in the darkness.

"No." he breathed, panicked,

"No, let me. This is your surprise, not mine." He said. A little confused at his insistence, Ebony complied. She watched as Draco placed sandwiches, salad, fruit, whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate and many others sweets as well as foods out of the basket.

"This is a feast." She noted.

"You deserve the best." He told her, placing his hand on hers.

"Are there any drinks?" she inquired, smiling.

"Yes, but hold on."

He reached into the basket and with a flick of his wand, two butterbeers appeared. All he had to do was put the poison into her cup. Instead, however, he hesitated.

What am I doing? I love her…more that life itself...I can't think like that! I'm doing this for the better good! He told himself. And with that in mind, he poured it into Ebony's goblet.

"Now, before I give this to you," he tried to sound calm,

"I want a kiss."

"OK," Ebony leaned over to kiss her fiancé. But instead of the casual kiss she had in mind, this was a deep, powerful kiss that left her staggering.

Draco poured his whole soul into that one kiss. He knew this was the last time he was going to be able to kiss the person he loved most.

"What was that for?" she asked in astonishment.

"I love you." He said simply.

"I love you too." She responded.

"Now a toast." He suggested.

"To us." She lifted her glass and he met it. The air hung with a promise in her eyes. In his, it hung with dread.

As Ebony lifted her cup to her lips tension ran straight through Draco.

Just let her drink he told himself.

"No!" he yelled, stopping her from her task.

"What the-"

"It's poisoned."

"By who?"

"Me." Draco, eyes ashamed, met hers. They were as cold as steel.

"Explain. Explain before it is too late." She exclaimed through clenched teeth.

"First of all, I love you. I love you more than anything. That, above all else, is true. I am a member of the Death Eaters." Quickly he took out his wand, flocked it and the dark mark appeared before her.

"I used cover-spells to hide it from you. I didn't choose to be a Death Eater, it was forced upon me. If I didn't seem to accept willingly, they would have killed me.

During Christmas I was initiated. I was also told of the prophesy and that you were a vampire. I don't know who Voldemort's spies are, but they must be students or staff. I was told that I must kill you, tonight, as my first task. I didn't want to, but I knew it was my duty. He is my master. But I-I can't. I can't let you die." He stammered to a close.

"How were you to do it?"

"By poisoning you, then stabbing you with this," he explained and he pulled out the glittering knife.

"I was then supposed to say: The vampire's soul is free to go to hell."

For a few seconds, Ebony sat there, tears flowing. Everything Snape had said was true. About Draco, about Voldemort, about tonight. He had just been trying to protect her, yet she had just shrugged him off in such simplicity.

"I knew the cup was poisoned. I have been trained to find poisons. I was only seeing how far I could push you or if you even knew of the poison in the first place." She told him and watched his eyes widen.

"Trained, by who?"

"Snape, of course. Did you really believe I was that interested in potions? Snape is a vampire and my teacher." She confessed. Normally, it would have been treacherous to give away the identity of a fellow vampire, but Ebony had come to the conclusion that Draco must die. Either she or he must die. And he had already proved that he couldn't kill her. If he went back to Voldemort now, he was as good as dead. Killing him herself will actually be doing him a great favor. She loved him, yes, but she would die before letting Voldemort touch him.

Slowly, she looked towards the moon. It was as bright as beautiful as ever. Softy, she whispered, "Hermione Elizabeth Granger."

Her body made the transformation so rapidly that Draco had no time to respond. He didn't run, he knew his fate: he had seen it in her eyes: she was going to kill him.

At least it's better than Voldemort… he mused.

She snarled at him, circling her prey. Draco felt the fiery presence she carried. He saw a snow leopard but recognized every trait as Ebony's. It was as if she had never transformed.

As quick as lightening, she pounced. Draco flinched just left of her, making her landing just off-center of his body. Pinned, trapped between her body and the ground, Draco could feel her shift over so that her paws were directly on his shoulders. He knew of the claws she had to force out.

Then, without warning she lashed onto his neck and feasted. She may have been a leopard, in appearance, but she was still a vampire at heart.

It was either this or snapping his neck in half she told herself as she drank.

Draco made no protest, just laid there as his whole world went dizzy. He knew the light was fading from his eyes as he could only make out dim shadows in the night. With effort, Draco took a breath. It was his last one.

Ebony finished drinking. Her body was so satiated in Draco. She looked up to see his lifeless body and a tremor shook right through her. Without even knowing it, she became human again. The tears were forming and she could feel their hot stickiness. Not wanting to give into her own sorrow-for she knew that if she did she could never stop-she bit her lip to keep them from coming forth.

Although she did not realize it, she bit her lip so hard that the skin broke. Blood soon appeared. Ebony took no notice as her complete focus was on her dead fiancé. The love of her life. Her one and only.

Ebony bent down and examined Draco's lifeless face. So calm, so pure. Slowly, she kissed his lips. Once, then twice, then finally a third and final time.

"I will always love you." She whispered as she picked up the dagger and left the forest. She didn't once look back.

Ebony finally let the tears break few as she left the Forest. The whole school was asleep. Ebony felt truly alone. This was the firs time since she had discovered she was a vampire that she felt so deserted and lonely.

Knowing what she must do, she silently headed for the compartments of her potions master.

A/N: plz r&r, only a few chapters left…