Chapter Seven; The Cursed Necklace

Thanks guys enjoy the next chapter!

Later on that day during free period Harry, Ron, and Hermione started walking onto the grounds together with Cowboy and Buddy trailing along behind them. "The Halfblood Prince," Ron began. "Who's the Halfblood Prince?" he questioned.

"I dunno." Harry began. "But I'm not quite sure of an awful lot these days." He finished when all of a sudden they ran into Snape outside the courtyard.

"Hey Snape." Ron said.

"Hi, where are you three off to now?" he wondered.

"Hogsmeade to get a butterbeer. Want to come with us?" Ron asked him.

"Sure, I'm not busy doing anything right now." He said while they continued on their way and he walked along beside them.

"Hey, this might seem like a weird question, but have you been under the impression lately that were not alone, I mean I keep feeling like someone is watching us." Ron told him.

"Well I believe that the Lord always is." He replied.

"No, I'm not talking about God I'm talking about a person." He said.

"I've been having that feeling too. And this might seem crazy but I think it's my dad." Harry said. "My other father." He added.

"It doesn't seem crazy at all. If witches, wizards, ghosts, unicorns and dragons exist why not angels?" Hermione asked him.

"I thought you didn't believe in angels or anything that had to do with religion." Harry said.

"I never said I didn't, I just said that I wasn't sure." Hermione told him.

"It looks like you and I are in the same boat then. I mean I still want to believe, but it's mostly because I want to see my father again." He said.

"You will, as long as you have faith." Snape told him as they walked into Hogsmeade together.

As soon as they entered the Hog's Head, Harry glanced over at one of the tables and realized that Ginny was sitting next to Dean and kissing him.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Ron cried. "It's amazing that she hasn't suffered from lack of oxygen yet!" he exclaimed as Ginny and Dean finally broke apart and smiled at each other while taking ahold of each other's hands.

"Let's just get our drinks and go." Harry said trying to forget how much his heart was shattering while he watched them.

"Do you like her?" his father asked him when Harry finally decided that there wasn't any use trying to hide it anymore.

"Yes. But it's more than that. I think I'm falling love with her." He replied.

"I see, well have you told her that?" his father asked him.

"No. Why should I? She's with Dean." He said.

"Maybe because she's had a crush on you ever since she was Tobey's age." Ron said reminding him that his little brother would finally be starting Hogwarts next year.

"Yeah, I'm sure that she would rather be with you than Dean if she knew how you felt." Hermione told him.

"I can't. Voldemort always targets those that I'm closest to. I don't want to risk putting her in danger." He said.

"Listen Harry, this is Ginny that we're talking about isn't it? I mean she's got a whole magazine full of hexes, I don't think that you have to worry about her. It's pretty obvious that she can take care of herself." He told him. "And I agree with your father. If you really do love her then you should tell her." He said as Harry nodded silently in agreement although he still didn't have any idea how he was going to be able to.

After they had finished their drinks they started walking back to the castle together when suddenly they ran into Katie bell who seemed to have a dazed expression on her face. "Katie?" Harry questioned even though it felt weird for him to be saying his one of his dogs' names. However she just simply ignored him and continued on her way before she tripped over a rock and fell onto the ground. Harry watched as she tossed and turned her head while writhing around in pain.

Harry knelt down before her while everyone else watched with concern. For she was acting just like he had when he was possessed by Voldemort. "Katie!" he cried anxiously while his bottom lip started to tremble with fear. That's when suddenly she shot up into the sky and let out a large petrified scream. Snape knelt down beside his son and looked at the box that Katie had been carrying, turning over the wrappings with his wand revealing a blue beaded necklace.

"What is it Professor?" Hermione asked him.

"This necklace has been cursed." He explained when suddenly Katie dropped back down onto the ground. "I've got to get this child to the hospital wing. Go to Dumbledore, tell him what happened, and don't touch that except for the wrappings." He instructed before he stood up again and then bent down and picked Katie up inside his arms and carried her away.

…

As soon as Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked to Dumbledore about what had happened to Katie, they went back to the Gryffindor common room where they found Ginny. "Dumbledore told me what happened, it was Malfoy, I just know it." She said.

"Really, what makes you think that?" Hermione asked her.

"Oh c'mon Hermione! Why wouldn't it be him!? Whenever something bad happens around here Malfoy's usually involved." He said.

"Uh guys, I don't mean to seem rude, but can I talk to Harry alone for a minute?" Ginny questioned.

"Yes actually I think that's a very good idea." Hermione said before turning over to look at Ron. "C'mon, let's leave them alone." She said before they turned around and headed back towards the staircase.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Harry wondered.

"I found out that Dean was cheating on me." She began when suddenly Harry felt his anger broiling inside of him.

"Bastard." He muttered under his breath.

"I know," she began. "but you should have seen the look on his face when I put the farfartius charm on him." She told him with a grin. Everyone around the table was laughing, even the other girl that he liked." She said as Harry grinned back at her and stifled a laugh.

"Serves him right." He said.

"Yeah, well,.. I guess I better go. I've got some studying to do." She said before she started heading towards the staircase and Harry suddenly realized that it was now or never.

"Ginny wait!" he cried as she quickly turned around to face him.

"Yes Harry?" she questioned him back.

"If you want to, I mean, if you're not busy doing anything, would you like to,.. I dunno, maybe go out with me sometime?" he asked her.

"What?" she questioned him back.

"Listen Ginny, there's something that I have to tell you. I think_ I think I'm falling in love you. I think I've been for a long time now, but I was just too stupid to realize it before." He told her as she simply just smiled at him.

"I love you too Harry." She began. "The only difference is that I've always known about it. And I never really gave up on you. Not really." She told him as she started walking closer to him before closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his. Harry closed his eyes and started kissing her back. "Maybe Heaven does exist after all." He thought to himself.