Not sure yet, and this is subject to change, but I'm pretty sure this will be the last chapter for their 5th year, or second to last. Then I go back to chatroom chapters!!

disclaimer:Don't belong to me. Never did. You want Raspberry and Joe, just ask. Not that anyone would.

Warnings: Not quite apparent Slash, prolly some profanity. Odd stuff. Not quite sure yet what'll show up. Just be warned.

     Christmas came, and Christmas went. The school returned to normal, or as normal as a school or Witchcraft and Wizardy could be. Raspberry showed the rest of the school Joe's tricks, and they practiced banishing Doxies, Billiwigs, and other, annoying, dark creatures. They learned Hexes, and Curses and how to break them and such.

     Easter passed, then the end of the school year drew imposingly near. Finals, and the Quiddich cup, took the front in students minds, followed by the the worry of: "Why didn't Voldemort attack this year? He isn't really dead, is he?" Even Slytherins were uneasy, though no one put voice to thier thoughts. Ron summed it up best when he said: "He's off licking his wounds somewhere like a whipped puppy. He'll be back." Not that it helped anyone sleep easier.

     Harry had one more thing to worry about. Silver had told him that the card apparently didn't work over long distances, and that was why he didn't write over the christmas break.

     At that second, Ron pulled the curtains on Harry's bed back. Harry jumped, startled, and tried to stuff the card under his pillow before the redhead saw it. "What?" he said.

     "What's so bloody funny?" Ron asked, suspiciously.

     Harry smiled uneasily. "Nothing. Just reading a book I got for Christmas."

     Ron gave him a weird look. "Then where's the book?"

     Harry searched the bed frantically. "I dropped it when you startled me. I think it fell over here," he looked on floor of the other side from Ron. He spotted Quiddich through the Ages. "Aha!" He sat back up.

     Ron gave him another odd look. "Harry, you didn't get that for Christmas. Are you feeling okay?"

     "Duh. I didn't say I got it THIS Christmas! And I'm fine. I'm just gonna go back to reading now." He opened the book to a random page and pretended to read. Ron shook his head and walked away, shaking his head. Harry sighed, and pulled the card back out.
     Harry? You there?
     I'm here now.
     What happened?
     Ron startled me, and I had to shoo him away before I could write again.
     Ooookie. If any of the Slytherins walk up, I just tell them to blow off.
     O_o I suppose it works though, doesn't it?
     Yup.
     Seriously though, back to the old thread of conversation, we just stick this card somewhere for the summer?
     Basically.

     "He said he was reading, but I didn't believe a word of it." a hushed voice whispered in the noise of the Gryffindor common room.

     Hermione looked at her boyfriend. "Why not?"

     "Please," Ron scoffed. "I'm not that dense. The damn book was upside down."

     Hermione sighed. "I wonder what he's been hiding from us all year. You know that kids have been talking about it, right? That Harry and Malfoy rarely fight anymore, they just go out of their way to avoid one another."

     "I know, it's odd. I just wish he would tell us, you know?"

     "I know," Hermione nodded. "I know."

     The Quiddich Cup passed, (Gryffindor won of course. Who else?). Finals came and went. After taking Raspberry's advice and not dwelling on his grades too much, Harry breezed through most of his classes with high marks, and just average ones in Potions. Neville also got average marks in the class from Hell, instead of his horrible ones of the previous years. "Goyle keeps all the heat off me," he confided to Harry one day. Hermione was, of course, the top of the fifth year class. Ron passed, Ginny passed, others passed. The twins graduated. And the year was over.

     Harry sat on the Hogwarts Express across from his two best friends, a small, blank note card being turned over and over in his hands. He looked up at the duo. He had been keeping secrets all year, and debated confessing now. He didn't want to upset them, or get into a fight over it though. Bad end to a good year.

     Hermione leaned on Ron's shoulder, and had fallen asleep. Ron watched the scenery pass. He looked over at Harry after a moment. "Penny [2] for your thoughts?" he said.

     After a moment's contemplation, he replied, "That was an odd year, wasn't it?"

     Ron raised an eyebrow. "For anyone other then us, not really. But for us, yeah. It was kinda quiet."

     Harry sighed. "I'm growing apart from you guys, aren't I?"

     "We're all growing, Harry." He didn't even realize Hermione was awake till she spoke. She didn't bother to open her eyes. "Doesn't mean we're growing APART, necessarily."

     "I suppose you're right. Doesn't help my peace of mind any, but thanks."

     "You know, you could try telling us what you were so damnable secretative about every night. And how you always knew what was going on with the Slytherins all year." Ron replied.

     "Oh." Harry said. "That. It has to do with this," he held up the card. "I've been talking to a Slytherin at night all year."

     At this, Ron's jaw dropped, and Hermione sat up and opened her eyes. "What?!" they both cried.

     "Yeah." Harry replied. "I got it the first day of school. I've been writing to a Slytherin every night."

     "That's like a warped version of a penpal. Did they know who THEY were talking to? What if it was Malfoy?" Hermione took the card from Harry gently. She pulled a quill and ink from her bag, ignoring the odd looks she got from the boys. She scrawled a quick Hello across the card.
     Who the hell are you?
     Who do you think?
     Well, you're not Harry, that's for damn sure.
     How do you know?
     Hand writing's different. And he's not as polite.
     Hey!
     Hehe. I'd put 10 pounds on Hermione.
     Right on the first try. And who is this?
     Nuh-uh. That would be telling, and Harry'll figure it out soon enough. Give him the card and quill, please.
     Okay. Here.
     Harry?
     Right here.
     I thought you put the card someplace safe?
     I thought you did, too.
     I did. It was in my Aunt's purse. She was taking stuff out of it, and pulled that out. I was holding it when Hermione wrote. What were you doing with yours? You didn't have Hermione hold it, did you?
     No, it was in my hands, I was just looking at it.
     Ahh. Well, I've got to put it back in my aunt's purse. I'd rather not loose it.
     Kay, cya later, Silver.
     Bye, Harry.

     Hermione stared as Harry gave her back her quill and ink. It wasn't his green ink, but it was just as good. "That was definitly odd." She said.

     "Yep." Harry replied. "That's what I've been doing every night. Talking to this person."

     "What did they mean by you'd figure out who he was soon?" Ron asked.

     "I know who his aunt is," Harry replied. "I just watch and see who she goes home with."

     "Now I want to know who this is," Ron said. "But my parents are in a hurry. Apparently Bill's coming home, but he didn't owl WHEN he'd be there, so we have to leave in a hurry."

     The Hogwarts Express drew to a stop, and the students slowly got off. Ron went off with his parents, promising Harry that should all else fail, he was welcome to stay at the Burrow during the summer. Hermione went off with a Hufflepuff girl who was giving her a ride home. The Dursleys were no where in sight. Soon, most of the students were gone, leaving a few to wait for family, and Harry wondering if his intended to just leave him there. Then he found something better to occupy his time.

     Raspberry poked her head out of the train, looking around. "Most of the students are gone," she called back to someone. Then she spied Harry and came over.

     "Hallo Harry! Waiting for family?" she asked.

     "Not surprising really," Harry replied. "I was wondering how long it was going to take them to figure out that they could just *leave* me here. Took them 5 years, apparently."

     "I'm sorry, Harry." She gave him a pitying smile. "Is there someone you can Owl, or even call?"

     Before Harry could answer, a voice cried out "Tiel!!"

     Raspberry turned. "Narcy!!" The hyper teacher jogged up and hugged her older half sister. Harry just gaped. It was Narcissa Malfoy.

     Draco plopped down on the trunk next to Harry's. "Planning on catching flys that way, Harry?"

     Harry's jaw snapped shut, and he turned to stare at the blond. Then everything just clicked in his head. He pulled out his card to stare at it, then stared back at Malfoy. Card. Malfoy. Card. Malfoy.

     Draco laughed. "Are you really that surprised?"

     Harry thought a moment. Then he shook his head. "No, not really. You never did test this to see if it could work over long distances, did you?"

     "It does." Draco replied. "That's how Aunt Tiel and I communicated when she was in America."

     Harry nodded. "Ah. Why did you do this?"

     Draco looked at him weirdly, then shrugged. "I felt like it." Then he began to hum 'Taps'. Harry sent a quizzical glance his way, and Draco pointed. Uncle Vernon was here.

     Raspberry glanced up. "Feel free to owl, Harry!" she called, as Harry walked away.