Disclaimers: All characters featured in this story (with the exception of Rachel and Helena) belong to JK Rowling. All stuff belongs to their respective owners

Chapter 11

A month had passed since her talk with Helena. Nothing had changed much: Teddy was enjoying himself, painting and learning all sorts of new things with his various baby sitters, The Weasleys were happily going about their lives, and the Potters were talking about having kids.

With so much happiness and excitement, it was hard to understand why

Rachel seemed so upset.

She couldn't help feeling like she was missing something. As if someone had borrowed a vital part of her and had yet to return it. But to keep from others worrying about her, she pushed the feeling aside.

The empty feeling was still there weeks later. It had been a few months since the incident with Astoria at lunch. Rachel knew that it was the reason she felt the emptiness, but what could she do? Draco hadn't spoken to her, or even attempted to for that matter.

Rachel walked into the Ministry to work. As she made her way to her office, she received the usual memos: Harry with new assignments, notices from the minister's assistant, etc. But there was one that caught her eye.

The paper in question was not colored to indicate any official, ministry business. That left it to be a personal matter.

What in the world? It must be from mum, I mean, who else would send me a private note at work, Rachel concluded logically.

As she turned the note over, she saw Draco. He was standing not too far from her and seemed to just be waiting for her to read the note.

She looked down and saw her name written elegantly. In his handwriting.

While she had been craving interaction from him, Rachel couldn't help but grow furious with the situation.

Rachel looked up again and saw him watching. He looked better than he had the last time she saw him.

She searched his hands for a wedding ring. The wedding had been scheduled to take place a few weeks ago, so he would be wearing a ring.

Unfortunately, his hands were in his pockets.

Rachel, still hurt by what he had done, threw him a disgusted look and set the note on fire. The note quickly burned up and fell to her feet, reduced to mere ash.

With another furious glance, she walked away.

Draco simply watched, unsurprised by Rachel's actions. He had imagined that she was still upset, and now he knew exactly severe his situation was.

"Miss, there is someone here to see you."

"Thank you Veronica, tell them I'll be with them in a moment,"

Rachel replied.

Harry had taken the day off to see his cousin, Dudley, about some issue he was having. A bit surprised by his willingness to visit him,

Rachel had agreed to cover his work for the day.

Whoever was here was most likely expecting to see Harry, but she would look over the issue and do the best she could.

Rachel looked up toward the window that opened to the small waiting room for Harry's office. She saw the man sitting was not having an issue with wizard disturbances or someone with paper work that It was Draco.

Rachel quickly scribbled a note to Veronica and sent it magically

out the door.

"Sorry , Miss McCarthy will be unable to see you. will be back tomorrow, you can come back then," Veronica told him after skimming the note.

Draco looked disappointed, looking in the window to Harry's office.

No matter what you do Rachel, Draco thought to himself. I'm not giving up.

Draco continued his attempts to speak with Rachel over the next few days. He sent notes, set up meetings, and tried various other ways to contact her. She avoided them all. Draco refused to give up.

He had lost her once; he wasn't going to let it happen again.