A Flat in Diagon Alley

Amanda grinned, "I understand. You want alone time with Nicolas when he gets home." Amanda hugged Rachel, IN THE SISTER FRIEND KINDA WAY FOR ANY OF YOU WEIRD THINKERS. "Tell me when the baby comes? OK?"

"Thank you! And of course I will!"

"Alright, don't find yourself in too many broom closets for now!" And with that, Amanda apparated.

There was a sharp knock on the door. Nicolas woke up, but he nudged Rachel. "Rach, can you get the door?" he murmured.

Rachel sat up, and murmured a "sure" and she threw on a bathrobe that was rather small on her, and opened the door a crack, to see who it was. When she saw who it was, her eyes widened, and she opened the door wider.

"Libby!" she said, with a yawn. "What the heck are you doing here this late?!"

"Can I stay with you?!" Libby cried. "Please! M-my brother kicked me out, it'll just be for a few nights, I swear."

"Stay over?!" she exclaimed. "But Libby-" she sighed. "Why don't you come in? You're letting in the cold."

When they had settled in. "Okay, WHY did you get kicked out, exactly?"

"I've been looking for a job at St. Mungo's. But they have NO positions open, and some nurses are ready to retire around New Years', but Drew doesn't want me to stay for that long... He said 'I told you, a job by December!' but there WERE no jobs!"

Rachel glared at her. "Libby, you're one of my best friends. But there is NO ROOM here. The baby is coming in just a couple days. Besides, it's you're own fault that you lazed around your house all day without wearing deodorant. You could have gotten a job sooner, but you didn't!"

"I do wear deodorant! It's just that I forgot that one day," she mumbled. "I don't have anywhere else to go..." But then, she thought. There was one person who might let her in, but she'd prefer Rachel. Oh, she'd DEFINITELY prefer Rachel.

Rachel stood up. "Libby, you're my friend. But, I'm sorry, I can't do this. Not tonight, especially at this time. It's too much." Then, she said the dreaded words:

"Max doesn't live to far away. I'm sure he'd give you a place to stay."

Libby stood up too, looking horrified. Her mouth hung open, and she tried to form words until she suddenly said "But he's a boy! And he'd never let me stay with him!"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Honestly, he wouldn't do anything. And besides, he has a NICE place. It has a guest room where you can say in. And, you know Max. He'd be more then glad to let you stay."

Libby slumped her shoulders. Seeing how this was a lost cause, she picked up her trunks and headed towards the door. "Well, thanks anyway, I guess... but what if Max says no?"

She sighed. "I GUESS if he says no, you could stay for a bit... but I'm sure he'll say yes." Rachel smiled at her. "Goodnight."

(You know what? Screw it!")

"Nick! Wake up!" hissed Rachel.

It was a few nights later, around four thirty in the morning, and Rachel was wide awake. "Come on, wake up!" she pleaded.

Nicolas murmured something, and turned on his side. "What is it?"

"I-I think the baby is coming." she said bluntly. "I've been having cramps for a while-and I've been timing them." She stood up and turned on the light. "We better go."

Nicolas sat up, and stared at her. "Are you sure? Positive? Isn't it a bit early for it to come?"

"It's normal for babies to be born a few days earlier." Rachel slipped on a dress quickly, and she didn't bother to brush her hair or anything. She looked too much in pain. "Hurry!"

Selia knocked on the door tentatively. Would Rachel remember her? They weren't best of friends. But Rachel and Selia had hung out some. They had tried the Patronus Charm together..

Rachel opened the door. Her hair was a messy ponytail, and she had dark circles under her eyes, but other then that, she seemed happy to see Selia.

"Oh, hi!"

"Hello, Rachel. I just figured I'd come over and see you, you know.. Both of us being out of school. Do you live here? Do you have a roommate? Did you find your boyfriend?" Selia looked inquisitive, and leaned closer to the door. "Gee, you sure do look tired. Are you okay?"

"You can come in. Yeah, I'm a bit tired-me and my husband just had a baby recently, and I have to get up in the middle of the night to feed her." Rachel said this all casually, hoping that it would come off less as a shock.

Selia wasn't shocked at all. In fact, she remained rather level-headed, and smiled. "Really? Oh, that's so sweet. I love kids. Is it a boy, or a girl? And, you're married? I'm so happy for you. What have you been doing, just a stay at home mom?"