Two cigarettes later, she was amending herself to the tedium of waiting and sniffing the woman out through bureaucratic channels. She'd begun walking away from the building, a nice safe place to apparate already in mind. Looking back, it would have been smarter to simply use the floo, but there was no reason to be seen going in and out of the Ministry overly much that day. People were accustomed to seeing her around the Ministry by now. She'd become so frequent a visitor that she no longer used the visitor's entrance, though that might have more to do with the fact that she insisted it was an adopted Russian custom to tip security personnel who processed her admittance.
And then quite suddenly, brushing past her on the right was the very woman she'd all but given up on. What was it that she'd said about being in the country? Something about a visit, though her mind produced no information regarding exactly who she was visiting or how long she'd intended to stay. Merlin, it had been months since the Harvest Gala. Quite the visit, it would seem. She halted her steps.
"Ms. Cross," she greeted the instant after the other woman passed her. "You're still enjoying your visit, I trust."
Odd for an Auror to visit for so long. Odd for a Spanish Auror to attend a Malfoy gala without connection. Odd for an Auror on holiday to be making official inquiries - unless she was here in an official capacity. What on earth would a Spanish operative want with plans to her home?