"Knowing when to give in is a sign of a strong man," she answered, smiling.
Marlene chuckled. "I wasn't aware of that, but mum would have added it to my birth certificate if you'd asked. She liked you very much." She snorted. "You were in the living room, talking to Potter, and I was walking around like I always do. I've even had tea with him in the same state of undress, so unless he thinks that I slept with him as well, I think your reputation is fine."
She closed her eyes as he touched her. "Okay, maybe not better than sex, but just as good." Her fingers curled around his jaw while they kept their foreheads pressed together. "I don't like to see you like this. I hate that you're doubting yourself, baby, but you weren't wrong, just... alone, and you did the best you could. Stop beating yourself up for what happen, accept that things are righting themselves again and that you're stuck with me, and know that you'll be all right, we will be all right, because I won't accept anything else, and think about it, I won't even ask you to marry me, think how much money and aggravation you'll save. I'll just ask for trips and sex," she finished, laughing.