Her smile, however sheepish, got a smile out of James in return. He had always been far quicker to cheer up than to upset, which was a very good thing, because his bad moods could be downright awful. Before coming here, he had grown more accustomed to retreating into himself rather than showing any of his emotions to his young son and upsetting him, but he had gotten back into the habit of seeking out the people he loved when he needed them. Even if all he needed from them was their company.
"And meanwhile I'm in the habit of taking it completely for granted," he said. "I should've made sure you were dried off before you left the lake." With a few waves of his wand, he'd dried and warmed her clothes, and then opened his arms for a hug. "There. That's better, isn't it?"