A/N: Ok, so I know there are probably a lot of people who are currently obsessed with Ed Sheeran's Divide Album as I am, and as soon as I heard 'perfect' I couldn't help but imagine Newtina in the lyrics. So here is my take on it. Credits to Ed and his beautiful and amazing lyrics, they make an appearance in this fic and I don't claim ownership to his words. Newtina aren't mine either, credits to Queen JK Rowling for these two amazingly in love characters. Enjoy reading! Let me know what you think in the reviews. :D
Tina Goldstein stares at herself in her floor length mirror that was found inside her room at the Scamander estate. She still found it ridiculous how Newt, his parents and her parents convinced her that this coming of age party was a good idea. She was one of the most uncoordinated people in the wizarding world and the fact that she had to dance with sixteen bachelors and her dad in front of the most well-known witches and wizards in Britain was crazy! This party would have been a better idea for Queenie, not her. But she had no choice, a lot of people put a lot of time and effort to make this party happen and Tina will not be the one to ruin it.
It was not that she didn't love the idea of having a party in her honor, it was that she had to have the party with people she didn't know watching her like a hawk.
Shake it off, Tina. She says to herself, staring into her dark brown eyes. You're doing this for Mama and Daddy. They've always wanted you and Queenie to have this. Just enjoy it. Mama did when she was your age.
Tina gave one final sigh as she heard a soft knock coming from the door of her room.
"Knock, knock," said a cheerful voice that came from her sister, whose head was poking out of the frame of the door. "May we come in?"
Tina smiles weakly at her sister and nods in approval, as she watches Queenie, her mom and dad enter her room.
"Quite a place Newt's parents own, eh?" Mr. Goldstein says as he closes the door behind him.
"And how generous of them to lend us the space for your coming of age party!" Mrs. Goldstein says excitedly as she takes the seat next to Queenie, both facing Tina now.
"Well, of course, they would mama," Queenie replies immediately. "They're one of the most generous people in Britain, not to mention Newt is crazy about Tina and the Scamanders would agree to do anything for their sons."
Tina blushes when Queenie mentions how Newt was crazy about her. She was still not used to the fact that both her parents and Newt's knew about their relationship and even how supportive they have been since Newt and Tina told them about it the year before.
"Oh Tina, dear," Mrs. Goldstein says almost immediately at the sight of her blushing daughter, hands immediately on Tina's and squeezing them lightly. "You don't have to be embarrassed. Your dad and I are done with the teasing phase. We're happy you're happy."
Mrs. Goldstein gave Tina a smile, which Tina responded to with a shaky, but bright smile. Tina then searches for her father's eyes as she looked away from her mother and on to her floor length mirror. Their eyes met and it almost sent Tina to tears when she saw that her father was smiling so brightly at her, with so much pride in his eyes.
Tina was overwhelmed with emotion she turned away from her reflection and pulled both her parents into a tight hug. "Thank you for moving us to Britain, mama, daddy. If you haven't, I wouldn't have met Newt and I wouldn't be this happy."
Both her parents hugged her back tightly as Mr. Goldstein beckons Queenie to join the warm family hug. A few happy tears were shed that ruined all Goldstein girls' makeup, which with a wave of Mrs. Goldstein's wand was immediately fixed.
"Now enough of this," Mrs. Goldstein says standing up and straightening her dress. "We can't keep your guests waiting young lady. Especially the Scamanders, with all the fuss they had to deal with when we were planning this party."
Mrs. Goldstein takes Queenie's hand and drags her towards the door of Tina's room as Mr. Goldstein inches closer to Tina and takes her hand and loops it around his arm.
"We'll see you both down there," Mrs. Goldstein says with a smile of encouragement. "You look beautiful, Tina. I can't believe how much you've grown. I am so proud of you."
And before either of them could dissolve into a puddle of tears, Mrs. Goldstein and Queenie exit the room, leaving Tina and Mr. Goldstein alone.
"You ready, Teenie?" he says to his eldest daughter.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Tina says, giving a final sigh before both she and her father heard the music that signaled her entrance.
Her father had a tight grip on her and he kept her steady and upright. Tina was sure that had her father not been there to escort her down the stairs from her room to the main reception, she was sure she was going to fall, face first. She wasn't totally clumsy, but she wasn't that coordinated either.
Tina's seventeenth birthday party was nothing she'd imagined it would be. Growing up she was always used to simple parties, just a cake and a gift from her parents and Queenie. But apparently coming of age was an important part of a person's life. So both her parents insisted she had a coming of age party as well. Her mother was a muggleborn witch and her parents threw her a party similar to this one. It was similar to when muggle women celebrated their eighteenth birthdays, eighteen candles, eighteen gifts, eighteen roses, eighteen dances, but instead they did seventeen because a witch or wizard comes of age at seventeen.
Tina's parents wouldn't have hosted a party like this one with the limited funds they had, had it not been for the insistence of Newt and his parents to give it to Tina as a birthday gift. They weren't familiar with the tradition but they insisted on planning such a party. The Goldsteins fought hard to decline their generous offer, saying it wasn't really that important, but the Scamanders insisted, most especially Newt.
"I won't take 'no' for an answer," Newt said the week prior before he turned to Tina, his eyes begging. "Please let me do this for you Tina. I want you to celebrate this special day. Let me show you how special you are to me through this party."
Tina dissolved into a puddle of mush at Newt's words and had reluctantly agreed to let him and his parents do this for her. And here she was, descending the spiral stairs that lead to the main party area, where her huge birthday cake donned with seventeen baby pink candles were, where seventeen gifts from family, friends and strangers were arranged in a neat pile, where a ballroom was prepared for her to dance with fifteen strangers, her father and Newt.
A smile crept onto Tina's mouth at the thought of Newt. If she felt like a fish out of the water with this whole party, Newt would definitely feel it more. Newt wasn't really good with people and it actually surprised Tina that they actually got together to begin with. The thought of Newt having to dance with her in front of a thousand strangers and not trip over her dress or at least keep the two of them standing made Tina laugh.
I've never actually seen Newt dance before. Tina realizes as she and her father reach the end of the stairs. Is he any good? Is he as uncoordinated as I am? Are we totally going to mess this up?
Her thought process was broken when her father places a soft kiss on her hand, hands her a single red rose and leads her to the dancefloor as she notices the song change. She smiles as she memories of her father singing the song that they were dancing to flood her mind. She looks into her father eyes and allows him to lead her in dance until the next bachelor tapped him on his shoulder, asking for permission for it to be his turn to dance with the birthday girl. Mr. Goldstein gives the young chap a nod and offers his daughter's hand to him. He takes it and offers Tina another red rose, which she takes and lumps in with the one her father just gave her.
"Why Theseus don't you look dashing," Tina says with a mischievous smile. "Who knew you clean up well?"
Theseus takes Tina in her arms and starts leading her in dance before he smiles playfully back at her and replies, "Every single lady in Britain apparently, everyone but you."
They both laugh at Theseus' comment as Tina scans the crowd for the one man she wanted to see more than anyone.
"You won't find him anywhere," Theseus says simply.
"What? But, this was his idea," Tina says frantically, a panic in her voice.
"He'll come, don't worry," Theseus was quick to reassure her. "You know my little brother, crowds aren't really his thing. But he'll be here when it's his turn. He loves you, Tina, he would brave anything for you. Even if it meant braving people."
Theseus gives one final smile as he felt a tap on his shoulder signaling the next bachelor was here with Tina's rose and dance. Tina gave Theseus a thankful smile before letting go and smiling at the next man who had a rose outstretched. Tina continued to receive a rose and dance from one bachelor at a time, the music changing every time it ended. From time to time she glanced at the crowd and would see her mother's tearful, proud smile, her sister's excitement and her father's pride amidst all the strange faces of witches and wizards who were invited to this shindig. She also caught glimpse of Mr. and Mrs. Scamander and gave them thankful smiles and nods, which they gave in return. There was one person who was missing from the crowd of strangers and she hated that he wasn't there yet.
Tina was so lost in thought, trying to find ways to explain Newt's absence that she didn't notice that she had already danced with sixteen men. The song changed from one she knew to an unfamiliar one she was sure wasn't on the song list the last time she and her mother checked. Tina was starting to panic when a spotlight shone at the far end of the hall. She squinted to find who was at the other end of the spotlight when her eyes were met by the sight of a lanky young man no older than twenty-one. His face was full of freckles and his eyes a deep green. A smile crept onto Tina's lips as her own brown eyes met his. It was Newt, thank god he was here.
Newt started to move towards Tina, the seventeenth red rose in hand. He only had his eyes on her and for someone who wasn't comfortable around large crowds, he didn't seem to be nervous at all. The song continued to echo around the hall and the more it played the more unfamiliar it became to Tina. A deep voice of a man was starting to sing as Newt finally reached her and handed her the last rose. Newt pulls her towards him, places his hands on her waist and pulls her close as he laces the other with her own hands.
"I know this wasn't the song we were meant to dance to," he said looking at her so intensely. "But I heard it on the muggle radio the other day and it felt like our song. Listen to the lyrics, my Tina, I think you'll agree with me."
Newt finally started to sway them to the beat of the music and plasters a smile on his face. Tina looks at him, stares into his eyes the way he was staring into hers and smiles contentedly. They sway to the beat of the music, Tina listening to every word of the song while Newt was trying to sing parts he already knew by heart and hummed the ones he didn't. Every time a new lyric came along Tina smiled widened at the realization of what exactly the song meant. It made her heart swell with love for this man right in front of her.
They danced for the entirety of the song and didn't even notice everything outside the little bubble they were in. They only saw each other, they only had eyes for the other, the outside world didn't exist to either of them. As the song finally faded, Newt and Tina broke out of their bubble and Newt escorted Tina to the stage so she could say a few words.
Sonorus. Tina mutter silently, wand pointed at her throat. "I wanted to thank each and every one of you who took the time out of your busy nights to come and celebrate my seventeenth birthday party with me and my family. I may not know all of you personally but it is such an honor to have such renown witches and wizards here tonight."
Tina pauses and allows the attendees to clap. "It's not every day that a young witch like myself turns seventeen and we all know that seventeen is an important number for most of us. For some, it means the trace getting lifted off of us and we can finally do magic outside school…"
Laughter erupted from the crowd, which made Tina smile.
"For others, it means finally being able to apparate to and from anywhere we want to…"
"Here, here," says a man in the corner with a beer mug raised at Tina. She smiles at him.
"And for some, it means finally stepping out into the real world and becoming and adult witch or wizard who have to face the consequences of their actions," Tina says and then pauses as silence filled the entire hall. "It's that final step to adulthood. And even though I still have one year left at Hogwarts, one year left to be careless and young and free, I feel like I am ready to accept the challenge of adulthood."
Tina then looks for the Scamanders' table. She meets Mr. Scamander's eye and gives him a thankful smile before moving to do the same with Mrs. Scamander. "Thank you to the Scamanders for all that they have done for me and my family. I have so much love and respect for them, especially for how they took us under their wing when we moved here to Britain a few years back. We would be lost without you. So thank you."
Mrs. Scamander gave a tiny sniff before mouthing 'you're welcome dear' at Tina. Tina then looks to her right, where Newt was standing, watching her in awe, mesmerized by the way she was holding the room with her words and how confident she seemed to be in front of these strangers.
Tina reaches out her hand to Newt, which he takes immediately. "Newt, thank you for this amazing birthday present. I never really needed something this elegant as a coming of age party. But your insistence brought about all this and it made this special day more special than it already was."
Tina smiled at Newt and squeezed his hands, trying to say that she had more to say to him, but the words were for his ears only. He understood her and gave her simple nod. Tina then moved to find her family's table. She sees her mother holding a napkin to her eyes, wiping away the tears of pride that were pouring from them. Tina gives her mother a reassuring smile and then moves to look at her dad. He was giving her a very proud smile, nodding his head at her.
"Of course it would be wrong of me to thank everyone else and forget my family," Tina says trying to stop the tears from falling. "Daddy, Mama, Queenie and I wouldn't be here without both of you. We wouldn't be this happy, satisfied or contented had it not been for the both of you sacrificing a lot for us. Thank you for being the best parents a girl could ask for."
The emotions were too much for Tina that they spilled through her eyes. Newt was quick to wipe away the tears, which made Tina chuckle. She shakes her head at herself and moves to say a few final words. "Thank you, everyone, for this magical night. And now I guess on to why you're all really here: food!"
The entire hall chuckles and a few 'hear, hears' could be heard across the hall. Tina chuckles through her tears as she held on tightly onto Newt's hands for support as they both walk to the Goldsteins' table. Tina was immediately greeted by hugs from her family and praises at how she handled herself. She let herself cry silently into her parent's arms before she wiped her face clear of tears.
"I'll leave you to eat dinner in peace," Newt says quietly from behind Tina.
Tina turns to face Newt, about to say another thank you but was silenced when he kissed her hand lightly and said, "I'll be back in a few, to give you your final gift. And before you protest, let me say that it didn't cost me a thing."
Newt gives a final smile to Tina and turns to her parents and gives them a curt nod, leaving Tina dumbstruck, her hand still in the air where Newt had left it after kissing it.
"I...wha – what just happened?" Tina asked in a very confused state. "Wasn't this supposed to be his birthday present?"
"Oh let the boy pamper you, Tina," Mrs. Goldstein said immediately, pushing her daughter towards their table, motioning her to take a seat. "He is your boyfriend, after all, he has every right to."
"Mom," Tina says pointedly as she takes her seat beside Queenie. "I thought you were done with your teasing phase?"
"I'm not teasing dear," Mrs. Goldstein replies. "I'm simply calling him by what he is, your boyfriend."
Both parents chuckle as Tina throws her head into her palms, trying to hide the embarrassment she felt from their teasing.
Queenie moves closer to her big sister and nudges her, hands outstretched, offering Tina something to eat. Tina takes the bite-sized cauldron cake from her sister's hand and pops into her mouth. "Thanks. For this and for not teasing me."
"Oh, I'm waiting for after Newt gives you his present first before I tease you, Teenie," Queenie says playfully.
"Ugh," Tina says as her family chuckles around her. "I can't believe I all thanked you all in public earlier."
The Goldsteins chuckle and then move to eat their dinner in peace. A few minutes later one by one the guests to Tina's party came over and said their goodbyes and thanks to the family for their invitation, which they gladly returned.
Finally, when all the guests were gone and only the Goldsteins and the Scamanders were left, the Scamanders came over to bid their goodnights.
"Newt tells me he still has one surprise left for our young lady," Mr. Scamander says with a twinkle in his eye.
"Apparently, so," Mrs. Goldstein says amusedly. "Well, I guess we'll have to leave these lovebirds to their nest?"
"I quite agree with Anne here," Mrs. Scamander interjects. "Let the kids have some fun. You all have a room here at the estate anyway."
"I'll allow it," Mr. Goldstein says sternly eyeing Newt. "But no funny business you two."
This was enough to make Newt and Tina duck their heads and blush so hard. The adults bar Mr. Goldstein all chuckled and bid their goodnights to the young couple. Mrs. Goldstein had to drag Mr. Goldstein away from the reception to prevent him from chaperoning Newt and Tina.
At last Newt and Tina were left alone, standing side by side, still embarrassed at what Tina's father had just said. It was Tina who broke the awkward silence between them.
"I'm sorry. I'm sure daddy was just joking. He's just protective is all."
"And very rightfully so," Newt replies, looking up and finally meeting Tina's eye. "He wouldn't want his little girl hurt in any way."
Tina reaches out to hold Newt's hand to reassure him that her father wouldn't think he would ever hurt her but Newt didn't give Tina room to speak, he just continued, "And I would never dream of breaking the trust he put in me."
The words that just came out of Newt's mouth warmed her heart she couldn't help herself. She pulled Newt towards her and kissed him passionately. Newt snaked his arms around Tina's waist, pulling her flush against his body, eliminating any space that was between them when Tina touched her lips to his. They move almost immediately, adjusting to each other's bodies, Tina's arms finding their way around Newt's neck, pulling him closer to her if that was even possible. Newt deepened the kiss, to which Tina responded immediately. Tongues tangled for dominance and both only broke apart for much-needed oxygen before their lips were on each other again.
Newt was the first one to break the kiss. Tina looks at him puzzled, which only left Newt chuckling. He moves to caress Tina's flushed cheeks and gives her lips a final peck. "As much as I love kissing you Miss Goldstein," Tina smiles at this, linking Newt's and her own hands together before looking back up at him. "I might lose my head if I don't get you back up to your room in thirty minutes, so we better hurry up."
Newt pulls on Tina's hand and leads her out of the hall where the reception of her birthday party was conducted and onto the freshly mowed grass of the Scamander estate. Tina was struggling to keep up with Newt seeing as her shoes weren't exactly made for grass.
"Newt, hold up," Tina says in a struggle. "Not all of us are wearing shoes that could survive grass."
"Ditch them then," Newt says chuckling, still keeping a tight grip on Tina's hand. "You won't need them anyway."
Tina shakes her head at Newt and takes off her shoes in one swift motion and carried them with her free hand. Newt takes them deeper and deeper into the Scamander's beautiful gardens until they reached their special spot beneath the base of a tree. There Newt laid out a picnic for them, but instead of food, all that was to be found was a music player. Tina was curious as to how a music player could be a gift when she had already heard all the music she wanted to at her party. Newt read Tina through her expression almost immediately and simply smiled at her.
"I told you to listen to the lyrics to the song we danced to," Newt began to explain. "and I'm sure you did but just to make sure."
Newt then moves past Tina and hit play on the music player, extends his arms and offers his head out to her while simultaneously bowing. Tina, so amused by how her boyfriend was acting right now took his hand in time for him to stand straight and pull her close to him. The familiar instrumental sound of the song they danced to earlier played and they started to sway.
Tina remembered the voice of the singer of the song and the first few lyrics and was bracing herself to hear it again, but instead of hearing the original singer's voice, she heard Newt's. Newt holds out his hand for Tina to take, telling her with his eyes that he wanted to dance to the song with her again. Tina takes his hand immediately and waits for his him to lead her through the dance.
"I found a love for me...
Newt then bows, still gently grasping Tina's hand gently.
Darling, just dive right in...
Newt stands from his bow and raises his hands and starts to spin Tina around, which she does willingly.
and follow my lead...
Once Tina has fully spun around, Newt pulled her in closer to him, their noses touching as he continued to sing the song to Tina.
Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet
Newt starts to sway the both of them in place, following the rhythm of the music coming from the music player and his singing. Tina sways along with him, completely trusting Newt to get through this very intimate moment.
Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me...
Newt then starts to put some distance between him and Tina and does a combination of waltzes and turns as he continuted to sing those parts of the song that he knew.
'Cause we were just kids when we fell in loveNot knowing what it wasI will not give you up this timeBut darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I ownAnd in your eyes, you're holding mine..."
Newt stops singing and leans forward, touching his forehead to Tina's. They both close their eyes, both still swaying to the instrumental background music Newt had prepared, reveling in this private moment that only the both of them will share.
"I haven't memorized all of it yet," Newt says breathlessly a few seconds later. "But I will try to."
"Newt, you don't have to." Tina starts, still locked in this embrace with Newt. "The fact that you went through so much trouble to give me the best birthday ever is enough for me."
"But Tina, I'm not memorizing this song just because I think it's our song," he replies, his eyes now open, hand caressing Tina's cheeks to get her to look at him. "I'm doing it because his words, this Ed Sheeran's words, are exactly the words I mean to say to you for as long as you'll have me."
Tina looks at Newt, looks deep into his eyes, trying to understand what exactly he was saying to her. "You know I'm not good with people, I don't have good people skills. I actually still can't believe you agreed to be my girlfriend if I were being completely honest. It's been a year or so since you said yes and everyday I wake up and couldn't believe you did. Everyday I keep telling myself 'Newt, you better find a way to tell her how much she means to you, to show her how much you love her' and believe me Tina I do try, every day. But words are not my strong suit, every time I start to say something it turns out wrong. And this song, it's the only way I could fully put into words how I feel for your right now in this very moment. Well, maybe not really the entire song yet, but...oh bugger...see what I mean when I say I'm not good with words - ?"
Tears were streaming down Tina's face. She couldn't believe how lucky she was that this man in front of her, the man she loved so much also loved her back. She couldn't actually believe that at such a young age someone had felt for her things that she only believe existed in fairytales. She was too overcome with emotion and she couldn't find the right words to say to him right now. So all she could do was crash her lips onto his one more time for a passionate kiss. They both come up for air a minute later, Tina running her fingers across Newt's cheeks and enjoying how much his chin was beginning to become scruffy.
"Newt, actions speak louder than words," Tina says after finally figuring out what to say. "I don't need you to tell me every single waking moment of everyday how much I mean to you or how much you love me because I see it through your actions. We see a lot of our friends in school where their words don't exactly match their actions. And I am one lucky girl to have you love me because you definitely never fail to show me everyday how much."
Tina then closes her speech by crashing her lips once again onto his for a searing kiss. Newt returned the kiss fervently and they broke up for air a few minutes later. They settled in each others arms, their foreheads touching, reveling in the comfort of being in eachother's arms.
The music stops a few minutes later and they both stopped swaying and just stood there, foreheads touching, breathing in the air the other was breathing in to."I love you, Tina."
It was Newt who was first to break the comfortable silence."I love you, Tina."
"Happy Birthday, my Tina. I love you."
"I love you too, my Newt."
They both smile before giving each other one final kiss and walking back hand-in-hand to Tina's room, where her father was waiting.