A/N: Autistic Newt is my favourite headcanon for the Harry Potter universe, and I relate so much to him.
Frost salamanders are mentioned in a couple of the Harry Potter video games, but I don't think they exist in the movies or books. Mixing canons, here we go!
Newt is different. He's been different for as long as he could remember, ever since he realized most people liked exchanging eye contact and repetitive sentences filled with words they both knew the meaning of. It's not bad being different – at least he doesn't think it is – but most people get tired of it and find him annoying after a little while.
Except, Jacob doesn't. And neither does Tina.
Tina is also different, with her beautiful smile and her eyes like fire in dark water. Newt thinks she's fun and sweet and interesting. He just doesn't know how to tell her without losing the proper words.
She visits his suitcase often, helping him tend to the beasts and listening to him talk about and to them. She never minds when he starts rambling about all his special creatures, and she finds it endearing when he compliments her using the only metaphors that come to him easily. Your eyes are like salamanders.
Still, even though he knows Tina understands, Newt wishes he had the words. It would be so much nicer if he could just do what Jacob and Queenie do and trade affectionate whispers or call each other names that mean nothing to anyone else. It would be better than his awkward motioning and fleeting eye contact.
One day, Tina comes into his suitcase dressed in a light blue dress. It's Newt's favourite colour and she looks stunning. He smiles at her. "You look beautiful," he says. "Like an Occamy."
Tina grins back. "Do you think so?" she says, doing a small twirl. "I didn't know if this dress suited me, but Queenie convinced me to get it while we were shopping."
"She was right," Newt says, wanting to reach out and touch the beaded fringe. There's more he wants to say, but it builds up behind his tongue and won't come out.
Tina seems to understand anyway. "What are you doing today?" she asks, turning to look at the environment and away from Newt.
Thank you, he wants to say. "Frost salamander," he says instead.
"That sounds interesting. Can I help?" Tina asks.
"Of course," Newt replies. He leads her over to where the salamander is, already running through how much he wants to tell her in his head.
Tina gasps when the air hits her. "Oh! It's cold!" she says.
Newt nods. "Frost salaman – " he starts, before realizing that Tina wasn't actually interested in telling him about the weather conditions. "Here," he says, pulling out his wand and casting a quick Summoning Charm. Most people wouldn't be allowed to touch Newt's coat. It's very special to him, but so is Tina and he knows she wouldn't hurt it or do anything to it.
She wraps it around herself and looks at Newt, making eye contact in the way only she can where it feels gentle instead of heavy and sharp. "Thanks, Newt," she says. Stepping up beside him to look out at where the frost salamander is playing, she leans ever so slightly into him.
Newt might be different, but he has Tina and she's different too, and together they manage to find a balance. "I – " he starts, looking at Tina in his coat. "Take my coat. It's cold outside."
Reaching out, Tina links her fingers with Newt's. "Thank you," she says again, the words sounding like me too, and I know all at the same time.