Tina had never seen a wedding with so much pomp and circumstance in her life. The ceremony embodied that of a theatrical production: with elaborate decor and staging and a sea of well-to-do guests all done up in their best eveningwear that would put any Broadway production to shame. The list of attendees ranged from No-Maj's to wizards of high-ranking office. Lillian's great-great grandmother – a feisty woman with white hair and piercing eyes – was the only witch seated to the bride's side of the family. In comparison, Theseus' section was filled with all manner of magical folk; family, school friends - even the Minister of Magic himself came to bear witness to the war hero's wedding.
Tina couldn't help but to feel as though she'd been ill cast as she stood on display while the bride and groom recited their vows. She tried not to focus on the crowd, and fixated solely on Lillian and Theseus, picturing instead Queenie and Jacob. Her sister would make a beautiful bride, and Tina eagerly embedded the image of her sister draped in white satin to her memory.
Newt was the second image she gladly embedded into her brain; his perfect posture, the way his hair caught the sun's rays as well as the way he continually stole glances her way. Each one made the crooked grin on his face grow more radiant. He was paying Tina far more attention than his brother, to such a degree that Newt missed his cue to hand over the ring he'd been guarding valiantly. The affair passed with little scolding, and when Theseus kissed his bride thunderous applause rang through the air like the sound of a thousand galloping horses.
Perhaps the most exorbitant part of Theseus' and Lillian's wedding was the reception. Suddenly all the fuss about making sure everything was perfect and ready on time made sense to Tina. On the outside, the tent was no larger than a tool shed, but behind the flaps sat an interior that had been enchanted and stretched to the size of a grand ballroom.
Overhead, crystal chandeliers glittered prisms of light onto the polished marble floor. Large bouquets of cream and yellow roses crowned each table while perfuming the air with their alluring fragrance. The sheer number of the fresh flowers seemed impossible. A stage had been erected behind the wedding table, where a band was already filling the magical tent with soft melodies. Enchanted fireflies flitted through the air, dancing to the music resonating in the ambience.
Tina felt transported into a fairytale, completely awestruck by the majesty of it all. How could she not? Everything was so breathtaking.
"Bit over the top…" Newt mumbled as he led her to their place at the table. He politely pulled out her chair before seating himself next to her. "…I'd expect nothing less of my brother, though." He shrugged with a fond smile.
"You don't like parties?" Tina raised a brow. She felt as though she already knew the answer, but asked anyway - if only to hear him speak.
Newt laughed somewhat mirthlessly. "This is the first one I've gone to, really."
Guests began to file inside the tent in droves, sporadically seating themselves at the surrounding tables. Tina suddenly found herself wondering if Lillian had invited her into the wedding party just to ensure that she sat with Newt. She hoped that wasn't her only reasoning, but was still glad all the same to be so close to him.
"Same for me," she admitted. "I've been to a couple small weddings, but nothing of this scale. It will be a first for both of us." Tina chanced a coy smirk, and it made Newt beam to her satisfaction.
"Well, I'm certainly glad to share this bizarre human experience with you, Tina."
She nodded. "Me too."
By the time every guest had found a place for themselves at a table, including the bride and groom, dinner materialized in everyone's plate while each flute filled to the brim with bubbling champagne. The meal was divine to say the least, and even Tina had to admit it gave Queenie's cooking a run for its money. The savory meal awoke her taste buds with decadent flavors Tina didn't even know existed. Each morsel that passed her lips set off a yearning for more. Even the champagne was a sweet tanginess she'd never had the pleasure of tasting before. There seemed no end to the night's wonderment.
Near the end of the feast, Newt raised his glass to toast the newlyweds with a speech so genuine and heartfelt it made Tina misty-eyed. He spoke about when they were kids at Hogwarts, telling stories about their time during the war. He even talked about how the moment he met Lillian he knew his brother had found the perfect companion for life's journey. His voice never stuttered and by the end of it, Theseus wrapped him in an embrace long enough to make even Tina feel uncomfortable.
When Newt was finally able to sit back down, he was red in the face. Tina quickly seized his hand and held it firmly. "That was great, Newt!"
"I was rambling," he retorted.
She shook her head. "It sure didn't sound like it."
He reached a shaky hand over to grab his crystal stemware and gulped down the alcohol with ease; a second later the flute was full again.
"Thank you," he finally managed, tossing her a sideways glance.
Newt was about to say more when a portly gentleman bounded up to the table bearing a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The man gazed, starstruck, across the table long enough to govern a confused expression to twist onto Newt's face.
"May I help you?"
The stout man blinked a couple times and swallowed, extending the book to the Magizoologist. "Would you please sign it? I greatly enjoy your work."
It was Newt who looked awestruck then, and for whatever reason, he turned to Tina with a raised brow as if to ask how to best handle the strange situation. She responded as only she could, with a pointed nod as well as a look she felt best said, "sign the damn book, Newt."
"Um…" Newt shifted and took the book. "…you wouldn't happen to have a quill or pen on you, would you?"
The man brandished a fountain pen not a second later and eagerly offered it.
"Ah, thank you." New forced a quick grin for the man's sake and heedlessly scratched his name onto the first page of the book. "There you are…" he told his fan as he handed back the pen and book. "…I'm – er – glad you enjoyed it."
The portly man was grinning ear to ear when he took his possessions, as if it was suddenly the best day of his life. He muttered a breathless 'thank you' and disappeared among the mess of dancing figures.
"You handled that well." Tina playfully nudged his arm with her elbow and he chuckled.
"If you say so."
As it turned out, the stout man wasn't the only guest who was a fan of Newt's magical beast compendium. A sort of line had formed at the table, all people wanting to have a chat with the famous Magizoologist about his beloved creatures. Tina was only mildly aware of the activities going on around her, she was too entranced listening to Newt tell stories of his beasts and travels to concern herself with what the other attendees were doing. She observed each interaction between the admirer and Newt, noting which subjects garnered what reaction from him. Any question about the care of a specific beast had him speaking with a whirl of scientific jargon and passion as he explained what needed to be done to ensure the safety of both the creature and the caregiver. Those questions he liked. Some people asked about his travels; where had he been? What did he remember most about each place? Those answers had Newt speaking with a nostalgic smile as he expressed in vivid detail what the countries and cities were like. Those questions he liked, also. It was the personal questions that rubbed him the wrong way, and the not so subtle come-ons from a few women that made Tina's lips curl.
Thankfully, Newt was clever and easily thwarted their advances with odd tales of enjoying the taste of insects or preferring the company of his creatures to anyone else. Tina couldn't help but to laugh at how quickly those stories turned the women away. She'd enjoyed the whole scenario so much that when the line finally dwindled into nothing she sighed; no more words of his adventures.
Relief was quick to wash over Newt as the last person walked away from the other side of the table, giving him the air to breathe again. He jolted to his feet and smoothed out his suit jacket.
"Tina," he smiled down at her, sounding urgent. "Would you like to dance?"
The bravado in his tone surprised Tina, and just the notion of dancing with him stopped her words from flowing freely from her mouth. Instead of searching for what to say, she met him with a hoisted brow, thinking back to what a blunder it had been trying to teach him the Charleston when he'd last visited America. Newt's expression remained one of absolute certainty, and he beckoned her with an outstretched hand she was unable to turn away.
The emerald in his eyes sparkled the moment her hand caressed his, as if the gentle contact of her skin on his set flames ablaze behind them. Tina was blissfully unaware of the onlookers that followed the two of them with intent eyes as they made their way onto the dancefloor. She didn't care if they whispered or gawked, all her focus was on where his skin was touching hers, and Tina idly wondered if the rhythm she felt there was her heart or his.
The polished dance floor in the center of the tent offered copious amounts of space for the two of them to occupy, even with the couples already swaying fluidly along with the music. Newt led her to a spot far in a corner, flanked by nearly empty tables. The music was softer there, far from where the band played, and the air around them flickered in the glow of candlelight, causing shadows to dance over Newt's face. Every movement he took was careful, with a delicate hint of flourish. Newt directed her free hand to rest against his shoulder as he pressed his just above the swell of her hip in a caress that was both firm and tender. The touch of his warm fingers bled through the material of her dress to the cool skin underneath, prompting goose flesh to prickle back. Air seemed lost from her lungs, and with each whisper of breath she managed, her heartbeat pounded louder as Newt began leading her in a mix of measured steps and sways. He remained apart from her at the center, only enough to be chivalrous. Tina was glad for that. The sensations and thoughts his hands on hers had already invoked where anything but appropriate. His wistful strides, lazy swaying, and the way he drank her in had her under his spell. His eyes were pools of black in the dim light, rimmed with a dark-green shine that seemed bewitched.
Tina trusted his every movement, allowing him to lead her in a dance far more elegant than she ever would have imagined him capable of. His steps never faltered, and she easily kept his pace, never moving her focus from his face just inches apart from hers. The ghost of a smile was playing around his eyes and lips, barely visible in the glint of candlelight.
When the music faded into the indistinguishable prattle of guests, they both felt that it was too soon. The two of them stood in a locked gaze all the while feeling as though they were still spinning - despite their firmly planted feet. Newt's hands still held her, and Tina made no attempt at freeing herself from their grasp. Thousands of miles separated her from New York, her home, and yet as she lingered so close to the intriguing man in front of her, home was no longer far away. The music had not stopped for them, in their minds they were still twirling across the marble floor in a room absent of everyone but each other. Newt's gaze was heavy on her; longing and oh, so very…intimate. The black of his pupils shrank as his focus honed, melding his green irises into swirling cauldrons of gold and blue flakes. There was a confidant uncertainty in the smoldering vortex of his eyes that Tina felt matched her own.
"Newton!"
All at once reality crashed back upon them as his name rang in their ears. The music was gone – drowned by the clamor of nosy guests, the dreamlike spinning vanished, and Newt finally let his hands fall to his sides.
"Mum," he greeted her with a quick, toothless half smirk.
"…I was about to say dear, de music 'as stopped."
Louise was fancifully draped on the arm of a tall, posh looking gentleman whom Tina gathered to be Thaddeus, Newt's father. He and his youngest son shared their height, as well as the same chin and nose. Thaddeus' eyes resembled Newt's in that they were the same blend of green and blue, missing, however, the specks of gold. The man had an intimidating stature on account of his height and wide shoulders. His dark hair was slicked back and a perfectly manicured mustache – peppered with grey – adorned his upper lip.
"Yes, well. We may have gotten a bit carried away." He admitted. "Didn't we Tina?"
She nodded quickly; suddenly aware of the hand he'd moved to rest lightly at the small of her back. "Yes."
A pause drifted between them, most of which Louise spent casting the couple fond glances and smirks. Newt then cleared his throat.
"Tina, I haven't had the chance to introduce you to my father, Thaddeus…"
Tina stumbled through her best attempt at a curtsy, feeling foolish the entire time. "Sir."
"Father," Newt continued. "I'd like you to meet Miss Tina Goldstein."
Thaddeus politely inclined his head with a charming, closed lip smirk.
"She's an Auror for MACUSA, father. A rather good one…assisting in the capture of Grindlewald," Newt added in a tone that was unabashed and full of pride.
"Quite an accomplishment for a witch as young as you." Thaddeus seemed impressed. "I dare say the Ministry could do with a few more witches such as yourself."
Tina digested his compliments as best she could. Is his family always so nice? – she cast Newt a glance in her peripheral to find him exultant.
"Thank you, sir." She finally decided on, attempting to not look as overwhelmed and as intimidated as she felt. Tina didn't often go fishing for recognition, so it was only natural for her to feel slightly flustered.
Thaddeus moved his focus to his youngest son after a moment, hoisting a brow into a quizzical arch. "How is it you came across such a lovely Auror in your travels? I don't recall you ever telling us that story." He tilted his chin in challenge, waiting to hear what his son had to say.
Newt's brow furrowed for a moment before giving way to a soft laugh – a nervous sounding chortle. His eyes dropped to his shoes and he fidgeted with his ear.
"Well, erm. She arrested me." There was little shame in his voice, in fact Tina was sure there wasn't any.
Louise burst with bubbling laughter, loud enough to cause a few stray glances, while Thaddeus only appeared mildly surprised.
"It was a minor incident," Tina lied, figuring Newt didn't want to divulge too much of the long story at present.
"Yes, involving my Niffler, and Tina was kind enough to help recapture him." Newt added to the fib, trying to stifle a cheeky grin by biting his lip. "After she arrested me, of course."
Louise's laughter died down, leaving an oddly pleased smirk on her wide lips, and Thaddeus shook his head. "Well, I'm certainly glad you were able to wrangle my criminal son and his incorrigible pet."
Newt's eyes narrowed at his father's derogatory usage of the term pet and was about to argue when a large group of guests yanked him and his wife away.
"Your father is, umm…"
"He is. Very much so." Newt interjected, still visibly irked by his father's remark.
"In a good way though…" Tina added.
"Mmm…" Newt didn't sound convinced.
Music filled the tent again, an upbeat tune that coaxed more people onto the dance floor around them. Tina absently watched the couples as they spun and bounced along jovially with the beat and was reminded of the dance Newt had shown her on his last trip to America. What a scene we'd make doing that…
Tina couldn't quell the chuckle that escaped her from the thought of such a display. Her small laugh – seemingly from nothing – caused Newt to crane his head to one side in silent question.
She waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing."
The answer was unsatisfactory to him, and he deepened his expression with an arched brow.
Tina sighed. "Remember Jacob's bakery last Christmas Eve? I was just thinking you could show these people a thing or two about dancing…"
It took him a moment to process what she was hinting at – his thoughts drifting over his face like clouds – until he finally worked it out – pink flooding to his cheeks.
"I doubt my brother would forgive me if I ruined his wedding dancing like that." He smirked despite his serious tone, and Tina felt it was probably best he keep his mating dance skills to himself.
"You're probably right."
A lull passed between them then, void of words or glances. It was only a slightly uncomfortable few seconds that passed painfully slow enough for Tina to realize she and Newt were the only ones standing and not dancing. She wanted to join them to some degree, wanted the feel of Newt spinning her across the floor to envelop her again, but that moment, she feared, had passed. Newt wasn't even looking at her anymore, and that sent a pang of disappointment through her that was sharper than she cared to admit. He was filing through his own thoughts it seemed, still somewhat peeved over his father's comment.
The moment stretched on, growing more and more uncomfortable the longer they stood motionless. Before long, Tina had had enough of it and started to make her way back to her seat at the table, only to have her arm caught by Newt's urgent grasp. His eyes were pained then, when she caught them in wordless apology for his behavior. He stole her hand in his, encasing hers in a warm embrace and guided her out of the tent.
Each step he took was deliberate, in his odd – almost sideways canter. It was as if he were stalking prey, a habit she figured he picked up during his time in the field, as his feet moved light and soundless against the dewy earth. The English county air was brisk and stung Tina's exposed skin in a wintery kiss. The breeze in the night was too much for the wrap Queenie had made for her shoulders – it was failing her. A frantic chill rattled her slender frame, causing goosebumps to hump across her bare skin. Tina suddenly missed the comfortable temperature of the reception tent, but she wasn't about to go back on her own. Newt's spontaneous journey into the tranquil night air had sparked her interest and she didn't want to abandon him.
He released her hand long enough to shuck off his suit coat with tails, and drape it around her shoulders. Immediately she let out a contented sigh as the jacket encompassed her in warmth – his warmth. The article smelled like him; rich flavors of turned earth, mixed with the champagne they had been drinking – had he spilled it on himself? There was another odor too, much stronger, one that Tina guessed was solely him. It was also rich, but with underlying sweetness; like fresh air over the tang of an ocean breeze – bitter and sweet.
Tina pulled it tighter to herself welcoming its perfume, and did her best to match Newt's pace.
"Where are we going?" She asked absently.
"Would you join me on a walk?" his voice was soft and airy, melting into the breeze as it blew between them.
"I already am, aren't I?"
"We can go back if you'd like?" He glanced at her in question.
"No!" Tina protested a little too loudly. "I just mean…I'd love to take a walk with you."
Newt laughed a soft chortle at her enthusiasm and dazzled her with a crooked smirk as he pulled her forward evermore.
The moon was full and bright overhead, casting columns of silvery light over the vast countryside they strolled through. The majesty of nature in nocturnal embrace was something Tina didn't often get to enjoy. New York was beautiful in its own way after the heavy blanket of night took hold of the city, but light snuffed out most of the shadow among the forest of buildings. But here the sky was boundless, and the shadows were thick and unthreatening. It was an otherworldly scene that made Tina feel as though she'd been transported into a different plane of existence.
Eventually Newt's learned steps brought them to an old stone wall that snaked over the pasture hills as far as she could see. In the pouring moonlight the grey stones were painted in deep shades of blue and black, some even in purple. The weather-beaten wall acted as Newt's guide in towing Tina up to the summit of a grassy slope, farther and farther away from the tent behind them.
Their journey ended when they reached a solitary tree at the peak. It's skeletal branches fanned out like veins from the ancient trunk, peppered by delicate spring buds just shy of sprouting. The view from where they stood looked out over everything from the Scamander's estate, the Hippogriff paddocks and to the reception tent.
"I'm sorry I spent most of dessert talking to strangers…" Newt said rather out of the blue. A familiar semblance of guilt and irritation had taken root on his face again. "…Also for stealing you away from the party. My motives were entirely selfish— but I was feeling suffocated in there."
With a calculated hop, Tina perched herself atop the old wall. The cold stones bit her thighs through the fabric of her dress and she quickly tucked her hands under her legs to shield her sensitive skin.
"I actually enjoyed watching you with your fans," she informed him with a half shrug. He looked at her from under his unruly hair, some of the guilt fading into intrigue. "And the way you talk about your creatures…" Tina smiled fondly. "…It's almost exactly how a mother talks about her children."
Newt chuckled. "I have been known to refer to myself as 'mum' on more than one occasion." He scratched the back of his head and lent against the stone wall casually.
"I'm also glad you stole me away from the party." Tina glanced upward through the woven laces of blossoming branches and into the depths of the satin black sky above. "This is just the place I want to be…" her words faded and her eyes fluttered away from the sky and to Newt, beside her. "…With you."
She chanced a look that met his eyes for only a moment to judge his reaction. You're being too forward, Tina. Back it off - she mentally kicked herself. However, before she shifted her gaze back to the starry vortex looming over her, Tina swore she caught a spark ignite in his eyes. Even the side of his mouth curled into a delighted smirk. At least she thought.
Newt sidestepped closer to her in increments - she was too busy marveling at the sky to notice.
"The stars are so beautiful out here…" Tina whispered, encouraging a topic change, still a little embarrassed by her brazen comment.
"Mhm," Newt murmured from deep in his throat.
Tina was suddenly aware of the weight of his glance upon her, somehow intense and delicate all at once. The sensations it brought sent Tina's heart into almost a panicked rhythm, her breaths were slow and deep. Swiftly the stars lost their allure and Newt was all she could see. He was beside her, sitting close enough she could smell the faint scent of alcohol rolling off of his breath. A lump grew in her throat, choking her ability to say the words she wanted to speak. Time stood still.
He touched her then, with tender, calloused fingertips that danced lightly over her cheek while his eyes spoke to her in silent poems. His thumb – rough on her soft skin - traced her jaw with gentle circles that would have sent Tina spiraling had she not been able to calm herself with a deep breath. As Newt's careful hand coaxed her face nearer his, Tina let her eyes flutter shut, but not before she caught him licking his lips. The sight made her chest go tight and heat coil in her middle. His movements were scrupulous, with heedful gestures – the anticipation was killing her.
Tina wanted him to do it, she realized, with a powerful wave of certainty. She'd wanted him to close the distance separating them, to taste his lips on hers. In truth she'd thought of little else since he'd kissed her forehead when he'd said goodbye to her all those months ago. His lips had embedded in her a secret longing that even she wasn't privy to, until she had him close again.
"It's okay…" She breathed with encouragement. "Newt…I want—"
His mouth stopped hers from continuing. Newt's lips were every bit as sweet and salty as she'd imagined. It was not a deep kiss, little more than his lips lingering on hers – motionless. Yet it was enough to send Tina reeling. In the handful of kisses she'd shared with her meager number of gentleman callers, never had the act filled her with such a wild rush of affection and yearning. Her lips were at home on his. She was lost in him and the way his fingers massaged the soft skin on her neck as he boldly deepened the kiss enough for their heads to tilt.
It wasn't until bright, glittering flashes of light broke overhead as fireworks filled the night sky that they pulled away with a startled jump. Newt and Tina laughed together, sounding winded. Her heart was still pounding away in dull beats that seemed just as prominent as the loud, fiery display. Newt looked only somewhat flustered, more exceedingly satisfied than anything. Neither of them dared to spoil the moment with words; instead, Tina laid her head on Newt's shoulder and he took her hand in his while the two of them watched the fireworks, as the ones inside them continued to burst.
A/N:Okay, I wanted to get this posted on Sunday, but I've been busy all day and now it's 2am Monday... *sigh*... anywho... THEY KISSED! Not a grand kiss by any means, but all good things come to those who wait! I hope you enjoyed, and weren't disappointed. I'll keep you posted on my tumblr when you can expect the next chapter, we are getting close to the end!
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that's where I post progress and links to my fics if you guys are interested.
Also HUGE thank you and shout out to my beta onebethatatime and katiehavok. They are wonderful and I owe them both so much for making these chapters readable.