Crescendo: A Fantastic Beasts Newtina Fanfiction

Chapter 31

       Tina stood up as a waltz began to play softly from no where in particular. Queenie and Jacob, both with wide smiles on their faces, led the guests to an open area behind the chairs. The newlyweds began to waltz to the lilting music, opening the dance, as the rest of the guests paired up and slowly joined in one by one. 

       Tina could feel Newt standing awkwardly beside her. They were the only ones left who weren't dancing now. Tina bit her lip nervously, trying to ignore the tension in the air between them. She gazed around the marquee, and her gaze landed of the food laden buffet table. Thinking that this was the perfect excuse, she said to Newt, "Let's get some food?"

       Newt nodded almost before she had even finished her sentence. "Yes. I um – I can't dance anyway," he mumbled.

       Tina felt so relieved that she almost laughed. "That's good," she breathed, blowing her hair out of her face as she exhaled. "I can't dance, either."

       Newt flashed her a quick grin, which she couldn't help but return, and the tension between them gradually melted away. They walked towards the buffet table, and Tina could see that there was a great variety of foods there, including pastries from Jacob's bakery. She recognized the Niffler shaped bread, paczkis, and glazed Demiguise pastries. There were also strudels, cakes, tea sandwiches, cheese and crackers, grapes, rolls, and, Tina realized with a smile to herself, miniature hot dogs. 

       She reached out and plucked a little hot dog from a platter, and she heard Newt stifle a laugh beside her. Turning around, she glared at him indignantly.

       "I knew you would go for the hot dogs," Newt said, grinning.

       "I happen to enjoy eating hot dogs, Newt," she said with as much dignity as she could muster, considering she was still holding the bread wrapped sausage between her fingers.

       Newt shook his head and snorted quietly, apparently amused. 

       "Oh, so you think I'm not serious?" Tina challenged. "Well, go on, try one and then we'll see whose right!"

      Newt bit his lip, and he looked as though he were trying with all his might not to collapse onto the floor with great waves of laughter. Tina, feeling slightly annoyed, but amused nonetheless, snatched another miniature hot dog off the plate and brandished it at the Magizoologist.

       "Okay, okay, I'll try it!" Newt said hastily as he put his hands up, ducking his head. "Just calm down and try not to stab my eye out with that hot dog, please?"

      Tina sighed and handed over the snack, rolling her eyes. Newt accepted the hot dog, and held it in his hand as if it was a bomb about to go off. 

       "It's not going to kill you, it's a hot dog!" Tina cried exasperatedly throwing her hands up. "Eat it."

       She put her own hot dog in her mouth, and widened her eyes to prove to Newt that they were absolutely fine. Swallowing, she said, "They're not poisoned."

       Newt stared at the hot dog with a mix of apprehension and interest. "I've never had a hot dog before."

       "What?" Tina exclaimed, not daring to believe her ears. "Then you have to try it!"

       The Englishman glanced from the hot dog he was holding to Tina. "Well, it's just that the name isn't exactly very appealing," he said slowly. 

       Tina snorted. "Never mind the name, just try it. Trust me, you'll like it."

       Newt hesitated, then he popped the hot dog into his mouth. He chewed slowly, a thoughtful look on his face. Tina watched him closely, examining his expression. Newt swallowed.

       "It's alright," he decided. "Not too bad, but not exactly my favorite thing in the world, either."

       Tina gaped mutely at him. "How can you not love it?" she asked.

       Newt shrugged.

       "It's because there wasn't any mustard. It has to be," Tina said convincingly. 

       "Actually, I prefer ketchup," Newt told her.

       Tina scoffed. "Ketchup is for wimps. Mustard is the superior condiment, everyone knows that."

       Newt laughed. "Our opinions differ slightly, then," he said with the air of court-martialing someone.

       The brunette shook her head. "I can't believe you," she snorted.

       "You should," Newt grinned.

       Tina ignored him pointedly and turned to watch the guests instead. They were dancing around under the marquee in pairs, smiling and laughing. Classical music with stringed instruments was playing, and most of the guests were waltzing around, except for an eccentric looking pair of brothers, who were doing the wave and bobbing their heads side by side. Mr. and Mrs. Kowalski were dancing together, with Mr. Kowalski still sobbing loudly. His wife patted him comfortingly on the back, smiling slightly. Queenie and Jacob swept up to them, both looking very breathless indeed. 

       "Hi Teenie!" Queenie called out brightly.

       "Hey," Tina said, smiling at her sister.

       "How come you guys aren't dancing?" Jacob asked.

       "Newt," Queenie stage whispered. "Ask Teen to dance with you!"

       Tina groaned and face-palmed. How could her sister possibly do this to her?  "Queenie," she hissed warningly.

       Her sister appeared not to have heard her, and was staring at Newt, waiting for his response. Newt had gone bright pink and was shuffling from foot to foot, blinking embarrassedly. "I, um – I don't dance," he muttered.

       "Oh come on Newt, sure you do!" Queenie encouraged.

       Tina shot a glare at her sister, which was again ignored.

       "Dancing isn't so bad," Jacob added, which caused Tina to turn her glare onto him. He winced as her eyes burned through him, and snapped his mouth shut.

       "I really can't dance," Newt repeated, staring at the floor.

       "And I can't dance, either," Tina pitched in before her sister could say anything more.

       "You can learn," Queenie insisted. "Together!"

       Tina wanted to walk up to the nearest wall and violently hit her head against it a few thousand times. She contained herself to an irrated and embarrassed snort instead.

       "You know what," she began. "Why don't you and Jacob get back onto that dance floor and waltz around?"

       Tina grabbed the two by their elbows and shoved them away, deaf to Queenie's indignant protests. Jacob didn't seem to mind continuing dancing, and she figured that he would be able to convince Queenie to leave her and Newt alone.

       She returned to where Newt was standing awkwardly by the buffet table. "That's that taken care of," she said, dusting her hands off.

       Newt made a noise halfway between a snort and a cough. "Thank you. I felt quite tempted to do that myself, but it didn't seem proper to push the bride and groom away," he said, laughing a little.

       "Sisterly privileges," Tina joked.

       "That proves useful," Newt said, grinning.

       "Sorry about that, by the way," Tina apologized. "Sometimes she can be really..."

       "I know. I haven't forgotten about Theseus," Newt chuckled.

       Tina shook her head, exasperated but still fond. "Siblings," she said. "You can't hate them, and you can't love them, either."

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I'm really pressed for time today. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! :)