Always

Change

It was a few days later after the final tree was fully decorated and even the creatures were soaking up the festive spirit when a frozen looking owl came fluttering in and skidded to a halt just at dinner, narrowly avoiding a bowl full of freshly baked bread rolls.
"Mercy Lewis!" Tina exclaimed loudly, throwing her head up from a pile of paperwork that Newt had tried (and failed) to pry her away from. Taking one quick look at the bird, he saw the slightly frosty owl was his parents' owl, Echo.  Gingerly picking Echo up he seemed to react better to the warmth of the house and fluttered about until he was resting on the crook of his arm.
"Is it for you Newt?"Jacob asked from the stove where he was spooning out rich pieces of shepherds pie.
"Yes, it's my parent's owl" As Newt peeled off the Scamander family seal he heard a light thwack and looked up momentarily to see Queenie about to whack Tina again with a tea towel. Tina mumbled grumpily in protest and Queenie responded unprompted
"Oh stop being such a sour puss and put your work away- Don't start you know for a fact that this can wait for tomorrow" Returning to the envelope he heard Tina mumble
"Oh fine."
Pulling out the neatly folded parchment Newt unfolded it and began to read his mothers elegantly slanted script.

Dear Newton and Tina
Due to previous years interruptions (you being out of the country, you and Theo being at each other's throats and Ministry balls) I am insisting we have a proper family Christmas. Theseus has already said he and Leta will be spending a week with us (arriving the twenty-third) due to him managing to somehow get a week off. Does Tina have a similar arrangement? At the very least we are spending Christmas Day together. I decorated the tree the other day and I got slightly teary remembering you brothers getting all excited for your presents. Please relay the invitation to Queenie, Jacob and Nagini and I will NOT accept No for an answer. Love you darlings and I can't wait to see you both.
Mother x
He wordlessly sat down and handed the letter to Tina. Seeing her immediate confusion he supplied
"It's written to both of us" She nodded and began to read as Newt turned to the three others at the table (All buttering bread rolls and peering curiously at the couple)
"Would you like to spend Christmas with my family? I mean the games get rather competitive and me and my brother often have at least one spat but-"
"Newt we'd love to!" Queenie exclaimed to Jacob and Nagini's vigorous nodding. He then moved his gaze to Tina who had now put the letter down and was looking back at Newt.
"So? Think you can put up with my brother on your days off?" Tina smiled and said
"If he gets too much I can just tie him to a chair again" Newt burst out laughing, as did Tina, the mental image of Theseus flying backwards on a desk chair entering his mind. When they composed themselves enough to talk again Newt replied
"That would probably be rather effective. Can we do that again?" Tina took a proffered plate of food as she directed a raised eyebrow towards Newt.
"Please?" Newt whined in a teasing tone and Tinas eyebrow raised further
"Just this once?"
"Keep begging like that and it'll be you I'm tying to a chair" He did not know what possessed him to do it, but before he could stop himself he had replied smoothly (infinitely smoother than most of his interactions usually go)
"Well perhaps I'll let you" Newt felt his face flush for the first time in a while and he saw Tina's pale cheeks take on what he assumed was a similar rosy hue. On the other end of the table, Nagini choked on a mouthful of potato and Jacob and Queenie both watched looking rather shocked. Wincing, he gulped and took to staring at his plate. He blamed it entirely on the freer man Tina caused him to be but that didn't stop the clearly intimate undertones of his comment being inappropriate. Newt was certain Tina would be disgusted by him, they had flirted before (quite a lot and mostly inadvertently) but this was a whole new action
But would I mind it though?
Trying to banish that thought he maintained eye contact with the scrubbed kitchen table.
"Oh," Tina whispered and Queenie almost audibly rolled her eyes and said
"Tina he meant it in both the ways ya thinkin'. Newt she ain't disgusted by you, actually kinda opposite so stop staring at the table thinkin' she's about to break up with you or somethin'. I know neither of you has ever got this far but y'know, this is just how relationships progress. So let's have dinner" Newt slowly raised his eyes and caught Tinas gaze. The auror smiled shyly at her from across the table then began to eat, both of them gradually joining in the friendly (if not slightly embarrassed) conversation.