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"Goldstein, get out of here already!" Tina looked up to see her boss standing over her desk.
She looked at him questioningly. "Sir?"
"I overheard you talking about your magizoologist boyfriend coming back into town today and he was bringing his new book with him," her boss explained.
"He's not my boyfriend," she automatically replied even though she knew he was much more than that, "I've only seen him once since Grindelwald was unmasked last year." She frowned. "Has my work been unsatisfactory today?"
He raised a sceptical blond eyebrow at her before he shook his head. "No, not at all, Miss Goldstein, but I can tell that your concentration has been deteriorating as the day progresses. You only have an hour left, and you're over by two as it is, plus we've been slow all day and I have sent a few others home as well."
"I—I," Tina sputtered as she tried to figure out if he was actually serious.
"Go home, Miss Goldstein, and make sure to bring me a copy of Mr Scamander's book when you come in on Monday." Her boss turned before she could say anything else and made his way towards his office.
"Thank you, sir," Tina called out. "I will bring it first thing in the morning. Enjoy your weekend, sir."
"Enjoy your weekend as well." He disappeared into his office, leaving Tina alone at her desk once again.
She looked around to see that he had indeed sent at least three of her fellow co-workers home before he decided to send her home as well. The holiday decorations looked quite sad in the darkness that overtook them from the empty desks.
"Tempus," she intoned. Once the time popped up, she smiled as she decided to make a slight detour on her way home.
Capping her inkwell, she then cleaned her quill tip before placing everything in its respective drawers and locking up for the weekend. After she grabbed her coat and purse, she tapped her wand against her desk, whispering, "Nox," to turn off the overhead light.
Making her way through the different festive levels of the ministry, she quickly made her way towards the Apparition point off the main entrance so she could surprise Newt when his ship arrived. A massive Christmas tree took over the far wall of the lobby and she could see snow starting to come down outside.
She hurried towards her destination and once there, she slipped inside the small room and after taking a deep breath, she was gone in the blink of an eye. Seconds later, she reappeared across town at the Ellis Island Apparition point.
"S.S. Cleveland has arrived at dock seven," a disembodied voice sounded as she left the room behind her and made her way to where she could meet her boyfriend after he passed through customs. Yes, her boss was right in his assumptions even if her immediate reaction right now is to say no since it's all so new still.
As she neared the dock in question, she could see that the ship was indeed already docked and passengers were standing at the rails waiting to disembark. She searched through the crowd, looking for Newt's telltale black and yellow scarf and blue coat, but most were masked by the flurry of snowflakes that were starting to fall faster. She pulled her coat tighter around herself and moved further away from the ship to try and stay out of the elements.
It wasn't until Newt was passing a customs officer after being cleared almost a half hour later that Tina finally saw him.
She called as she quickly made her way towards him, "Newt!"
His eyes lit up as he saw her and a grin replaced the haggard travel-weary look that had darkened his face only seconds beforehand. "Tina! What are you doing here?" He wrapped her in a hug.
Tina buried her nose in his shoulder and hugged him back. "We were slow at work and I had extra time this week so I was able to leave early." She grinned. "Plus I am looking forward to finally reading this new book of yours."
"So what you're saying is your boss sent you home early, right?"
Tina laughed into his shoulder. "Maybe."
Newt chuckled as he pulled back and looked at her. "I've missed you."
Tina smiled at him. "I've missed you too."
He held out his arm and after she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, he led the way back to the small, utilitarian room she had arrived in earlier. "As for my 'new' book, it's not that different from what I've shared with you when I was here last. Really just a smidge has been changed."
Tina raised an eyebrow. "Your version of just a smidge and everyone else's version tends to be quite a bit different." She squeezed his elbow. "Now, we'll go home where you can catch up on your sleep and I can indulge in reading your new book and trying a new drink Queenie said she wanted me to try before we have dinner later."
"Do you know what it is?"
Since they were only a few feet away, she waited until they were in the Apparition room before she replied. "Yes, it's a NoMaj drink called Cranberry Citrus."
"Sounds tart and sweet," Newt replied. He grinned impishly. "Just like you."
Tina smirked. "I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?"
Newt brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear as his grin sobered into a soft smile and he whispered, "We will."
A light blush darkened Tina's cheeks and she grasped Newt's hand. "Are you ready?"
"To find out if the drink is like you?"
She chuckled and shook her head. "You're incorrigible. No, to go home."
"Of course," Newt replied. He gripped Tina's hand in his own and waited for her to Apparate them home.
Once they arrived at the apartment Tina shared with Queenie, Newt retired to Tina's bedroom while she followed her sister's directions. Drink in hand, she settled on their couch to start reading Newt's finished Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them book and wait for Queenie to come home for the evening.
Hours later, Tina was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't hear Newt wake up and join her.
"I was right," he declared after he took a sip from his own glass.
Tina started from her reading, dropping the book and almost sending her drink flying. She placed her hand over her heart to try and steady herself. "About what?"
"The drink," he replied. "It's tart and sweet just like you are. It is very delicious."
Tina blushed at his compliment. "Thank you."
"What do you think of what you've read so far?"
"I really like it. Each section is more in-depth than what I saw a while back." She picked the book up from where it had fallen on the floor. "And all the different kinds of dragons you included will be really helpful for people around where dragons live to have a better understanding of what kind of dragon they're dealing with if they come across one."
"You think it's ready for publishing?"
Tina nodded. "I do."
"I'm glad to hear that." Setting his drink on the coffee table, Newt joined her on the couch and pulled the book from her hands. "Let me show you my favourite part," he said as he flipped through the book.
That's how Queenie found the couple an hour later when she returned home from work. Curled up together on the couch, enjoying her new drink and Newt's book.