Plymouth Rock

[Gardenia Hathaway]

The train pulled into station with a loud whistle, slowing to a stop. There was a bustle, loud and vibrant as to be expected of a busy train station. However, this was nothing like the London station the train had left from, this one was boring compared.

As the passengers were let off the train, businessman after local after visitor piled out in their dregs to greet the bright, crisp, late summer morning. It was all slightly monotonous until the brilliant blue of a well-dressed fashionable young lady came out. She popped up a large cream lace parasol and walked down the platform to the entrance, a number of navy blue and gold trunks bobbing up and down in pursuit of her. Her dress was exquisite , a brilliantly clear forget-me-not blue with thin white vertical stripes. She had on a matching tiny hat, or fascinator with white speckled lace that covered down to her nose. Her white-blonde hair hung in ringlets, meticulously styled.

As she reached the entrance she stopped just out of the way, a sweet smile plastered on her wide pink lips.

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper stood on the platform, his hands shoved firmly in his trouser pockets, his face pulled into a pursed sort of pensive scowl biting the inside of his cheek. His eyes did not exactly focus on the train as it pulled into the train with its familiar of screeches and whistles. The last of the hurried correspondences between him and Mr. Hathaway lay in his pocket though he felt no urge to read it again. The contract was set. And she was here. Or she should be. The thought that his new American ward might have missed the train only set his expression deeper.

The man that stood just behind him cleared his throat and nodded towards one of the carriages. At first he saw only passengers milling about in general confusion as they got their bearings. With a second nod from the man Jasper took another look. Oh right. She wasn't ten any more. She stood there in all her finery, like a sore thumb. She was everything he should have expected but did not. He reshuffled his face into one surely more acceptable and clasped his arms behind him. With a few strides he approached the young woman, her face dappled in the delicate shadows of her lace parasol.

“Miss Hathaway?” He asked with some uncertainty. He had trouble rectifying the woman before him with the ten year old girl he remembered her to be.

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

From where she had been looking down, her pale lashes flickered up before a wide, white smile lit up her face, grinning. "Jasper!" her eyes lit up and she put her parasoul down, resting it against one of her bags. She stepped forwards, arms going around his neck as she kissed his cheek, happily hugging him like she would when she was ten years old.

"Gosh! It has been so long!" She pulled back, eyes bright and happy. "How are you?"

She bent down to pick up her parasoul again, letting it rest just behind her head so as not to obscure Jasper's view of her. Her skin was clear and there was a soft blush to the apples of her cheeks, her eyes were bright and sparkled at him along with her bright smile.

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper might have actually forgotten to breathe for a moment as the girl jumped up and wrapped her arms around him. Then followed her lips to his face and her used of his first name. A casual touch to the back of his hand would have been intimate. This was… His mind sputtered to think of a word for it surely as his mouth sputtered a string of unintelligible protests. His hands hung uselessly in the air because to push her to an appropriate distance would have meant touching her somewhere.

He was relieved when she stepped back and weak smile lit his face. No wonder she had invoked scandal back in her home town. And now here she was, oceans away, with public displays like this. Contractual uncle, not a stranger, he reminded himself. He supposed her actions were slightly less audacious in light of him being some sort of uncle figure. And with that thought the blurred memory of her 10 year old self planted itself firmly in the forefront of his mind. She needed a husband. Fast.

Still, it was hard to deny the infectious nature of her personality and her obvious physical attributes. “I can't believe you remember me. It was… you were... Ten years is a long time to remember."

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

"Of course I remember you!" Gardenia's smile faltered somewhat, taking that as factual proof that he barely rememberd her at all; and of course that meant that there was nothing about her to remember. She was still only eighteen-years-old and sadly other's opinions of her still mattered somewhat.

Gardenia straightened up and plastered the smile back onto her face, hoping he didn't notice the slip in her facade. "I remember when you visited last. We took a walk down to the river. Just you and I! You carried me over it on your back so we could pick flowers on the other side..." Gardenia laughed slightly. "Then you carried me all the way home after I down right, refused to get off you!" Gardenia's accent was attracting some attention, let alone her clothes and trunks, all of which expressed great fortune.

Gardenia looked to behind Jasper, noticing the man standing there, and she raised a hand to wave at him sweetly, before smiling back to Jasper. "You don't look happy to see me, I hope I am not causing you any sort of problems." Gardenia's pretty, angelic face turned down, a frown similar to a pout, hopeful that he would quickly reassure her that her presence was not only okay but most welcome.

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper rubbed the back of his neck taking a good look at her face. Of course she looked familiar but there was a difference in growing up over 10 years and simply growing 10 years older, like he had. Also she’d been a child. Apparently a demanding child. He did distantly remember her refusing to walk back, now that she’d mentioned it.

He took a glance around knowing full well that such a statement would perk any ears within hearing. There was at least a handful of women watching them and one of the younger ones had eyes the size of saucers. Of course there was little about Miss Hathaway that didn't demand attention. Her demeanor, accent, and naturally her appearance. He was dressed finely himself but the difference between wealth on a man and on a woman was pretty significant. If you wanted to see how much money a family had you looked to the women. “Ah yes, while our fathers talked business. You were… seven?” He was grasping at straws and the straws made him feel exceedingly old.

She waved at the man behind him, drawing his attention to the familiar face “Excuse me, this is Benjamin, my consultant.” he introduced briefly, glad for the change in subject. And his comment about her age seemed to have satisfied at least the most pressing curiosity from the gaggle of women.

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

"I was eight, Jasper..." Gardenia looked down, her eyelashes creating an alluring illusion under her spotted veil. "I'm eighteen now, Jasper." She sighed slightly, knowing that this was going to be difficult. She lifted her chin, however and held it high. She kept repeating his name, hoping it would create a kind reminder for his memories of the last summer they had shared together. Gardenia had been so excited to finally see her dear Jasper after so many years. They had had so much fun together. But he man she saw before her, was quite different altogether and it stirred a knotted feeling in her stomach that brought her spirits to a point of regret. Would this be unpleasant for her?

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Benjamin!" She grinned, dimpled cheeks highlighting her youth, as she stepped forwards and extended a hand for him to shake. Now, this was common practise in America and she thought it only polite to kindly shake hands with those that you meet. "Gardenia Rose Hathaway!" Her bright voice and countenance would help cheer up anyone; except Jasper, it seemed. He was set on being grumpy today. Gardenia wondered briefly if he was always grumpy and if so she just had to rectify that.

"Jasper," she smiled, having turned back to look at the man now tortured with her arrival. "Will you take me around this charming town this afternoon?"

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper’s mouth pulled to the side much like the expression he wore before her train had arrived. What was that expression on her? Well it was less of an expression and more of a subtle vibe that radiated over her in flickers between her exterior shows of blubbliness.

Disappointment? That was new. Tolerance, irritation, frustration, downright dislike. Those he was used to or had expected from his new charge. Eighteen, echoed in his mind as her attentions turned to Benjamin behind him. Distantly he heard her say ‘Gardenia Rose Hathaway’ and a light went off in his head. “Rooose” he laughed, the monosyllabic word drawn out by his own enlightenment. Echos of a young voice trying to convince him her name was really Gardenia flashed through his mind more clearly than anything else she’d tried to remind him of. The name never stuck with him.

“You aren't tired?” He asked perplexed. How could she want to go out immediately? His experience with women told him they needed to rest. He took out his wand and began tapping each one of her trunks, his mouth moving almost silently as they each shrunk down to the size of matchboxes. He grinned at the novelty of them sitting piled up in his hand “much more convenient this way.” he muttered to himself.

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

Gardenia's mouth turned into a perfectly round, pink 'O'. So he did remember? Or was he mocking her? The latter seemed more likely as her expectations of this new lifestyle were becoming more of an inconvenience and a slight let-down. She had begged every summer, Christmas and Easter for her dear Jasper to visit. But no one had told her he wouldn't come for ten years. Her memory of him, therefor, may have been somewhat glorified, masked by years of her own imaginings of how she remembered him to be.

"Is there something so funny about my name, Jasper? Besides," she folded her arms across her chest, "Nobody calls me that any longer." It was less of a statement and possibly more of a threat. She was, after all, a fully able witch, who had quite a few tricks up her sleeve.

Gardenia watched him deal with her luggage, well only a small portion of it, but she didn't have the courage to tell him that the other twenty trunks were shrunken and in one of the ones he had just shrunk himself. She had reason to believe she would be here quite a while and did not intend to miss out on a thing.

"Of course I'm not tired, jasper. I am not weak, besides it is a nice day, the sun is out," she paused, shrugging her shoulders as she looked up at the sky. "If you have no time this afternoon, then we can reschedule. I have all the time in the world, Jasper."

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper raised a brow at her sudden change in demeanor but soon dropped into a neutral face. “No, absolutely nothing, Miss Hathaway. My father always maintained that Gardenia was a most fortuitous name.” This was an attitude he was more accustomed to. More readily able to deal with. He stacked two of her shrunken trunks in his right hand and handed the others to Benjamin. “I believe there is a small cafe here near the train station if you are immediately hungry. There is also The Three Broomsticks and a tea parlor on High Street.”

He wasn't going to mention that Rose was the only name he knew her by and it would be exceedingly hard to try and call her Gardenia. What a ridiculous name. Gardenia Rose. He maintained a completely neutral expression. “You might be interested in seeing the park. But High Street is where all the activity is. There will be families getting last minute school supplies… school starts in a few days…” She had all the time in the world, after all.

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

"I apologise, Jasper..." she stepped forwards, resting a hand on his forearm and squeezing it comfortingly, "I had hoped you would remember me better, I am just a little put down that I did not make a more permanent impression on you." she released her grip on his arm to bring out her wand, an elegant eight inch oak wand, slender just like her, engraved with soft lines of oak leaves. she tapped her parasol and the handle shrunk to a stubb up near the top. With another tap it lifted above her head and floated there.

"I should think a walk down the high street may be pleasant! I am not overly hungry, but I would love a cup of tea, if there is time for it..." Gardenia smiled to him, more relaxed now her disappointment had been voiced. Although, it was starting to feel more like she had been given into the care of a stranger.

"I would also request you do not call me Miss Hathaway, Jasper, there is something so formal about it, and now that I am in your care, I believe formalities hold no true value," Gardenia blinked sweetly to him, a slight smile on her lips.

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper merely offered a slight bow to her apology. It would seem this was going to be every bit as awkward as he’d expected. Her demeanor seemed to turn as quickly as a contract gone sour every few moments. He doubted there was a delicate way to impress upon her how long ago it had been. He had been a grown man. A grown man under full assault from the mothers of eligible women. Most of his social interactions had been a whirlwind and by her own account she had been 8. “I do remember, Miss Hath-Ro-Gardenia” Yep. The name was going to be next to impossible. And every bit of his upbringing and societal exposure insisted that formalities were quite important in many situations.

He tried a new tactic and a offered a smile. “You know, I’m pretty sure your father only wanted me out of negotiations when he suggested you show me the the river but surely, I could not deny a Lady her wishes.” Humor, flattery. They were negotiation tactics. And quite effective ones when the opposite party was open to them.

He offered his arm to her “Are you accustomed to side-along disapparitions? They can be somewhat jarring the first time.” He’d already decided their course of action. At the very least they needed to get off the platform and whatever she said about being weak he would insist she drop her belongings off at his home in Wellingtonshire. And freshen up or something. That's what women did. They would have a talk about this unorthodox situation they were in eventually but it could wait

  

[Gardenia Hathaway]

Gardenia felt an overwhelming urge to cry. It was like all her dreams about Jasper had been broken all in one go. Since she was eight she had sworn she was going to marry him, and secretly she had hoped that her coming to England would spark a romance between the two of them. She longed for romance, someone to hold her, someone to kiss maybe.

Gardenia was brought back to his words about the river, however part of her really did not believe he remembered. Plus, him 'admitting' he only spent time with her because her father had banished him from business discussions, only heightened her realisations that she had been little but a blip in his life. She tried to hold back her sigh, putting on a brave smile.

"First time?" her eyebrow rose elegantly, shaking her head slightly. "I apologise, Mr Kernaghan, but you seem to have the wrong impression of me. I have been side-along disapparating with my brother, my father, and my mother for quite some time. Please do not try to treat me as a china doll, as I can assure you, I will not break."

With that she slipped her arm into his, not looking at him, but down at her dress before grabbing ahold of her parasol.

England really wasn't all it had been made out to be.

  

[Jasper Kernaghan]

Jasper adjusted his hat to sit more firmly on his head, his face taking on a more resolute expression. His calculations had been wrong. Humor and flattery were not for her. So be it. “Of course not, Miss Rose. I’d be loath to insinuate as much. I beg your pardon if it seemed I had.” He glanced back to Benjamin and gave a nod

“Right.” He steeled himself. Her arm fit neatly in his but he tightened the grip on it anyways. She might not be a china doll but there was always that extra element of uncertainty with side-alongs. He sincerely doubted her father would feel very good about their new business agreement if Jasper managed to splinch his oldest daughter on her first day in Hogsmeade. “To home it is.” he muttered and turned on spot.