Chapter Text
Mid August
Hermione Granger stared into her mother’s amber eyes. Her father had always said they had the same eyes, golden ringed with layers of shades of brown. A twinge of cold grief wound through her at the thought of him.
“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.” Hermione finally said. Jean Granger’s expression gave nothing away. “How did you even get this?” Hermione looked back at the computer, the email her mother had forwarded wiggled on the screen. “Courting Season begins September!”
Jean shrugged, “I sign up for as many wizarding community things as I can. I like to be involved in that part of you life.”
Hermione sighed but before she could explain why courting was not for witches like her. Jean placed a hand on hers. “I just want you to consider it. Everything you’ve complained about with dating is why this system exists. You get paid, a contact to make sure your needs met, there is an extensive sexual part, and-”
“Mum,” Hermione blinked at her. “I don’t want to talk about my sex life with you.” Her non-existent sex life, but still, no thanks.
“We are grown women, Minnie. I’m a doctor. And so are you.” She shook her head like Hermione was being immature. “Just look through it. Please?”
“Fine.” Hermione huffed. “But I’ve given up on dating. I don’t want to date. I don’t want to even think about love-”
“Yeah, I know that’s the point. The whole point is you don’t need love to be happy! The system is very impressive from a technology point too. There’s an entire algorithm set up to match you from wizards or witches from around the globe.”
Hermione furrowed her brows, “Do you get an affiliate paycheck from me joining this or something? You’re talking like you went to a training seminar.”
Jean chuckled, “I just want you to be taken care of sweetie. I’m getting older. You have Leo….with your father gone, I just worry about you.” The mention of her father and her son in one sentence made her chest tighten again.
“Okay.” Hermione shook her head. “I’ll look through it. But I can’t promise I’ll apply.”
Later that evening after getting a cranky Leo into bed, Hermione sat at her desk with a glass of wine and scrolled through the application.
She was reluctantly impressed...
The blue glow illuminated against face as she scrolled through the questionnaire. The system required every intimate detail of her sexuality.
Hermione read through the process. It was very straight forward. Fill out the extensive application. Be matched with potential pairs who have overlapping interests. The more honest you are the better the results. A dedicated coordinator ensured a vow of privacy so all parties were connected discretely. Hermione’s mind raced with possibilities for further privacy requests. That would be a high priority for her. Not that she was going to do it…
If she filled out the application she didn’t have to accept anyone. They remained anonymous until both parties accepted a match. If she wanted to decline she could at any point.
Hermione didn’t want love. She’d gone on her fair share of dates, but it was exhausting. She wanted security and safety and a certain level of sexual compatibility that would ensure her needs were met. Companionship could be nice, but not necessary. This was actually a very logical solution the more she thought of it.
Hermione sipped her wine and began filling out the application.
Describe in detail every phrase, pet name, or title you want your partner to use. Once she began filling it out, she couldn't stop. She loved how meticulous this was. And she had to have refill her glass of wine through the process.
The current question that glowed in front of her had her biting her lip.
Filling it out was tedious. She held a deep appreciation for the system by the time she'd stopped herself half way through. The website used an array of personal data, imagery, and algorithmic tools to match with potential partners. And half way through Hermione scoffed with realization. This was just a fancy way of saying it’s a kink focused matching service. It was seriously designed specially to make your kinkiest dreams come true. It wasn’t marketed as a kinky sort of thing, but clearly that’s what it was. No wonder these kind of relationships progressed so quickly. Now she wondered why she ever judged it in the first place. No feelings necessary. It was more like, are you good at making me come and do we agree on the rules? Can you take care of my kids? Very practical.
A week later Hermione was giddy with excitement about being so close to finishing. Pun intended. Not only was the application long, but she also attached her own proposal and requests for how she’d like to be courted. She called it, “An integration period to test the dynamic with privacy and discretion.”
It felt like a new beginning for her. It was a struggle to bring up her sexual desires to dates because of the fear of rumors being spread about her.
At the end of the day, the wizarding community was a small one. Even on an international level. Someone always knew someone else who knew someone else.
There were hardly three degrees of separation in London alone.
And Hermione didn’t need Ron accusing her of being some kind sexual deviant in their custody battle. As a single mom and as an apprentice in the medical healer’s program at St. Mungos her time was limited in the amount of dating in general she could do.
Wasting her time with bad sex by a wizard who claimed they knew what they were doing, but actually was just borderline abusive, was not on her list of a good time. So not only would this give her a match, but also help her take off any pressure to be in a typical relationship. She would be required to fulfill her responsibilities for her partner. Just the idea of it all made a zinging sensation run up and down her spine. It was sort of progressive in a way. Sex. Money. Roles. Duties. Expectations. All of it listed up front and clearly communicated. And the cherry on top, no feelings necessary!
Hermione was determined to finish it before her hospital shift. It had taken a lot of effort to just fit filling this out into her schedule, working piece by piece in between her student’s tutoring sessions. It would take more than just the questionnaire, but the point of this whole thing was to match with someone compatible enough that each time they met, both partners would understand each other easier and quicker than ever before.
How often would you like to be told, ‘I love you’
Hermione twisted her lip between her teeth, while typed in her answer.
How important is kissing to you?
Extremely high. Hermione wrote.
Another question appeared.
Use the attached charting tool to rate each area of your body you’d like to be kissed. If you have any questions, list them in the chat box.
The list was extensive. Ankle, inner knee, neck, inner left thigh, outer right thigh, elbow, shoulders. It went on and on.
Hermione opened the chat box.
If I’ve never been kissed on my knee, should I guess or leave it blank?
Leave it blank.
Hermione left a lot blank.
What are the most important things for you in a formal arrangement?
Privacy. Trust. Safety.
Why? Please explain in detail.
As a single mother it is especially important for me to consider the future of my son first. His well being is my first priority so discretion is important. Until a permanent and public agreement has been established for forward progress.
She didn’t want a romantic relationship. She didn’t want the responsibility of another person’s heart. Or to give her own. Just the thought of falling in love made her want to gag and wretch her dinner. Hermione didn’t need anyone else. Leo brought her all the joy she needed and everything else Hermione could easily schedule into her life. Like sex. And the other expectations could be scheduled too. Okay it wasn’t always easy to fit everything into her schedule, but she knew how to prioritize and sex was a priority. It had been too long.
And she wished to be taken care of for a couple of hours a week. She didn’t want to make as many decisions anymore. Sometimes a witch just want to be tossed around on a bed and very meticulously licked, kissed, and fucked.
She continued listing her wildest fantasies in an answer box. Things she had never said out loud. The things that felt too taboo to do so.
Her stomach fluttered as she wrote the words. As she described, in detail, all the things she wanted to happen to her. The things she wanted to finally experience. This section was the longest piece. She kept adding to it over the last few week. Thinking of scenarios that would be fun to explore that had just been imagined for so long. She wanted it to be perfect.
There wouldn’t be anything forgotten because she made a promise with herself. If she was going to commit it wouldn’t be for someone that couldn’t handle all of her.
The last question appeared and Hermione let out a slow breath.
List your safe word.
This would be it. She would find someone to have fun with and Leo would be safe and taken care of. That’s all that mattered.
And with that thought she pressed submit.