Authors note: In response to WIKTT "Hollow Man" challenge. I make no money from this, although I wish I thought of it first. Please review.

I just want to thank highland-mist and Dragonmaster Kurai for their reviews. :-) My goal for the week is to type three more chapters, so I can post them on a better schedule.

Sorry this chapter is a lot of talking, not a lot of action. I feel that the original reason for the order trying to restore Severus needs to be addressed. So far we've only seen Hermione's selfishness in wanting Sev back. This chapter is more about the Order and the current situation with a little surprise at the end.

A/N: when Hermione tells Severus their ages, Hermione is 17 at graduation in 1998, turning 18 in September. Severus is 21 years older than the "golden trio". Everyone depicts Sevvy as some decrepit old man but he's only as old as Harry's parents, who are always magically shown as young and pretty. I chose 21 because I thought it was a nice young age, without being too dramatically young. My dad was 21 when I was born.

Chapter Three

Two months had passed and the Order was becoming restless. Ideas had been made known on how to break into the department of mysteries, but none of them could really hold water. They needed someone who could get in and out quickly, someone well versed in the dark arts and how to defend themselves against it, someone nobody would suspect. They needed Severus to save his own life, and they didn't know how they could accomplish this. Around the well worn table of the Black house at 12 Grimmauld Place sat, at the head, of course, Arthur Weasley. To his right was Bill, then Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks, Ginny Weasley, Hermione, Severus sat at the opposite end of the table. Next to him Professor McGonagall, Draco Malfoy, Cho Chang, and twins, Fred and George Weasley. Those who were missing from the meeting were of course out on business for the Order, but it didn't matter much since as soon as they came back another meeting would take place to fill them in on what had been shared and offer them a chance to voice their opinions. Unfortunately Hermione and Severus had to be present for all meetings and the prospect of how many more meetings it would take bored Hermione to tears. She looked over at Severus who was attempting to turn a large lamp into a turtle, and sighed, audibly.

"Demua testudineus!" The light flickered slightly before the lamp crashed to the ground. 22 eyes fell onto Severus.

"Severus why don't you go into the kitchen and play with Crookshanks. He likes you you know." Severus nodded, dropped his wand and left. "He's just like a child sometimes." Hermione shook her head as she picked up his wand off of the floor.

"I hate seeing him like this." Draco shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "It's too much. That man in there used to scare the socks off of us. Now... now he's trying to turn a lamp into an effing turtle."

"We need to get him back. We need Dumbledore back with us and the only way for that to happen is to find a way to restore Severus to his former self." Bill stated firmly before continuing. "I've spoken to Penelope Clearwater, you know her," Her nodded to Hermione, "She says that while it is fully possible to restore Snape's mind she can't guarantee that he'll be normal ever again. Information retrieval will be easier, but the chances of him being his old, snarky self, slim to none."

"We need to do what needs to be done then. We can't risk that Dumbledore has been taken by the enemy on the same coin we can't assume he's hiding in safety." Ms. Chang offered.

"Voldemort may be gone but his faithful followers are beginning to infiltrate the foundation of our world." Minerva McGonagall nodded to everyone present.

"We can't let them take the school." Fred and George said in unison.

Kingsley continued with the thought everyone had tried to avoid, "We are in a state of disarray. We need Albus to return this world to it's usual state of prosperity. As corny as it sounds, iot's needed now more than ever, and Dumbledore is the only one who can assure the wizarding world of that."

"I believe what they are trying to say Hermione, is that ultimately his is your decision. He's in your care, he was before and he is now. You probably know more about him than Dumbledore does." Arthur looked at Hermione.

"So the decision lies with me, on the future of this world and the muggle world? In my hands? In my heart."

The room grew silent with anticipation of her choice. Granted the average person would have said 'to hell with it' and sacrificed Severus on the alter of decency just to obtain a few lines of information, but for Hermione it was different. It wasn't a question of revenge for him being a bastard, or sympathy. It was a matter of her heart and the soul of all that the wizarding world held dear. Dumbledore was the anchor in this time of trouble and for the bast few months they had been in a tailspin. What could she do?

"I'll do it." She said quietly.

"You'll let us restore him?" Tonks edged up in her seat with a large smile on her face.

"No. I'll restore him."

"Hermione, I insist on letting one of us handle this. You're not in any situation to be handling this type of emotional or physical stress." Arthur objected.

"What? Arthur, I think I'm perfectly fit for this task, please, I insist."

"I will not allow this Hermione, for your sake and for his and well, for all of our sakes Hermione, I will not allow you to accompany us on this mission."

"Fine." Hermione rose quickly, her seat falling backwards with a crash. She left it on the floor as she made her way to the kitchen to retrieve Severus. Then i will not allow the mission to go on as planned at all." She wrapped her arms around his waist and apparated back to her home.

"What a lovely change in scenery." Severus smiled and wandered off once the dizzying feeling of apparation had worn off. Hermione was feeling rather sickly again, but the feeling quickly subsided.

She quickly walked towards a room off to the side of the receiving hall and threw open the doors to reveal a large study area with a light dusting of cobwebs and a heavy blanket of darkness descended upon it. A quick "Inscendio" gave the room a warm light it hadn't seen in a long while. In the corner of the room, beneath a window that had been boarded shut sat a small oak chest. With no lock in her way it opened with little noise to show off it's meager bounty. Several brown packages that Hermione quickly removed to show the real treasure. A luscious silvery cloak that looked no older than a couple of years and showed no signs of wear, tear or aging.
"A miracle" she whispered to herself. As she rose from one knee one of the paper bags on her lap slid to the stone floor and it's contents came crashing out. A golden picture frame. Bending at her knees Hermione tried to pick up the glass but instead cut herself deeply. Severus, who had been watching for part of the time rushed to her side when he heard her exclamation.

"Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"I cut myself you overgrown bat." She snapped and pressed the edges of the wound together in a futile attempt to curb the blood flow. Severus disregarded her comment, like he did so much of what she said to him as he stopped down and picked up the picture that had been behind the offending glass.

"What is this?" He asked.

"It's a picture of me."

"Who is with you?"

"Haven't you looked in a mirror lately?" Hermione quipped, become agitated.

"What?"

"It's you! It's a picture of you and me."

"When was this taken?"

"Almost three months ago. It says it on the back of the picture."

1 February 2001

"How long have we been friends Hermione?" Severus looked up into her eyes and asked.

"We have been friends for about 3 years Severus."

"Three years? How old are you Hermione?"

"I'm 20. I'll be 21 in September. You're 42 years old Severus." She answered his asked as well as unasked questions.
"I kept all of these pictures in this trunk to avoid any questions. I understood you wouldn't remember most of this and I didn't want you to be uncomfortable in my presence."

"I would like it if you sat them out."

"Can you like Severus? Can you really appreciate it? What happened to you, on that day?" Hermione walked over to where he was standing and looked him in the eyes. "Sometimes you react and I think it's like old times, but I know it's just a learned behavior from being around so many people. I often wonder how the old you would have reacted if he knew this was how he would have been spending his life. If he would have wanted me to kill him and be rid of it, or if he would have fought to live again. Would you fight for me?" She whispered.

"Who would I be fighting?"

She looked up into his eyes and reached her hand around his neck to pull him closer to her.

"Look into my eyes Severus. Look at me. Can you see anything?"

"I see Hermione. Hello Hermione."

Tears sprang to her eyes as she pulled him down closer towards her and kissed him, hard of the cheeks, lips and eyelids, smothering him with kisses. When she pulled away he looked at her and his brow furrowed.

"Hermione, you've put on a bit a weight haven't you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and backed off. Turning twice she balled her hands into fists at her side and screamed. When she was done she looked at him and grabbed his hand and placed it over her robes on her blossoming belly.

"I'm pregnant Severus. That picture was taken the day I told you. Jay, remember? Jack for a boy, Juli for a girl. Stars in your eyes, Angels in the skies, wind in your hair..."

"I'll always be there..." He finished for her.

Hermione backed up and opened the cloak she had first gone into the oak chest to grab. She spun it onto her shoulders and stared at Severus.
"You'll never be there."

She spun on her heels and left for the Ministry of Magic, unsure if she would ever see him again.