Ron sits on a stool at a small, circular table flanked by Seamus Finngan and Dean Thomas, who are busily ogling a nearby group of attractive Muggle women.
"So, ah, Harry couldn't make it then?" Dean asks, finally tearing his eyes away from the giggly gaggle of girls.
"We're not attached at the hip." Ron frowns moodily, watching as Seamus and Dean exchange a look, which tells him everything they think of his friendship with Harry.
Clearly struggling for some way of diffusing the tension that has fallen over the little table, Seamus quickly pipes up.
"I saw Hermione the other day," The look on Ron's face is enough to silence Seamus, who closes his mouth before finishing the rest of his sentence, and turns his attention back to flirting with the muggles.
"You know," Dean slides a little closer to Ron, as Seamus questions one of the muggles over the bright pink letter L pinned to the front of her ridiculously tight dress.
"...I still think you should try and talk to her." Dean's suggestion, masks the muggle's answer to Seamus enquiry.
"Do you?" Ron spits, fixing the gangly man next to him with a hard, accusing glare.
"Well yeah," Dean responds simply, ignoring Ron's death stare.
Keen to keep the subject alive, he continues. "Look after The War, and everything we've been through, what's the point in letting stupid pride get in the way of being happy? If you still love Hermione, I reckon you should try and win her back."
Silence falls between Dean and Ron, as the later slowly digests his friend's advice.
"Dean's right," Seamus happily joins in.
"And lets face it, I can't see Hermione committing herself to Krum's Qudditch World Cup schedule." There's a note in Seamus voice that indicated he clearly wouldn't mind committing himself to Victor Krum's grueling Qudditch World Cup schedule.
"Krum?" Ron turns suddenly animated at the mention of his former love rivals name.
Dean and Seamus exchange another loaded glance.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious, mate." Dean explains with an apologetic air.
"What's Victor Krum got to do with anything?" Ron's features darken at the mention of his former love rivals name.
"Well," Seamus turns suddenly sheepish.
"...that's how I bumped into Hermione," He glances desperately up towards Dean, who simply stares down his nose at him, refusing any sort of rescue.
"...she was at the Ireland vs Bulgaria game, and she was well," Seamus glances around nervously again, like a man searching for a piece of driftwood on a loney, raging ocean, nothing floats by.
"...Hermione was on her way back to Krum's box, she asked me if I wanted to join her, so I did." He swallows thickly, his face draining of colour.
Unable to look at Ron any longer, Seamus directs the rest of his words to his own bawled up hands.
"I don't think it's very serious," He adds.
"Oh well, that's all right then." Ron comments bitterly, his face almost puce.
"As long as it's nothing serious."
Dean rolls his dark eyes, resting one hand on Ron's forearm.
"Ron," Both men stare at Dean's hand for a moment.
"...it's been over a year, you can't blame Hermione for moving on, you certainly didn't let the grass grow." The taller dark haired man removes his grasp, as Ron arches on eyebrow in indignation.
"She dumped me!" He exclaims.
"Whatever, the point is, Hermione's only with Krum at the moment, I reckon if you tried to talk to her, told her how you still feel, she might, might, change her mind. She's not going to be with Krum forever, sooner of later, Hermione will find someone she really wants to be serious with, and then what are you going to do?"
Ron does his best impression of a man who is not listening.
"Listen to me Ron, I've got a lot of regrets in my life," Dean expels a little sigh, but quickly recovers himself.
"...but one of the things, I'll never regret is trying to get back with Ginny after the battle at Hogwarts,"
The muscles in Ron's jawline grow suddenly taught at the mention of his sister's name.
"...she turned me down, and it hurt like hell, but in the end it was okay, because at least I know I tried. Ginny just wanted to be with Harry more, and in the end he made her happier, than I think I ever could have." Dean finishes, and Seamus loops one arm across his friend's slumped shoulders, patting him softly.
"This is different." Ron's voice is suddenly think as he speaks, the mention of his sister's name having banished some of his bitterness.
"Yeah of course it is, Hermione is the love of your life Ron, we," Dean jabs a finger between himself and Seamus before continuing.
"...can all see that. I'm not comparing what I had with Ginny, to what you had with Hermione, but I reckon if Harry was here he'd probably give you a better version of the speech I just did."
Seamus nods enthusiastically.
"And Ginny would give you a slap on the back of the head, and tell you to pull yourself together."
Ron mood turns suddenly brooding, as he sits back in his chair in utter contemplation.
Dean puffs out his chest for a moment congratulating himself on a job well done, while Seamus catches the attention of a nearby waitress.
"Sorry, for keeping you boys waiting for so long." The waitress apologies as she rolls towards their table on a pair of retro roller-skates, a small pad of paper in her hands.
Ron doesn't take much notice of her.
"Well Nancy," Dean says, reading the waitress' name of a badge pinned to her uniform.
"...I'll have a tequila sunrise."
Ron seems to miss Seamus order, because the next thing he knows his sleeve is being tugged hard by his friend.
"What do you want, Ron?"
Still annoyed he turns his attention to the pretty, dark haired muggle waitress, his mood lifting suddenly at the sight of her.