Disclaimer: Characters not mine, blah blah blah.

Ron lay there with his eyes closed facing the wall as he listened to Harry move around the room and eventually climb into his own bed. Pretending to be asleep he waited until he heard Harry's breathing turn into gentle snores before he gathered up his pillow and blanket and slipped out of the room to sleep on the couch. He couldn't stand being in the room same as Harry. At this point he was so disappointed with his friend he just didn't want to be near him.

Ron moved around on the lounge trying to make it comfortable, but it was hard with his head propped up with the arm of the lounge and his legs over the other end.

After a few hours fitful sleep, the sunlight began to peer in through the windows and Ron groaned with the thought that it was already morning. Laying there, staring at the wall, Ron was surprised when Hermione walked into the room. He contemplated feigning sleep, but could never keep a straight face when he was pretending not to be awake.

'What are you doing up this early?' Ron asked Hermione by way of a greeting.

'Work. What are you doing on the lounge?'

'Oh, um… Harry was…snoring?' Hermione seemed either too drowsy or distracted to notice Ron's feeble excuse for not sleeping in his own room.

'That's stupid, you don't even fit on the lounge for christ's sake. I'm up now, go and get in my bed. At least you'll fit in that'

'Really? Thanks' Ron jumped at the chance to climb into Hermione's bed, even if it was without her.

'Just make the bed when you get up' Hermione walked over to Ron. 'Jesus, you look terrible, like you haven't slept in weeks, is everything OK?'

'Just peachy', Ron sighed, 'I'm fine, just tired'

Hermione gave Ron a peck on the forehead, 'Just go and get some sleep OK?' Ron watched her walk toward the bathroom and let out a second sigh. He was doing a lot of that lately.

After quite possibly the best sleep of Ron's life, he dragged himself out of Hermione's bed and sure that Harry had left, walked into the kitchen to fix something to eat. On the counter was a note left by Hermione.

Boys,

Seeing as we're hardly ever at home at the same time anymore I thought it would be nice to have dinner together tonight. I'll even cook (Don't worry, I've got a foolproof recipe). So I thought we'd aim for 7 to eat? Let me know if that's a problem and give me a call if you can't do it at all.

H.

Harry had obviously already seen the note and added a comment to the bottom.

Make it 7:30 babe, having a drink with the guys from work.

Babe? Jesus, who was this 60's throwback?

But dinner with Hermione and Harry at the same time? Ron considered calling Hermione right then and telling her he couldn't make it. But what excuse could he come up with? He never worked later than 6:30 and she'd kill him for missing dinner to go to the movies or some other thing. Maybe he could claim he's suddenly developed a very serious, short-term, case of the flu? Couldn't possibly eat or get out of bed. Ron was just working through the details in his mind when the alternative to him no showing up would be. Harry and Hermione alone. Over dinner. With wine. And candles. He couldn't bear to let his mind go where that was going. He would just have to put up with Hermione and Harry being all together for one evening for the greater good.

Ron added his own assurance that 7:30 was fine and got ready for a busy morning filled with daytime TV and planned not to move until three when he was meeting a friend in Camden.

Hermione returned home from work at about 5pm to an empty flat. She quickly checked the note on the kitchen bench and was happy to see that both boys could make it. Even if Harry had pushed it back half an hour. At least it would give her a little extra time to get ready.

Shortly before seven Ron walked into the kitchen, having returned from meeting with his friend. Hermione had her back to him and he enjoyed the very rare sight of Hermione not getting something perfectly right as she flustered over dinner.

'Need a hand?' Ron offered.

'Oh Ron, would you? I've no idea what I'm doing and I still haven't had a chance to have a shower.'

'No problem, anyway, I don't think I wholly trust a meal entirely cooked by you.'

Hermione decided to ignore Ron's comment and instead shot him a dirty look as she handed him the spoon she was using to stir the contents of the pot on the stove with on her way through to the shower.

Before too long Hermione emerged showered and dressed in floaty black dress and a material red rose holding up her curls. Ron heard her enter the kitchen and turned to make a teasing comment about her cooking ability but his voice caught in his throat when he saw her.

'Ok, ok, no need to stare, I'm not an animal in a zoo' Hermione teased.

'Oh, um, It's just, that dress, I mean…you, in that dress…uh, you look lovely Hermione' Ron's face began to turn a pale shade of pink.

Hermione returned the blush and thanked him. 'You best hurry up and get ready if you want to have a shower before dinner now that you've saved our food.'

As Ron brushed past Hermione to leave the kitchen he caught the light scent that she was wearing and realised that it smelt oddly similar to her sheets. Did she use laundry powder scented perfume?

By quarter to eight Harry and Ron were seated at the dining table in a somewhat awkward silence, while Hermione bought dishes of food to the table.

Harry surveyed the table and playfully said to Hermione, 'What happened? Last time I checked you couldn't cook. Did you get take away and hide the containers?'

'Ha-ha Harry, very funny. Although I must admit, I did have some help from Ron' Hermione replied.

Harry leant over and gave Hermione a quick kiss on the lips, 'Well it looks good anyway babe.'

Ron turned his head as he rolled his eyes and entertained thoughts of tipping the bowl of rice over Harry's head. If this was how the night was going to continue he could see a fake headache coming on. Or perhaps even a real one, he thought, as he watched Hermione return a small kiss on to Harry's nose.

'So, Mione, how's work going?' Ron said simply to break up the 'lovebirds'.

'Oh, um, alright, not what I want to do with my life, but entertaining enough for now, you know?' She replied. 'But let's not talk about boring stuff like work, this is supposed to be a dinner party. Emphasis on the party.'

'Hey yeah, let's break out the booze. Did you get any beer today Mione?'

'Ah, no, but I did get some wine to go with the meal'

'Hey Ron, go grab it will you mate?' Harry asked.

Ron shot him a dirty look, 'Anything else while I'm up?' He replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Ron walked into kitchen to open the wine and fetch the glasses. As he twisted the corkscrew he could see Hermione and Harry over the breakfast bar as they playfully planted kisses on each other. It literally made him sick to see them together like that. He couldn't get over that Harry would continue to do that in front of him when he knew how he felt.

Dinner passed fairly uneventfully with limited chatter on Ron's part. Ron had been steadily working his way through the wine fuming over Harry's actions. Hermione began to clear away the plates from the main meal, Ron knew he should be helping, but didn't care anymore. He'd probably had more than enough to drink and more than likely wouldn't have been incredibly steady on his feat. He watched as Hermione brushed past Harry and he patted her on the bum. Hermione giggled batted away his hand. Ron couldn't take it anymore, he'd had enough.

Once he knew Hermione was out of hearing distance he hissed at Harry, 'Jesus, you can't keep treating her like all the other skanks that follow you around.'

Harry laughed. 'Cool down a bit mate, God, it was just a pat on the bum.'

'I'm not just talking about that. How you let her leave that party alone so you could stay on and hook up with someone else.'

'Are you still on about that? We're not about to get bloody married. It was out first bloody date. And not that we're even serious. It's just a bit of fun, I told you that.'

'You can't just have 'a bit of fun' with you best bloody friend. It does not work like that.'

'Jesus, what's with you? Just because you're not getting any…'

'Oh my god, you really don't get it do you?'

'Get what?' Harry looked genuinely confused.

'You know what, I've had enough tonight, I'll leave you and Hermione to do whatever it is you do, but I sure as hell don't want to be here to watch it.' Ron stood up from the table and stormed out of the dining room, bumping into Hermione outside the kitchen on his way out.

'Where are you going?' Hermione enquired.

'Out' Ron replied and proceeded down the hallway.

'But there's dessert…' She called after him. He made no response and left the flat, slamming the door behind him. 'I made your favourite' Hermione said softly to the closed door.

Hermione walked into the dining room still holding the dessert with a bewildered expression on her face. 'Why did Ron leave?' She asked Harry.

'Who knows babe, he's been acting weird for days. But let's not talk about Ron anymore. We've got dessert, we've got wine, and we've got an entire night ahead of us.'

a/n hope you like it! please review. i know some of you havn't been happy about Harry being the 'bad guy' but get over it.