Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harry Potter universe.
February 1998
It was Hermione's turn to wear the locket again. She hated how it made her feel, how it played with her insecurities about her abilities and her friendships. Of course she had noticed Ronald's attentions on her for awhile, but she had also thought they were on her last year at Hogwarts, and then the prat blindsided her when he went on to date Lavender. And now she's wondering if either of her friends really even like her, why they were friends with her at all or if they secretly thought of her just as a nag who happens to save their lives every so often and lets them copy her homework and so is handy to keep around. She doesn't dare voice her doubts aloud, but the last several months on the run have been extraordinarily difficult on her, and she can't help the depression and cynicism she's feeling.
So when Ronald started touting the Ministry of Magic (pre-Voldemort reign, of course), and how they have the right ideas of how things are run and muggles could learn a lot from them (which is rich considering the situation they are currently in), she couldn't help but snap at him. "Ronald, you don't know the first thing about how muggle governments are run or how they're funded. Obviously they aren't perfect, and the taxation system is set up to manipulate the population into whatever behaviour the government wants to promote, but they do a lot of things right and you would do well to do some basic research before unilaterally declaring the magical world to be superior. Have you learned nothing from this war of superiority and purity? Do you truly believe there's nothing to be learned or gained from people who are different from you?" Hermione continued her rant but it appeared to have gone completely in one ear and out the other, so she wrapped up her ineffectual monologue and left the room to do some reading on her own.
Fall of 1998
Hermione wasn't settling into Hogwarts as well as she thought she would. She missed the boys, despite still-lingering doubts about their friendship, but she felt a strong draw to return to school and complete what she started in the magical world as a sort of return to normalcy. She realized after Ronald left her and Harry on the horcrux hunt that he had never treated her well, that he would blow up in an emotional response and then expect it to blow over if he came back with his tail between his legs. She was overcome by his thoughtfulness for the house elves during the battle at Hogwarts, but when she took time off to help rebuild Hogwarts and think about her life, she started to actually dread talking to him and seeing him again. It was a sad realization for her that she didn't trust him and didn't want a rollercoaster relationship. None of the golden trio were surprised by her decision to return to school, nor by Harry and Ron's decision to start auror training. Although Ron was expecting the physical separation from Hermione, he was not expecting her kind but resolute refusal of a date, and did not bring himself to write her for several months after school started.
Hermione was grateful Harry was a regular correspondent. He knew what it felt like to be out of the loop when everyone else was together, so he really tried, but he was never a great writer. Hermione knew the boys well enough to be able to read between the lines and could tell that neither of them was really enjoying training. Harry was being treated like a hero who could do no wrong but felt utterly out of his depth and didn't feel like he could ask for help. Ron took issue with how Harry was treated, but was also struggling on the academic side as he never developed good essay writing or potions skills, which it turns out are rather important to an auror. She tried to respond back, suggesting that maybe Harry hire a tutor or undertake a Defense Against the Dark Arts mastery. She kept out her advice for Ron since it was only Harry who wrote and Ronald didn't take well to unsolicited advice from her and still hadn't written her since they went their separate ways.
It was with great surprise that that she got a letter from him in early December and thought it may contain an invitation to the Burrow for Christmas, but it did not. In fact, he wrote that his plans were to go to the Burrow and asked what plans she had made. It was quite clear she was not welcome there. The part of his letter that did surprise her was a reference to a conversation they had had months ago while on the run – he wanted more insight into why and how governments structure taxation to manipulate the population. Although baffled at his chosen topic, she wrote out several pages in response to explain what she was talking about and sent it back to him. Months went by without another response, so Hermione largely forgot about the exchange and focused back on her education.
Present Day – 3 Years After Graduation
"Yours wasn't my first pass at the cauldron, my dear". Minerva was sipping tea calmly while discussing how she puts newt scores into a muggle transcript. History of Magic was listed as history & geography. Care of Magical Creatures was zoology. Transfiguration would be anatomy and physiology, as well as physics and earth science. Arithmancy translated to math, Charms to English, literature (a stretch but there is a lot of essay writing), and life skills. Defense Against the Dark Arts would be listed as physical education and self defense. Astronomy was usually kept the same and Muggle Studies was modern technology. Divination is a struggle to relate to any muggle topic so she usually puts some nondescript elective course.
Hermione had completed a dual mastery in Transfiguration and Charms, and was applying to undertake healing courses in both the muggle and magical worlds. She wasn't sure if she wanted to actually go into healing, but was feeling adrift in a world without her friends or studies. Thankfully, part of her masteries included being able to track her parents down and reverse the memory charms she placed on them, and it was their suggestion that she continue to study, but in both worlds. She had started to have discussions with Minerva and her parents about possibly being a bridge between the worlds and combining the best of both.
Harry had taken her advice to heart and had completed a DADA mastery and then returned to auror training and was quickly rising through the ranks. They still got together from time to time, and Hermione was immensely proud of him. However, last she heard, Harry and Ron had a bitter row when Harry dropped out to pursue his mastery, which resulted in Ron also dropping out of training. He hadn't written either her nor Harry, so neither was aware of what he had been up to the last couple years.
While they were chatting, the Daily Prophet arrived on the leg of an owl, and Minerva walked over to pay the fee and glance over the front page. Hermione looked up just in time to see Minerva do a double take, reading more closely, thin lips pinched together sternly. Finally, Minerva huffed out an irritated sigh. "It has become apparent what young Mr. Weasley has been up to, my dear."
In bold blocky letters of the front page, the Prophet announced Ronald Weasley's brash campaign for Minister for Magic in the upcoming election. While shocking in itself, Hermione was struck speechless as she saw his campaign platform. Ronald was championing a complete tax overhaul that called for tax rate hikes up to 90% over the course of the next 4 years for the unmarried and childless "noncontributing citizens in a time of population crisis". Ronald (or more likely, a campaign manager) crafted the tax proposal based on the letter she wrote him years ago! The more she read, the more she felt both sickened and outraged. She had been the one to mention how governments manipulate population through taxes, but as a critic, not a proponent. Adding insult to injury, opinion letters to the editor and quotes in the article make it clear his proposal would be well received by nearly the entire population. She feels responsible for essentially writing Ron's ticket to a position she knows very well his personality is not well suited for and introducing an ugliness of muggle politics that is not touched on in the article, or likely realized by supporters.
"Minerva, what have I done?"