Draco glanced slightly at Harry, who was hot on his heels, as he sped along.
This made Harry sweat profusely.
He tried his best to urge the broom on, but he couldn't close the distance between them.
In the one-on-one chase, Draco's broomstick advantage was fully demonstrated, giving Harry absolutely no chance to catch up.
The Gryffindor roommates in the stands instantly erupted in chaos:
"My God! Draco is so fast!"
"That broom is amazing! There's hope for a comeback!"
"Go Hermione! Go Team Two!"
The first team players were completely panicked, and Wood shouted from the goal:
"Quick! Before Draco catches the Golden Snitch, keep scoring and widen the gap! We absolutely cannot let them turn the game around!"
Angelina, Katie, Alicia immediately received orders and launched a final, all-out attack.
Meanwhile, on the second team's side, everyone's confidence was instantly boosted by Draco's strong performance.
Hermione raised her arms and shouted, leading her team in a fierce counterattack!
The commentator's voice was incredibly energetic:
"Counterattack! Gryffindor Second Team has launched a counterattack!"
Even with a huge point difference and despite being completely exhausted, they didn't give up! That's the spirit of Quidditch! That's the courage of Gryffindor!
The second team's counterattack was still primarily defensive, but they fought exceptionally tenaciously.
Every interception and every pass was executed with all his might, sending the entire audience's adrenaline soaring.
Even Ron, who had previously been beaten so badly he was questioning his existence, seemed to have suddenly regained his form, blocking two crucial goals from the first team in a row!
Harry thought to himself: I can't keep chasing like this; I definitely can't win by going for speed!
He made a snap decision, abruptly abandoning the straight-line chase, increasing altitude, calmly observing the Golden Snitch's flight path, predicting its trajectory, and preparing to intercept it from the side!
The Golden Snitch, sometimes high, sometimes low, and Harry, with his accurate predictions, blocked him repeatedly, closing in on Golden Snitch several times.
Draco's broom was always one step ahead, easily thwarting his interception.
After several intense chases, Draco seized the opportunity, reached out and grabbed the Golden Snitch firmly in his palm!
Almost at the same second, Alicia from Team One seized the last opportunity and threw a Quaffle into Ron's goal!
Lee Rock's voice echoed throughout the stadium, filled with endless excitement and regret:
"Match over! Draco Malfoy has successfully caught the Golden Snitch! Team Two scores 150 points!"
"And Team One scored a goal in the final moments, adding 10 more points! Final score: Gryffindor Second Team 211 points, Gryffindor First Team 220 points?"
"No! Wait a minute! The final score is Team Two 211 points, Team One 210 points! Team Two wins by a single point!"
"It's such a pity that one team was just one point away from tying the game, and two points away from winning it completely!"
"Congratulations to Gryffindor Second Team for their incredible comeback victory against a huge deficit!"
The moment the score was announced, the entire Quidditch Pitch erupted!
Everyone stood up in unison, screaming, cheering, and stomping their feet; the stands seemed to shake.
The atmosphere, which had been one-sided just moments before, instantly reversed. Exclamations, applause, and incredulous shouts mingled together, making everyone's ears ring.
The Slytherin area was deathly silent; the person who had just mocked them looked extremely grim.
No one expected that the second team, which had been dominated throughout the game, would actually turn the tide with a single point thanks to Draco's sweeping attack.
The Ravenclaw students nodded and exchanged glances; some quickly jotted down the broom data, while others couldn't help but whisper their admiration.
"Terrifying mobility... this broom could change the Quidditch."
"A game-winning shot, absolutely classic."
Hufflepuff cheered the most sincerely of the entire audience, clapping and shouting "Fantastic!" and "Wonderful!"
The professors' reactions
Professor McGonagall's serious face showed a rare hint of relief.
Although the second team is inexperienced, they possess the courage and resilience of Gryffindor.
Professor Flitwick was so excited that he jumped up from his little chair, clapping his hands frantically and cheering loudly:
"Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! A one-point game-winner! This is the best internal scrimmage I've ever seen!"
Professor Snape remained expressionless. He glanced at the Golden Snitch in Draco's hand, then quickly swept his gaze over the two pair of broomsticks, and muttered a cold snort.
Madam Hooch smiled and blew the final whistle, loudly praising the team members in the air:
"Great! Both teams were excellent! Especially the second team—never give up!"
Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, Draco gripped the Golden Snitch tightly and piloted " Hermione's Hero " straight toward Hermione without the slightest hesitation.
The moment the two drew close in mid-air, he reached out and pulled Hermione tightly into his arms, causing the broom to sway slightly.
"We won," Draco said, burying his face in her hair. "I told you, I'm your hero."
Hermione froze for a moment, then relaxed, gently hugging him back. Her cheeks were flushed, but her smile was exceptionally bright, "Yes, you won."
This scene caught everyone's attention, and the stands erupted in cheers and jeers once again.
Ron was the first to react, clutching his head and yelling, jumping around excitedly inside the goal:
"We won! We really won! By one point! Just one point!!"
Lavender screamed, hugging Parvati and jumping and crying, "Oh my god! It's a reversal! It's really a reversal! Hermione and Draco are so cool!!"
Parvati nodded frantically, his voice hoarse from shouting.
"I knew they could do it! The couple's broom really is a miracle broom!"
Olivia and Sam hugged each other excitedly, laughing and crying, "We did it! We really did it!"
Neville, whose palms were sweating from nervousness, finally breathed a sigh of relief and clapped enthusiastically on his own.
Harry (The Joker)
George and Fred did a somersault in the air and burst into laughter:
"Hahaha! Wood's face turned green!"
"A game-winning shot! We can brag about it for a whole year!"
Everyone rushed to the center of the field, surrounding Hermione and Draco, and the cheers almost lifted the roof off.
This game, ending in a one-point victory, became one of the most exciting and unforgettable moments at Hogwarts Stadium.
Meanwhile, on the other side, all the Gryffindor First Team members stood with their brooms dangling, their faces filled with undisguised frustration.
Despite leading for the entire game and having a lead of nearly 150 points, they ultimately lost by a single point. The sense of devastation, like falling from the clouds, left everyone feeling utterly demoralized.
Harry, clutching the Nimbus 2000, flew to his teammates with his head down, his face pale and filled with guilt.
"I'm sorry... It's all my fault. I didn't catch the Golden Snitch. If only I could have been faster..."
His voice trailed off, filled with self-reproach.
Wood took a deep breath, patted Harry on the shoulder, then looked around at the dejected team members, forcing himself to cheer them up:
"It's not your fault, Harry. Nobody expected Malfoy's broom to be this powerful."
"We played very well today. Our offense, teamwork, and tactics were all fine; we just lacked a little bit of luck."
"Losing isn't shameful. We'll make up for it in the next training session, and we'll definitely win the next House Cup."
Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Gu, and Andrew all nodded silently.
But her drooping shoulders and downcast eyes couldn't hide the sadness and regret in her heart.
Victory, so close yet so far, slipped away.