Azkaban - 16

The chill was subsiding, although he still felt as if he were recovering from a nasty bout of flu. The palms of his hands were scraped and bleeding, and he thought his knees might be, as well. He had to adjust the chocolate to his fingertips so as not to smear it with his blood.

He could see Malfoy sitting next to him, looking waxy and pale, but still scowling. He, too, was eating a large hunk of chocolate. Tonks sat across from the two boys, her eyes moving rapidly between them. She had dirt smeared along the side of her face, and her hair now looked more gray than pink.

"What happened?" Harry tried to ask, although he couldn't quite form the words. Ron lifted the chocolate in Harry's limp hand and pushed it up towards his mouth, encouraging him to take another bite.

"I don't know what would've made them behave that way. They've never attacked visitors in the past," Tonks said, shakily. "I was on my way back down to check on you lot when I heard Draco screaming. The supervisor on duty is going to inform the Ministry that the Dementors left behind here are unstable."

"We'd just left my father's cell when those things came at us. Don't think the Ministry won't hear about this from me, either. The security in this facility is deplorable," Draco spat. "I could have been killed in the time it took you to get those things off of me."

"Relax, boy. It wasn't you they wanted," Moody said, his magical eye focused on Harry. "They stepped right over you to get to Potter."

Harry's eyes widened; everything was still a blur to him. He watched as Malfoy leaned back and petulantly crossed his arms over his chest.

"Potter was useless," Malfoy said, sneering. "Some hero you turned out to be; you passed out again as soon as they came at us. Obviously they're unpleasant, but why do they affect you so much? What do you see?"

"I hear my parents screaming while Voldemort murders them," Harry snapped, his head throbbing.

Even Malfoy had the good grace to look abashed.

Harry felt embarrassed and extremely irritated with both himself and Malfoy. He didn't know what had made him say that; he wasn't thinking clearly. He had to get his focus back if he was going to search for the Horcrux. He looked away from the sympathetic gazes of the others with a scowl and stuffed some more chocolate in his mouth.

"Why do the Dementors always go directly for Harry?" Ron asked, sounding anxious. Harry was grateful to him for diverting the attention.

"Most likely because he's a walking feast to them with all the crap he's been through," Moody said shortly. "I don't want to sit around here all day; we're sitting ducks in this room. Let's go to the holding facility and get what you want so we can get out of here."

"I agree," Harry said, using Ron's arm to help him stand. "I want to get out of here, too."

"Did you have any luck with your father, Draco?" Tonks asked, cocking her head to the side.

Malfoy averted his eyes, scowling. "No."

Tonks stared at him for a moment, but decided to let it go. She patted Malfoy gently on the shoulder as she passed him. "All right then. Holding is located on Level two. Follow me."

"Wait a minute," Harry said, staring beyond the stairwell where Tonks stood. He felt very weak and tired, but he was still aware enough to know Tonks was trying to hurry him off the floor. "What's that room down there?"