To protect something or someone in a dream means you are feeling some sort of threat in waking life. What negative force are you trying to keep out of your current waking life: overwhelming debt? addiction? peer pressure? illness? negative opinions of others? Whatever it is, look closely at your dream and see if you can find direction on how to best handle the situation. If someone is protecting you then ask yourself if there is a real life situation that you need to stay away from for your own good.