The thing is, Ulquiorra has already protected Orihime -- subtly, but it's there.
In a much earlier chapter, he convinced Nnoitra that she was weak and didn't need 'discipline' (at least the kind that Nnoitra had in mind), when just moments before he'd remarked to himself how strong of character she was.
He went immediately after Grimmjow to find her and take her back into his custody, after he'd found out from his fraccion that Orihime had been taken by Grimmjow.
Of course you could argue that "oh, well at the time, he was thinking she was still important to Aizen-sama, and therefore it was his obligation to make sure she was safe". Sure. But Ulquiorra's interest in Orihime goes beyond just making sure she's "safe". He frets over her while she's his captive, tries to get her to eat, tries to actually convince her (in his own fucked-up and heartless Arrancar way) that she shouldn't be sad for her friends getting injured. He's completely fascinated with her. And that's why, in chapter 317, he questions her about the human heart. It's also why, in 347, he has a momentary look of sadness on his face at her beating at the hands of Loly and Menoly. Ichigo even remarks that Ulquiorra might be acting more human, and we know if he is, it's because of his interactions with Orihime.
Ulquiorra wants to find Orihime's source of strength -- he even wants to try to "break" her emotionally -- but he doesn't want to hurt her, and he won't let anyone else seriously do so either, regardless of whether she's useful to Aizen or not. (By the way, it wasn't he who said that she wasn't useful anymore -- it was the Loly twins.)
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In a much earlier chapter, he convinced Nnoitra that she was weak and didn't need 'discipline' (at least the kind that Nnoitra had in mind), when just moments before he'd remarked to himself how strong of character she was.
He went immediately after Grimmjow to find her and take her back into his custody, after he'd found out from his fraccion that Orihime had been taken by Grimmjow.
Of course you could argue that "oh, well at the time, he was thinking she was still important to Aizen-sama, and therefore it was his obligation to make sure she was safe". Sure. But Ulquiorra's interest in Orihime goes beyond just making sure she's "safe". He frets over her while she's his captive, tries to get her to eat, tries to actually convince her (in his own fucked-up and heartless Arrancar way) that she shouldn't be sad for her friends getting injured. He's completely fascinated with her. And that's why, in chapter 317, he questions her about the human heart. It's also why, in 347, he has a momentary look of sadness on his face at her beating at the hands of Loly and Menoly. Ichigo even remarks that Ulquiorra might be acting more human, and we know if he is, it's because of his interactions with Orihime.
Ulquiorra wants to find Orihime's source of strength -- he even wants to try to "break" her emotionally -- but he doesn't want to hurt her, and he won't let anyone else seriously do so either, regardless of whether she's useful to Aizen or not. (By the way, it wasn't he who said that she wasn't useful anymore -- it was the Loly twins.)