Making it pretty general; creatine is energy for your muscles and protein is basically for new muscle mass. I do not take creatine, but I do use protein which I take right after my workout session, however, I would assume that it is better to take creatine like 1-2 hours before working out, and protein right after workout. I do not think anything happens if you mix them, since my friend has been doing that for a while, and I haven't seen him growing tentacles or anything
Creatine is a naturally occurring acid in the body used for helping ATP formation (energy). Your body produces a large portion of it from the amino acids in proteins we eat. They go hand in hand.
There isn't a negative effect to consuming whey protein with a creatine supplement. People with renal issues probably shouldn't supplement creatine. Just make sure to stay hydrated. The "load-effect" many companies want you to believe where you need to use 10-20g for a week before the recommended 5g or whatever is also probably false considering your body naturally produces creatine already. It's mostly just so you consume more and have to buy their products more often. Welcome to the unregulated world of supplements.