We see early on that for all her antagonising Max, Dani really does look up to him - when the bullies who harassed him earlier try to take her candy from her, Dani tells them to get lost because she has her big brother with her.
Both have a strong Big Brother Instinct for the other. When the witches first grab Dani in the cottage, Max straightaway jumps up from where he's hiding and orders them to let go of her. Then, when Winifred attacks him with her magic, Dani tells her to leave him alone and whacks her with her Halloween bag.
When Billy's brought back to life as a zombie, Sarah initially greets him with a cheerful "Hello Billy!" and he seems to appreciate the gesture before Winifred starts barking orders at him.
After trying to get help from their parents goes south, Max tells Allison to take Dani back to her house to keep her safe. Dani immediately refuses, not wanting to leave Max to face the witches alone.
After the kids burn the witches in the incinerator and kill them, or so they think, Dani and Allison are really happy and celebrate their apparent victory by yelling and dancing together in a nearby field while Max and Binx watch. Binx sadly notes that, despite the witches' deaths, he's still alive and, when Max, Allison, and Dani get ready to head home, he turns away in the opposite direction. However, Max and Dani won't stand for him being left all alone by himself again and insist that he's going to come home with them and become their "pet". Binx is shocked, but Max tells him "Come on! You're a Dennison now." Binx decides to go with them and is clearly happy that they don't want to abandon him.
This is made more poignant by the fact that the guy has been totally alone, trapped in an animal's body, FOR OVER 300 YEARS. He's so emotional at the fact that they want him to stay because he hasn't had a family for most of his unnatural lifespan.
Also the small piece of advice that Binx gives to Max during this scene is both this and a Tear Jerker.
Binx: Take good care of Dani, Max. You'll never know how precious she is... until you lose her.
Back at the Dennisons' house after they burn the witches, Dani gives Binx a bowl of milk and tells him about all the good things she'll feed him and how she'll play with him every day. He jumps into bed with her and asks "You're planning on turning me into one of those fat, contented housecats!" The two end up snuggled together with their arms (or paws) around each other and fall asleep like that. Dani's last line before they drop off is absolutely heart-melting:
Dani: (sleepily) "Of course! 'cause I want you to stay with me forever...and ever...and ever..." (yawns and falls asleep)
It's Binx's reaction that totally sells it; he begins purring loudly and lovingly rubs his face against Dani's before he too falls asleep.
Allison and Max are sitting together, cuddled under a blanket, watching Dani and Binx sleep. Allison is exhausted, but says that she needs to go home. Max tells her that it's already late and that she should just rest a bit first. The two also both end up dozing off while snuggled together.
"You saved my life." "I had to. I'm your big brother." "I love you, jerkface." "I love you, too."
After the witches are defeated for real, Billy can finally rest in peace and cross over to the afterlife and happily climbs into his coffin. The kids tell the zombie good luck and wish him a happy sleep.
Thackery finally freed and is about to join his sister in Heaven, but before he leaves, he whispers to Dani, "I shall always be with you".
For bonus points, right after telling her that he kisses her on the cheek.
Towards the end of the sequel book, after the witches are defeated and everyone's back, including Dani, Max, and Allison, Poppy and Isabella talk and Isabella kisses Poppy, much to Poppy's surprise.
Hocus Pocus 2
At the start of the second movie, it shows Winifred's sisters having prepared a special birthday party for her. When Winifred laments over the town pastor talking about her marrying a boy she clearly doesn't care for, they empathize with her and it feels rather sincere. They're not telling her what she wants to hear; they understand how she feels and they're on her side.
In the first movie, the Sanderson sisters didn't seem incredibly close, but in the second movie it's actually sweet to see not only do they care about each other, but that Winnie was ready to give up on her evil plan just to be with them again after they vanish.
The second movie features Winnie slapping Sarah a lot. Some behind the scenes footage seen here reveals that Bette asked Sarah for permission to smack her before doing it.
A teenaged Winnie, who is implied to have been Promoted to Parent, demonstrating some pretty strong Big Sister Instinct when the Mother Witch attacks them, keeping Mary and Sarah close to her, and then physically intervening to save the latter.
reveals that Bette asked Sarah for permission to smack her before doing it.